BOTVINNIK VERSUS SMYSLOV AND PETROSIAN

This Botvinnik Versus Smyslov and Petrosian is an English-language hardcover chess book built around Mikhail Botvinnik’s own account of his key world championship matches, combining the games with the thinking behind them.

It focuses on Botvinnik’s matches with Vasily Smyslov and Tigran Petrosian, and it goes beyond move-by-move analysis to show how he approached preparation, match strategy and the evaluation of his opponents.

What the book covers

The main narrative follows Botvinnik’s three matches with Smyslov and his match against Petrosian. Seen from Botvinnik’s perspective, these encounters become more than a record of title fights: they also reveal the contrast between the players’ styles and personalities, as well as the pressure of world championship play.

The Smyslov section is especially rich in historical and psychological detail. Alongside the chess itself, it captures the meeting of two very different characters: Botvinnik’s disciplined, severe approach and Smyslov’s calm, easy manner.

The final part turns to Petrosian and to the closing of an era. Botvinnik describes his attempt to recover after a difficult start, before eventually losing the world title he had first won fifteen years earlier.

Extra material inside

In addition to Botvinnik’s analysis, the book includes annotations and texts by Smyslov, Petrosian and other leading grandmasters. It also brings together games from a secret training match and Botvinnik’s notebooks.

One especially notable section is the last of those notebooks, which records Botvinnik’s preparation for the planned 1969 match against Bobby Fischer, a match that never took place.

Edition information

• Language: English
• Format: hardcover
• Page count: 480

This is a strong choice for serious players, coaches, collectors of chess literature and anyone who wants to study world championship matches through Botvinnik’s own notes and commentary.

Key details

• Product type: hardcover chess book
• Language: English
• Subject: Mikhail Botvinnik’s world championship matches
• Opponents: Vasily Smyslov and Tigran Petrosian
• Content: game analysis, match strategy and commentary on opponents’ strategic choices
• Additional material: annotations and texts by Smyslov, Petrosian and other leading grandmasters
• Archival content: games from a secret training match and Botvinnik’s notebooks
• Page count: 480