GM Mikhail Botvinnik (2700) -  GM Vassily Smyslov (2675) 
[E68]
 (FIDE) World Championship Match, (Game # 14) 
  Moscow,  U.S.S.R.  (RUS)  1954. 

[A.J.G.]

Game number fourteen, (14) of the FIDE WCS match. 

One of the greatest World Championship games ever played, according to GM A. Soltis. 
(He rates this as the # 11 game of the 20th Century, in his book" "The 100 Best.") 

Smyslov himself said this was one of his very best games. 

***

The ratings are simply estimates. (2000-to-2001 terms) 

All the exclams here in this particular version of the game originate with ... 
either GM A. Soltis or GM V. Smyslov. 

The game starts out as a "King's Indian Defense." (White plays the Fianchetto Variation.)  
1.d4 Nf6;  2.c4 g6;  3.g3 Bg7;  4.Bg2 0-0;  5.Nc3 d6;  6.Nf3 Nbd7;  7.0-0 e5;  

8.e4 c6;  9.Be3!?, {Diagram?} 
An unusual continuation. 
(The book move is h3.) 

     [ 9.h3 ].  

9...Ng4;  10.Bg5 Qb6!; {Diagram?} 
Easily the best move here. 

(And VERY sharp ... and very, very, VERY complicated!!) 

 '!' - GM A. Soltis.  

11.h3 exd4!; (TN) {Diagram?} 
A new move - and a big improvement over existing theory.  

  '!' - GM Andy Soltis.   '!' - GM Vassily Smyslov. 

Now comes a small  'com - bine'  ... that sets the tone for the rest of the game.  
12.Na4 Qa6;  13.hxg4 b5!;  {Diagram?} 
This regains the material - with an advantage. - Smyslov.   

  '!' - GM Vassily Smyslov.  

14.Nxd4 bxa4;  15.Nxc6! Qxc6!;  {Diagram?} 
"Far superior to 15...Bb7; 16.Ne7+." - GM A. Soltis.  

  '!' - GM A. Soltis.  

16.e5 Qxc4;  17.Bxa8 Nxe5;  {Diagram?} 
"Black has excellent play for the exchange." - GM V. Smyslov.  

18.Rc1!, {Diagram?} 
This is clearly better than many of the alternatives - according to more 
than one annotator. 

  '!' - GM A. Soltis.  

     [ Also playable were: 18.Qxd6!?; or 18.Bd5!?; or 18.Bg2!? ].  

18...Qb4!; {Diagram?} 
The best move ... in a position where Black has a bewildering array of choices. 

  '!' - GM A. Soltis.   

     [ 18...Bxg4!?; "~" {Diagram?} ] 

White's next move is best ... and given an exclam by Soltis. 
 (And Smyslov as well.)  
19.a3! Qxb2;  20.Qxa4!? Bb7!; (Maybe - '!!')  {Diagram?}  
According to what GM S. Gligoric wrote - shortly after this game was actually played - this 
is one of the best combinations ever played, at the World Championship level. 

  '!' - GM A Soltis.   '!' - GM V. Smyslov.   

21.Rb1?!, {Diagram?} 
This was a mistake, according to Soltis. 

(But certainly a very understandable error. Botvinnik gains material, and he probably 
 thought he was winning.)  

  '?' - GM Andy Soltis.   

     [ Forced was: 21.Bxb7, [] - GM A. Soltis.  (& others) ].  

21...Nf3+;  22.Kh1 Bxa8!; {Diagram?} 
In addition to having at least offered (during this game); the sacrifice of a pawn(s), a piece, 
and an exchange ... Black now throws his Queen in ... for good measure.  

  '!' - GM Andrew Soltis.    '!' - GM Vassily Smyslov. 

I personally feel this move, (and also Black's 20th move); fully deserves  TWO  exclams! 
  - LIFE Master  A.J. Goldsby I.  

The next few moves all look pretty much forced.  
23.Rxb2 Nxg5+;  24.Kh2 Nf3+;  25.Kh3 Bxb2;  26.Qxa7 Be4;  27.a4, {Diagram?} 
With his King and Rook tied down, White's a-pawn is his only real source of counterplay. 

     [ 27.g5!?;  27.Qa6!? ].  

27...Kg7!?;  28.Rd1 Be5;  29.Qe7 Rc8!; {Diagram?} 
Black's pieces (now) all get to good squares. 

The rest is a simple mop-up operation.  

   '!' - GM Vassily Smyslov.   

30.a5, {Diagram?} 
White's only real source of play is to continue to threaten to promote his QRP. 
(The a-pawn.) 

     [ White loses horribly after Rxd6 - the proof? 
        30.Rxd6? Rc1!;  31.g5,  {Diagram?} White must give his King an escape square. 
          (Much worse was: 31.a5? Rh1+; 32.Kg2 Ne1# )     31...Nxg5+!;  32.Qxg5 Rh1+;   
        33.Kg4 h5+;  34.Qxh5[] gxh5+;  35.Kg5 Bxd6;  ("-/+") {Diagram?}  
        and White is strangely helpless against the coming threat of  ... 
        (Black) Pawn to the f6-square, (MATE!!); on the next move. ].   

Now Black finds a relatively simply conclusion to this very complicated game. 
30...Rc2;  31.Kg2 Nd4+;  32.Kf1 Bf3;  33.Rb1 Nc6; {Diagram?}  
White Resigns ... his position is completely hopeless once Black gets in the move, ...Bd4. 

   Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I.    Copyright (©) A.J. Goldsby,  2002. 

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