Also in my library are Botvinnik-Bronstein, the Match for the World Championship in 1951 that was compiled and edited by Botvinnik's second cousin Igor Botvinnik, who passed away in 2011. He was a mathematician and an International Arbiter who opened a school for children that is named after Mikhail Botvinnik.
Other Botvinnik books in my library are his Half A Century of Chess which contains 90 games from 1925 to 1966 and Secret Matches: The Unknown Training Games of Mikhail Botvinnik that were selected and annotated by Jan Timman.
I also have Botvinnik-Smyslov, Three World Championship matches by Botvinnik and finally, Mikhail Botvinnik, Life and Games by Andrew Soltis which contains a Botvinnik's biography both as a professional and as a chess player and has about 85 games dating from 1924 to 1970.
Today's game is taken from the 1944 Soviet Championship, which was held in Moscow from May 21st to June 17th. It was the first championship since the USSR Absolute Championship in 1941.
Twelve masters qualified from three semifinal tournaments while Botvinnik, Smyslov, Ragozin, Lisitsin and Ravinsky were invited.
The tournament turned out to be Botvinnik's third consecutive title and his fourth Soviet championship win.
A newcomer was David Bronstein who had been working on the rebuilding of a metallurgical factory in Stalingrad in the fall of 1943 when Boris Vainstein brought him to the Moscow.
Vainstein (1907-1993) was a high-ranking Soviet NKVD and chess official who also happened to be a good player himself. He is best remembered as a friend and supporter of Bronstein and for helping him write his classic book on the 1953 Zurich Candidates. Vainstein also authored a number of chess books.
Bronstein told the story that when he was invited to the 1944 Championship he had only his green overalls to wear. Every day the chairman of Sports Committee threatened not to let him play in the next round, but Bronstein stated that he simply had no other clothes.
Botvinnik wrote that when he arrived at the closing ceremony he saw an old table clock under a glass case on the podium and asked what it was. He was outraged when he was informed that it was his prize. He claimed it showed a lack of respect for chess and it broke the contract. It took six months, but he finally got his prize money.
The following game was played when Botvinnik was on a six game winning streak that forged him into the lead. It was Botvinnik's theory that that a single crushing defeat could result in long term emotional damage and that's what happened as a result of this game. Botvinnik claimed that after this game Smyslov “was so demoralized afterwards that) he failed to put up any strong opposition to me.” Not quite! Even if it was only for a year, Smyslov wrested the world championship from Botvinnik is 1957.
Vasily Smyslov - Mikhail Botvinnik
Result: 0-1
Site: USSR Championship, Moscow
Date: 1944
French Defense, Winawer Variation
[...] 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.♘c3 ♗b4 This variation, named after Simon Winawer, was pioneered by Nimzovich and Botvinnik who became its chief advocate in the 1940s. The pin on the N forces white to resolve the central tension. White normally clarifies the central situation with 4. e5, gaining space and hoping to show that the B is misplaced. Botvinnik wrote that he had particular satisfaction using the Winawer against Smyslov, who being a classical player, considered the variation to be bad. Career-wise their score in the WInawer ended up being 2 wins each with 6 draws. 4.e5 c5 5.a3 ♗xc3+ In the 1946 USSR-Great Britain match C.H.O'D. Alexander beat Botvinnik with 7.Qg4 which caused Botvinnik to conclude that this move had been refuted. As a result, in 1947, in his secret analysis conducted when he was training for the world championship match- tournament he concluded that the correct move here is 5...Ba5 which he did not play until he unleashed it against Smyslov in their 1954 world championship match. 6.bxc3 From white's viewpoint this strengthens his center, he has a semi-open b-file and and he has an advantage in space on the K-side. Additionally, black has traded off a B giving white the two Bs which give him attacking chances. As for black, he hopes to get counterplay against the doubled Ps and the long-term features of this P-formation favor black. 6...♘e7 7.a4 ♘bc6 8.♘f3 ♕a5 9.♗d2 c4 10.♘g5 h6 11.♘h3 With his next move white intends to maneuver his N to f4 and h5 as Botvinnik had once recommended, but Botvinnik's next move prevents that idea. 11...♘g6
26.♕b8 ♘c6 27.♕e8 ♖e7 As far as I know nobody has commented on this move which neither Stockfish nor Komodo like at all. Either 27...Qc7 or 27...Ne5 are evaluated at 0.00 while the text is evaluated at plus over minus white's favor (Komodo) and 3 Ps (Stockfish).
29...e5 This spectacular move is good, but 29...Qc7 would have been even better. Fortunately for Botvinnik, Smyslov makes the wrong capture.
30.fxe5
30...♘xd4
11...♗d7 12.♘f4 O-O-O 13.♘h5 ♖hg8 14.g3 ♖df8 15.♗h3 f5 with equal chances. Zhang,Z (2607)-Kosyrev,V (2565)/Las Vegas, 2001
12.♕f3 The Q turns out to be misplaced after this move. both 12. Be2 followed by Bh5 and 12. g4 were recommended. 12...♗d7 13.♘f4 ♘xf4 14.♕xf4 ♘e7 15.h4 ♗xa4 In The World's a Chessboard, Reuben Fine called Botvinnik's opening innovations profound and they were the main reason for his postwar supremacy. One thing that impressed Fine was Botvinnik's frequent captures of white's a-Pawn in the WInawer, but here there is little risk to the Q. 16.h5 ♕b5 Threatening to capture on c2. 17.♔d1 ♖c8 After this white succeeds in gaining a slight edge.
17...a5 was better. 18.g4 ♕d7 19.♖g1 b5 20.g5 (20.♗e2 b4 favors black.) 20...hxg5 21.♕f3 g4 22.♖xg4 g6 23.h6 with equal chances.
18.♗c1 ♖c6 19.♗e2 ♖a6 20.♔d2 O-O This has been criticized because it looks unnecessarily risky as it gives white attacking chances. However, Stockfish was unable to suggest anything better. With the text move Botvinnik's intention was to set a trap for Smyslov, but he latter confessed that traps are only good when a) your position is hopeless or b) they don't make your position worse.
20...♕d7 With the idea of getting the Q-side Ps in motion does not work out well for black. 21.g4 b5 22.♗a3 ♖b6 23.♗b4 ♖b8 (23...♘c6 24.♗c5) 24.g5 and white has the initiative.
21.g4 With this move Botvinnik admitted he was setting a trap, but advised traps are only good is a) your position is hopeless or b) they don't make your position worse.
21.♗a3 was what Botvinnik was hoping for. There follows 21...♗xc2 22.♗b4 (22.♔xc2 ♕b3+ 23.♔d2 ♖xa3 and wins) 22...♖xa1 23.♖xa1 ♗d3 24.♗xd3 cxd3 25.♕f3 ♘c6 26.♕xd3 ♕b6 27.♗a3 ♖c8 28.♖b1 ♕d8 and black has a winning position.
21...f6 22.exf6 ♖xf6 23.♕c7 ♖f7 24.♕d8+ ♔h7 25.f4 ♕a5 Botvinnik thought more than 30 minutes and concluded that 25. ... Qd7 was best, but it only lead eo equality. At the last minute he decided to take a gamble and and play a tricky, but extremely dangerous, variation.
25...♘g8 is safe. After 26.♖f1 ♗xc2 27.♖xa6 bxa6
27...♕xa6 28.♔xc2 b5 29.♗b2 b4 30.♖a1 b3+ 31.♔d1 ♕b7 32.♕d6 and white has the better game and should win.
28.♔xc2 ♕b3+ 29.♔d2 ♘f6 30.♗f3 The chances would be equal. 27...♘e5 28.♕xa4 ♕xa4 29.♖xa4 ♖xa4 30.fxe5 ♖a2 Black is slightly better owing to his active Rs and Q-side Ps while white's Bs are greatly limited. In a Shootout using Stockfish white scored +0 -1 =4, so a draw seems a likely outcome.
28.♕g6+ Botvinnik wrote that Smyslov played this move without thinking, but it is based on a serious delusion. Botvinnik correctly thought 28. Qf8 was better. (28.♕f8 ♕d8 29.♕xd8 ♘xd8 30.g5 and white has the upper hand.) 28...♔g8 The players have now arrived at a very interesting position. White had been preparing g4-g5-g6+ (or gxh6) for several moves. But, Botvinnik now thought that 29.g5 which saves the Q from being trapped was essential, but it, too, fails. 29.♗a3
29.g5 ♘xd4 30.♖xa4 Better than Botvinnik's 30.gxh6 but still insufficient.
30.gxh6 ♘xe2 31.♔xe2 ♕xc3 32.♖a3 ♕xc2+ 33.♕xc2 ♗xc2 34.♖xa6 bxa6 and black wins.
30...♕xa4 31.cxd4 ♕b4+ 32.♔e3 e5 with a big advantage. 29...♕c7 This allows black to keep a won position. 30.♖hf1 ♘b4 31.♗xb4 ♗e8 32.♖xa6 bxa6
32...♗xg6 is very tempting, but it loses! 33.♖xa7 ♗e4 34.♖a8+ ♔h7 35.g5 hxg5 36.fxg5 g6 37.♖ff8 gxh5 38.♗xh5 ♕h2+ 39.♗e2 and black has no way of saving the game. 39...♕c7 40.♖h8+ ♔g6 41.♗xe7 ♕xe7 42.♖hg8+ ♔f5 43.♖af8+
30.♗xe7 loses to 30...♘xe7 and the Q is trapped. 31.♕xa6 ♕xa6 32.fxe5 b5
30.dxe5 This leaves white very much alive. 30...♘xe5 31.♕f5
31.♕xa6 would leave white lost after 31...♕xa6 32.♗xe7 ♘c6 33.♗d6 d4
31...♖f6 32.♕c8+ ♖e8 33.♕c530...♘xe5 This may have been what Smyslov hoped for when he played 30.fxe5 31.♕f5 ♖f6 32.♗xe7 ♖xf5 33.gxf5 White is slightly better, but anything can happen.
31.♗b4 (31.♗xe7 ♖xg6 32.hxg6 ♘xe2 33.♔xe2 ♕xc3 34.♖xa4 ♕xc2+ and black wins) 31...♕d8 Well played because now white does not get enough compensation for his Q. 32.♕xa6 bxa6 33.cxd4 ♖b7 34.♖xa4 ♕g5+
34...a5 35.♗xa5 ♕g5+ 36.♔c3 Otherwise black has ...Rb1+ 36...♕e3+ 37.♗d3 cxd3 38.cxd3 ♖f7 39.♗b4 ♖f2 40.♖d1 ♕e2 wins
35.♔d1 This allows a mate in 7. Much better was 35.Kc3 which would cause black considerable technical difficulties in working out the win.
35.♔c3 The most precise line is now 35...♕e3+ 36.♗d3 ♖f7 37.♖aa1 ♖f2 38.♖hd1 cxd3 39.♖xd3 ♕e2 40.♖a2 ♕xg4 41.♗c5 Here black is winning, but it isn't easy to work out a winning plan. Here is how Stockfish secured the win at 17 plies. 41...♕e2 42.♔b3 ♖h2 43.♗xa7 ♖xh5 44.♔b4 ♖g5 45.♔c5 h5 46.♔xd5 ♖g6 47.♗c5 h4 48.♖aa3 ♕g2+ 49.♔c4 ♕xc2+ 50.♔d5 ♕g2+ 51.♔c4 ♕f1 52.♔b4 ♖g4 53.♗a7 ♖g2 54.♗c5 ♖b2+ 55.♖ab3 ♖xb3+ 56.♖xb3 h3 57.♖b2 ♔f7 58.♔c3 ♕c1+ 59.♔b3 ♔e6 60.♖h2 ♕b1+ 61.♔c3 ♕e1+ 62.♔c4 ♕f1+ 63.♔c3 g5 and wins. Obviously in a game between humans both sides could have considerable difficulty in finding the right moves.
35...a5 This wins, but it's not as precise as 35.. .c3
35...c3 Forces mate. 36.♔e1 ♕d2+ 37.♔f2 ♖f7+ 38.♔g3 ♕xe2 39.♖f1 ♖xf1 40.g5 ♖f3+ 41.♔h4 ♕e4#
36.♗f3 ♖xb4 37.♗xd5+ ♔f8 38.♖f1+ ♔e8 39.♗c6+ (39.♖xb4 axb4 40.♗xc4 ♕xg4+ 41.♔c1 ♕xd4 Black is winning.) 39...♔e7 40.♖xb4 ♕xg4+ Smyslov resigned. (40...♕xg4+ 41.♖f3 ♕xd4+ 42.♔e2 axb4 with a straightforward win.) Powered by Aquarium
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