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  3. /Botvinnik, Mikhail

Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Champion

classical era

Mikhail Botvinnik, the "Patriarch of Soviet Chess," held the World Championship across three reigns (1948-1957, 1958-1960, 1961-1963), twice reclaiming the title in rematches after losing it. His iron-logical, deeply analytical style and scientific approach to preparation established the template for modern competitive chess training. As a legendary coach, he mentored three future World Champions -- Karpov, Kasparov, and Kramnik -- leaving an unparalleled legacy in chess education.

Total Games

891

Wins

406

Draws

375

Losses

110

45.6% wins42.1% draws12.3% losses

Most Played Openings

D94 - Grünfeld Defense: Flohr Defense13A36 - English Opening: Symmetrical Variation, Botvinnik System13D13 - Slav Defense: Exchange Variation12B12 - Caro-Kann Defense12C19 - French Defense: Winawer Variation, Positional Variation12E35 - Nimzo-Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Noa Variation11D35 - Queen's Gambit Declined: Normal Defense10C15 - French Defense: Winawer Variation10C08 - French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System10A30 - English Opening: Wing Gambit10

Most Faced Opponents

Smyslov, Vassily94 gamesTal, Mihail44 gamesBronstein, David I30 gamesPetrosian, Tigran V27 gamesFlohr, Salo27 gamesRagozin, Viacheslav24 gamesLevenfish, Grigory19 gamesKeres, Paul19 gamesKan, Ilia Abramovich15 gamesReshevsky, Samuel Herman14 games

Featured Games

FCGFCG
1-0

Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily

World Championship 22th

1958

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 23th

1960

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily

World Championship 21th

1957

View Print
FCGFCG
0-1

Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily

World Championship 20th

1954

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 21th

1957

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 22th

1958

View Print
FCGFCG
0-1

Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 24th

1961

View Print
FCGFCG
0-1

Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 20th

1954

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 24th

1961

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Bronstein, David I vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 19th

1951

View Print

Games (891)

Search & Filter All Games →
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0
World Championship 23th 1960 B18
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Tal, Mihail★
1-0
World Championship 23th 1960 A60
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Tal, Mihail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 23th 1960 D40
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Tal, Mihail★
0-1
World Championship 23th 1960 E69
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Tal, Mihail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 23th 1960 E24
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0
World Championship 23th 1960 C18
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Tal, Mihail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 23th 1960 E27
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0
World Championship 23th 1960 B18
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 23th 1960 B11
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0
World Championship 23th 1960 A87
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Tal, Mihail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 23th 1960 E24
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 23th 1960 B18
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 23th 1960 E19
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 23th 1960 A30
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1-0
World Championship 22th 1958 E81
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
0-1
World Championship 22th 1958 B11
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 22th 1958 A05
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0
World Championship 22th 1958 B12
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 22th 1958 E69
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 22th 1958 B72
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0
World Championship 22th 1958 D99
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 22th 1958 B10
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
0-1
World Championship 22th 1958 A95
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 22th 1958 A16
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 22th 1958 A30
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0
World Championship 22th 1958 B11
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1-0
World Championship 22th 1958 A12
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 22th 1958 B72
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 22th 1958 D98
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0
World Championship 22th 1958 B72
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1-0
World Championship 22th 1958 A16
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1-0
World Championship 22th 1958 A16
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 22th 1958 B34
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1-0
World Championship 22th 1958 E81
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 22th 1958 A16
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
0-1
World Championship 22th 1958 B19
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 22th 1958 D47
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 21th 1957 C98
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
0-1
World Championship 21th 1957 A36
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 21th 1957 D79
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0
World Championship 21th 1957 C18
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1-0
World Championship 21th 1957 E45
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
0-1
World Championship 21th 1957 B66
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
0-1
World Championship 21th 1957 D73
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 21th 1957 C15
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 21th 1957 C18
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 21th 1957 E45
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 21th 1957 C11
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 21th 1957 B66
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 21th 1957 E62
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