Botvinnik, Mikhail
World ChampionMikhail 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
Featured Games
1-0
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily
World Championship 22th
1958
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Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
World Championship 23th
1960
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Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily
World Championship 21th
1957
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Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily
World Championship 20th
1954
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Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
World Championship 21th
1957
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Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
World Championship 22th
1958
View Print0-1
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
World Championship 24th
1961
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Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
World Championship 20th
1954
View Print1-0
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
World Championship 24th
1961
View Print1-0
Bronstein, David I vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
World Championship 19th
1951
View PrintGames (891)
Search & Filter All Games →Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0World Championship 23th 1960 B18
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Tal, Mihail★
1-0World Championship 23th 1960 A60
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Tal, Mihail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 23th 1960 D40
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Tal, Mihail★
0-1World Championship 23th 1960 E69
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Tal, Mihail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 23th 1960 E24
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0World Championship 23th 1960 C18
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Tal, Mihail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 23th 1960 E27
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0World Championship 23th 1960 B18
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 23th 1960 B11
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0World Championship 23th 1960 A87
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Tal, Mihail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 23th 1960 E24
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 23th 1960 B18
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 23th 1960 E19
Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 23th 1960 A30
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1-0World Championship 22th 1958 E81
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
0-1World Championship 22th 1958 B11
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 22th 1958 A05
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0World Championship 22th 1958 B12
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2World Championship 22th 1958 E69
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 22th 1958 B72
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0World Championship 22th 1958 D99
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 22th 1958 B10
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
0-1World Championship 22th 1958 A95
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2World Championship 22th 1958 A16
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2World Championship 22th 1958 A30
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0World Championship 22th 1958 B11
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1-0World Championship 22th 1958 A12
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 22th 1958 B72
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2World Championship 22th 1958 D98
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0World Championship 22th 1958 B72
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1-0World Championship 22th 1958 A16
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1-0World Championship 22th 1958 A16
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 22th 1958 B34
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1-0World Championship 22th 1958 E81
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2World Championship 22th 1958 A16
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
0-1World Championship 22th 1958 B19
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 22th 1958 D47
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 21th 1957 C98
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
0-1World Championship 21th 1957 A36
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2World Championship 21th 1957 D79
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0World Championship 21th 1957 C18
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1-0World Championship 21th 1957 E45
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
0-1World Championship 21th 1957 B66
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
0-1World Championship 21th 1957 D73
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 21th 1957 C15
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 21th 1957 C18
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2World Championship 21th 1957 E45
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 21th 1957 C11
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2World Championship 21th 1957 B66
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2World Championship 21th 1957 E62