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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

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FCGFCG
1-0

Tal, Mihail vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 23th

1960

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FCGFCG
1-0

Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily

World Championship 21th

1957

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FCGFCG
0-1

Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily

World Championship 20th

1954

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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

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FCGFCG
1-0

Bronstein, David I vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 19th

1951

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Games (891)

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Bronstein, David I vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 19th 1951 A14
Bronstein, David I vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 19th 1951 D90
Bronstein, David I vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 19th 1951 D87
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Bronstein, David I★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 19th 1951 A91
Bronstein, David I vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 19th 1951 A91
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Bronstein, David I★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 19th 1951 A91
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Bronstein, David I★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 19th 1951 C08
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 18th 1948 D98
Euwe, Max vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 18th 1948 C08
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Reshevsky, Samuel Herman★
1-0
World Championship 18th 1948 E51
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Euwe, Max★
1-0
World Championship 18th 1948 D49
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 18th 1948 D76
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Euwe, Max★
1-0
World Championship 18th 1948 D46
Keres, Paul vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
0-1
World Championship 18th 1948 A13
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
0-1
World Championship 18th 1948 B62
Keres, Paul vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
0-1
World Championship 18th 1948 C08
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 18th 1948 D22
Euwe, Max vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 18th 1948 C08
Reshevsky, Samuel Herman vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
0-1
World Championship 18th 1948 C18
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Euwe, Max★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 18th 1948 D35
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Keres, Paul★
1-0
World Championship 18th 1948 D06
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Reshevsky, Samuel Herman★
0-1
World Championship 18th 1948 E29
Keres, Paul vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1-0
World Championship 18th 1948 C15
Reshevsky, Samuel Herman vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 18th 1948 A91
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Reshevsky, Samuel Herman★
1-0
World Championship 18th 1948 C49
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Keres, Paul★
1-0
World Championship 18th 1948 E28
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail★
1/2-1/2
World Championship 18th 1948 D96
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2
Leiden 1970 D31
Larsen, Bent vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1-0
Leiden 1970 A28
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Larsen, Bent
1-0
Leiden 1970 E81
Spassky, Boris V vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Leiden 1970 B19
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2
Leiden 1970 A26
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Larsen, Bent
0-1
Leiden 1970 A90
Spassky, Boris V vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Leiden 1970 B19
Larsen, Bent vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Leiden 1970 B18
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Geller, Efim P
0-1
Belgrade 1969 E69
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2
Hoogovens 1969 D41
Portisch, Lajos vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Hoogovens 1969 D96
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Polugaevsky, Lev
1/2-1/2
Belgrade 1969 A14
Geller, Efim P vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Hoogovens 1969 C09
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Larsen, Bent
1/2-1/2
Monte Carlo 1968 E62
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Portisch, Lajos
1-0
Monte Carlo 1968 A29
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Monte Carlo 1968 D25
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Polugaevsky, Lev
1-0
URS-chT 1967 E61
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Larsen, Bent
1-0
Palma de Mallorca 1967 A14
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Portisch, Lajos
1/2-1/2
Palma de Mallorca 1967 D31
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Bronstein, David I
1/2-1/2
URS-chT 1967 A85
Geller, Efim P vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
URS-chT 1967 B12
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
URS-chT 1967 D47
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Palma de Mallorca 1967 D13
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