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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
1-0
URS-ch13 1944 C92
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
0-1
URS-ch13 1944 C19
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Sverdlovsk 1943 C19
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
Sverdlovsk 1943 C46
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2
Leningrad/Moscow 1941 D27
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Leningrad/Moscow 1941 C42
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
0-1
Leningrad/Moscow 1941 C77
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
0-1
Leningrad/Moscow 1941 C19
Keres, Paul vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Leningrad/Moscow 1941 C50
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Leningrad/Moscow 1941 E70
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2
Leningrad/Moscow 1941 D36
Keres, Paul vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
0-1
Leningrad/Moscow 1941 E35
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2
URS-ch12 1940 E13
Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
URS-ch12 1940 C99
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2
AVRO 1938 E29
Capablanca, Jose Raul vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
AVRO 1938 D93
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Euwe, Max
1/2-1/2
AVRO 1938 A06
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Capablanca, Jose Raul
1-0
AVRO 1938 E49
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Alekhine, Alexander
1-0
AVRO 1938 D41
Alekhine, Alexander vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
AVRO 1938 E19
Keres, Paul vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
AVRO 1938 E17
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Reshevsky, Samuel Herman
1-0
AVRO 1938 A25
Euwe, Max vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1-0
AVRO 1938 D96
Reshevsky, Samuel Herman vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
AVRO 1938 E46
Lasker, Emanuel vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Nottingham 1936 D91
Alekhine, Alexander vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Nottingham 1936 B72
Capablanca, Jose Raul vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Nottingham 1936 A30
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Lasker, Emanuel
1-0
Moscow 1936 E07
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Capablanca, Jose Raul
0-1
Moscow 1936 A30
Lasker, Emanuel vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Moscow 1936 C01
Euwe, Max vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Nottingham 1936 E34
Capablanca, Jose Raul vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Moscow 1936 A95
Reshevsky, Samuel Herman vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Nottingham 1936 A95
Capablanca, Jose Raul vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Moscow 1935 D90
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Lasker, Emanuel
1/2-1/2
Moscow 1935 E01
Capablanca, Jose Raul vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Hastings3435 1934 A91
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Euwe, Max
0-1
Hastings3435 1934 D27
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Euwe, Max
1/2-1/2
Leningrad 1934 C83
Donner, Jan Hein vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Leiden 1970 E91
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Matulovic, Milan
1/2-1/2
Belgrade URS-World 1970 A89
Matulovic, Milan vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
0-1
Belgrade URS-World 1970 B06
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Donner, Jan Hein
1/2-1/2
Leiden 1970 A08
Matulovic, Milan vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Belgrade URS-World 1970 B08
Donner, Jan Hein vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Leiden 1970 A84
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Matulovic, Milan
1/2-1/2
Belgrade URS-World 1970 B36
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Donner, Jan Hein
1/2-1/2
Leiden 1970 D37
Tringov, Georgi P vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Belgrade 1969 B06
Donner, Jan Hein vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1/2-1/2
Hoogovens 1969 D79
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Benko, Pal C
1/2-1/2
Hoogovens 1969 B36
Janosevic, Dragoljub vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
1-0
Belgrade 1969 E92
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