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  3. /Smyslov, Vasily

Smyslov, Vasily

World Champion

classical era

Vasily Smyslov was a Soviet grandmaster who became the seventh World Champion in 1957 by defeating Botvinnik, though he lost the title in their 1958 rematch. Celebrated for his intuitive positional style and machine-like endgame precision, he competed at the highest level for over four decades and holds the all-time record of 17 Chess Olympiad medals. Outside of chess, he was an accomplished baritone singer who once auditioned for the Bolshoi Theatre.

Total Games

2627

Wins

906

Draws

1411

Losses

310

34.5% wins53.7% draws11.8% losses

Most Played Openings

D94 - Grünfeld Defense: Flohr Defense52E61 - King's Indian Defense42E11 - Bogo-Indian Defense39A30 - English Opening: Wing Gambit36C42 - Petrov's Defense32A48 - London System29C92 - Ruy Lopez: Closed28A29 - English Opening: King's English Variation, Four Knights Variation, Fianchetto Line28B08 - Pirc Defense: Classical Variation27D13 - Slav Defense: Exchange Variation26

Most Faced Opponents

Botvinnik, Mikhail94 gamesGeller, Efim P52 gamesGligoric, Svetozar41 gamesKeres, Paul40 gamesPortisch, Lajos31 gamesBronstein, David I30 gamesPetrosian, Tigran V30 gamesBoleslavsky, Isaak28 gamesTaimanov, Mark E27 gamesReshevsky, Samuel Herman27 games

Featured Games

FCGFCG
0-1

Portisch, Lajos vs Smyslov, Vassily

Amsterdam Interzonal

1964

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FCGFCG
1-0

Morozevich, Alexander vs Smyslov, Vassily

FIDE-Wch k.o.

1997

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FCGFCG
1-0

Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily

World Championship 22th

1958

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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

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FCGFCG
1-0

Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 22th

1958

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FCGFCG
0-1

Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 20th

1954

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FCGFCG
0-1

Tal, Mihail vs Smyslov, Vassily

Biel Interzonal

1976

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FCGFCG
1-0

Smyslov, Vassily vs Weigel, Herbert

Wch Seniors

1991

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Games (2627)

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Smyslov,V vs Galliamova,A
1-0
Klompendans 2001 B22
Zhu Chen vs Smyslov,V
1/2-1/2
Klompendans 2001 D94
Smyslov,V vs Ioseliani,N
1/2-1/2
Klompendans 2001 B22
Smyslov,V vs Xie Jun
1/2-1/2
Klompendans 2001 C48
Galliamova,A vs Smyslov,V
1/2-1/2
Klompendans 2001 A12
Ioseliani,N vs Smyslov,V
1/2-1/2
Schuhplattler Veterans vs Ladies 2000 D12
Smyslov,V vs Xie Jun
1/2-1/2
Schuhplattler Veterans vs Ladies 2000 C47
Zhu Chen vs Smyslov,V
1/2-1/2
Schuhplattler Veterans vs Ladies 2000 A22
Smyslov,V vs Galliamova,A
1/2-1/2
Schuhplattler Veterans vs Ladies 2000 B22
Smyslov,V vs Ioseliani,N
1/2-1/2
Schuhplattler Veterans vs Ladies 2000 B22
Xie Jun vs Smyslov,V
1-0
Schuhplattler Veterans vs Ladies 2000 C76
Smyslov,V vs Zhu Chen
1/2-1/2
Schuhplattler Veterans vs Ladies 2000 B22
Galliamova,A vs Smyslov,V
1/2-1/2
Schuhplattler Veterans vs Ladies 2000 D12
Galliamova, Alisa vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Flamenco Veterans-Women 1999 C43
Smyslov, Vassily vs Cramling, Pia
1/2-1/2
Flamenco Veterans-Women 1999 D03
Xie Jun vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Flamenco Veterans-Women 1999 C76
Smyslov, Vassily vs Chiburdanidze, Maia
1/2-1/2
Flamenco Veterans-Women 1999 E21
Zhu Chen vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
Flamenco Veterans-Women 1999 D94
Smyslov, Vassily vs Galliamova, Alisa
1-0
Flamenco Veterans-Women 1999 A80
Cramling, Pia vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Flamenco Veterans-Women 1999 D17
Smyslov, Vassily vs Xie Jun
1/2-1/2
Flamenco Veterans-Women 1999 C48
Chiburdanidze, Maia vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
Flamenco Veterans-Women 1999 D94
Smyslov, Vassily vs Zhu Chen
0-1
Flamenco Veterans-Women 1999 A48
Hort, Vlastimil vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Petrosian mem 1999 D37
Smyslov, Vassily vs Gligoric, Svetozar
1/2-1/2
Petrosian mem 1999 C48
Taimanov, Mark E vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Petrosian mem 1999 A11
Balashov, Yuri S vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Petrosian mem 1999 C42
Smyslov, Vassily vs Ivkov, Borislav
1/2-1/2
Petrosian mem 1999 E11
Hermansson, Emil vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Rilton Cup 97/98 1998 B42
Smyslov, Vassily vs Schutz, Ingemar
1-0
Rilton Cup 97/98 1998 B58
Smyslov, Vassily vs Sjoberg, Mats
1-0
Rilton Cup 97/98 1998 B40
Mork, Kjell Arne vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
Rilton Cup 97/98 1998 C16
Smyslov, Vassily vs Azizi, Haroon
1-0
Rilton Cup 97/98 1998 B05
Smyslov, Vassily vs Kallgren, Mikael
1/2-1/2
Rilton Cup 97/98 1998 C63
Burwick, Malte vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Rilton Cup 97/98 1998 D17
Smyslov, Vassily vs Ornstein, Axel
1-0
Rilton Cup 97/98 1998 B40
Ask, Josef vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Rilton Cup 97/98 1998 B18
Cramling, Pia vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
Cancan Veterans-Women 1998 D17
Smyslov, Vassily vs Chiburdanidze, Maia
1/2-1/2
Cancan Veterans-Women 1998 E21
Ioseliani, Nana vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
Cancan Veterans-Women 1998 D94
Smyslov, Vassily vs Zhu Chen
1/2-1/2
Cancan Veterans-Women 1998 D14
Xie Jun vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Cancan Veterans-Women 1998 C85
Smyslov, Vassily vs Arakhamia, Ketevan
1-0
Cancan Veterans-Women 1998 B30
Chiburdanidze, Maia vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
Cancan Veterans-Women 1998 D30
Smyslov, Vassily vs Ioseliani, Nana
1/2-1/2
Cancan Veterans-Women 1998 D35
Zhu Chen vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Cancan Veterans-Women 1998 D94
Smyslov, Vassily vs Xie Jun
1/2-1/2
Cancan Veterans-Women 1998 C77
Arakhamia, Ketevan vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Cancan Veterans-Women 1998 C45
Smyslov, Vassily vs Cramling, Pia
1/2-1/2
Cancan Veterans-Women 1998 C00
Smyslov, Vassily vs Moor, Roger
1/2-1/2
Nagler mem 1998 B02
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