Forever Chess GamesForever Chess Games Logo
CreateGiftsProductsGamesPlayersOpeningsTop 100FAQ

Explore

  • Players
  • Openings
  • Famous Games
  • Top 100 Games
  • World Championships

Create

  • Create Visualisation
  • How It Works
  • Gift Ideas

Eras

  • 1880s – Classical
  • 1960s – Fischer Era
  • 1990s – Kasparov Era
  • 2020s – Modern

Info

  • FAQ
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Use

© 2026 Forever Chess Games. All Rights Reserved

  1. Home
  2. /Players
  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

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Morozevich, Alexander vs Smyslov, Vassily

FIDE-Wch k.o.

1997

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Smyslov, Vassily

World Championship 22th

1958

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

Smyslov, Vassily vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 20th

1954

View Print
FCGFCG
0-1

Tal, Mihail vs Smyslov, Vassily

Biel Interzonal

1976

View Print
FCGFCG
1-0

Smyslov, Vassily vs Weigel, Herbert

Wch Seniors

1991

View Print

Games (2627)

Search & Filter All Games →
Smyslov, Vassily vs Farago, Ivan
1/2-1/2
Szolnok 1975 E46
Smyslov, Vassily vs Miles, Anthony J
1-0
Teeside 1975 A07
Pavlenko, Oleg vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
URS-chT 1975 B53
Smyslov, Vassily vs Gheorghiu, Florin
1/2-1/2
Teeside 1975 A04
Smyslov, Vassily vs Gipslis, Aivars
1/2-1/2
URS-chT 1975 A28
Dely, Peter vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Szolnok 1975 C60
Kavalek, Lubomir vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Teeside 1975 C67
Smyslov, Vassily vs Kortschnoj, Viktor
1-0
URS-chT 1975 D79
Smyslov, Vassily vs Huebner, Robert
1/2-1/2
Teeside 1975 B42
Smyslov, Vassily vs Benko, Pal C
1-0
Szolnok 1975 A30
Kuzmin, Gennadi P vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
URS-chT 1975 C88
Zaitsev, Igor A vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Szolnok 1975 B15
Smyslov, Vassily vs Hort, Vlastimil
1/2-1/2
Teeside 1975 B42
Hartston, William R vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Teeside 1975 C60
Smyslov, Vassily vs Bilek, Istvan
1/2-1/2
Szolnok 1975 E61
Mednis, Edmar John vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Szolnok 1975 C60
Smyslov, Vassily vs Bilek, Istvan
1-0
Venice 1974 B08
Smyslov, Vassily vs Robatsch, Karl
1-0
Sochi 1974 A16
Lerner, Konstantin Z vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
URS-ch sf 1974 C92
Forintos, Gyozo V vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
Sochi 1974 E39
Smyslov, Vassily vs Savon, Vladimir A
0-1
URS-ch sf 1974 A05
Smyslov, Vassily vs Espig, Lutz
1/2-1/2
Sochi 1974 D34
Suttles, Duncan vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Venice 1974 C29
Smyslov, Vassily vs Gudmundsson, Kristjan
1-0
Reykjavik 1974 A49
Smyslov, Vassily vs Sznapik, Aleksander
1-0
Sochi 1974 E61
Smyslov, Vassily vs Olafsson, Fridrik
1-0
Reykjavik 1974 E61
Solmundarson, Magnus vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Reykjavik 1974 D40
Averkin, Orest N vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
URS-ch sf 1974 D86
Rashkovsky, Nukhim N vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Sochi 1974 E04
Smyslov, Vassily vs Podgaets, Mikhail
1-0
URS-ch sf 1974 A06
Kholmov, Ratmir D vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Sochi 1974 C84
Alburt, Lev O vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
URS-ch sf 1974 E12
Smyslov, Vassily vs Ostojic, Predrag
1/2-1/2
Venice 1974 A40
Smyslov, Vassily vs Romanishin, Oleg M
0-1
URS-ch sf 1974 A29
Smyslov, Vassily vs Asmundsson, Ingvar
1-0
Reykjavik 1974 A85
Zhuravliov, Valerij vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
URS-ch sf 1974 C84
Smyslov, Vassily vs Klovans, Janis
1-0
URS-ch sf 1974 E04
Jansa, Vlastimil vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Sochi 1974 C92
Sigurjonsson, Gudmundur vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Reykjavik 1974 A29
Garcia Martinez, Silvino vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
Sochi 1974 B60
Smyslov, Vassily vs Suetin, Alexey S
1-0
Sochi 1974 E94
Dvorietzky, Mark I vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
URS-ch sf 1974 C68
Smyslov, Vassily vs Fridjonsson, Joffus
1-0
Reykjavik 1974 A56
Pavlov, Mircea vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
EU-chT 1973 B48
Planinec, Albin vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
EU-chT 1973 B10
Kortschnoj, Viktor vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
URS-ch41 1973 C97
Taimanov, Mark E vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
URS-ch41 1973 E41
Grigorian, Karen Ashotovich vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
URS-ch41 1973 E39
Smyslov, Vassily vs Levy, David Neil Lawrence
1-0
Capablanca mem 1973 B08
Smyslov, Vassily vs Kuzmin, Gennadi P
0-1
URS-ch41 1973 A28
PreviousPage 30 of 53Next

Explore More

All PlayersAll OpeningsFamous Games