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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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Sydor, Andrzej vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Rubinstein mem 1966 B16
Smyslov, Vassily vs Gufeld, Eduard
1-0
URS-ch34 1966 E61
Ader Hausman, Walter vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Santiago 1965 C92
Pachman, Ludek vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Capablanca mem 1965 A30
Smyslov, Vassily vs Perez Perez, Francisco Jose
1-0
Capablanca mem 1965 A30
Smyslov, Vassily vs Bielicki, Carlos
1-0
Santiago 1965 E06
Wade, Robert Graham vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Capablanca mem 1965 B07
Pietzsch, Wolfgang vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Capablanca mem 1965 A48
Smyslov, Vassily vs Bilek, Istvan
1-0
Capablanca mem 1965 E92
Letelier, Rene vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Santiago 1965 E54
Smyslov, Vassily vs Jimenez Zerquera, Eleazar
0-1
Capablanca mem 1965 A29
Hecht, Hans Joachim vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
EU-chT 1965 B16
Smyslov, Vassily vs Zuidema, Coenraad
1-0
EU-chT 1965 D55
Smyslov, Vassily vs O'Kelly de Galway, Alberic
1-0
Capablanca mem 1965 E55
Ghitescu, Theodor vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
EU-chT 1965 D20
Smyslov, Vassily vs Schroeder, R.
1-0
Santiago 1965 A15
Smyslov, Vassily vs Robatsch, Karl
1/2-1/2
Capablanca mem 1965 E02
Foguelman, Alberto vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Santiago 1965 C91
Smyslov, Vassily vs Matanovic, Aleksandar
1-0
EU-chT 1965 E54
Kholmov, Ratmir D vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Capablanca mem 1965 E19
Smyslov, Vassily vs Donner, Jan Hein
1-0
Capablanca mem 1965 E06
Smyslov, Vassily vs Matulovic, Milan
1/2-1/2
EU-chT 1965 A39
Smyslov, Vassily vs Jimenez Zerquera, Eleazar
1-0
Santiago 1965 A34
Smyslov, Vassily vs Lengyel, Levente
1/2-1/2
EU-chT 1965 C92
Smyslov, Vassily vs Parma, Bruno
1/2-1/2
Capablanca mem 1965 E05
Smyslov, Vassily vs Hecht, Hans Joachim
1-0
EU-chT 1965 E40
Smyslov, Vassily vs Quinones, Oscar Carillo
1-0
Santiago 1965 E69
Smyslov, Vassily vs Schroeder, E.
1-0
Santiago 1965 A25
Cobo Arteaga, Eldis vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Capablanca mem 1965 E13
Tringov, Georgi P vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Capablanca mem 1965 B16
Ivkov, Borislav vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
Capablanca mem 1965 D13
Smyslov, Vassily vs Doda, Zbigniew
1-0
Capablanca mem 1965 E20
Smyslov, Vassily vs Ciocaltea, Victor
1-0
Capablanca mem 1965 C77
Radovici, Corvin vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
EU-chT 1965 C91
Smyslov, Vassily vs Szabo, Laszlo
1-0
Capablanca mem 1965 E66
Cuellar Gacharna, Miguel vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Santiago 1965 B08
Smyslov, Vassily vs Zuidema, Coenraad
1/2-1/2
EU-chT 1965 A05
Flores Alvarez, Rodrigo vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Santiago 1965 C93
Smyslov, Vassily vs Godoy Bugueno, David A
1-0
Santiago 1965 A11
Garcia, Gilberto vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Capablanca mem 1965 E54
Lehmann, Heinz Dr vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Capablanca mem 1965 A82
Pilnick, Carl vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Santiago 1965 C90
Garcia Martinez, Silvino vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Capablanca mem 1964 B16
Smyslov, Vassily vs Radovici, Corvin
1/2-1/2
Tel Aviv olm fin-A 1964 A25
Bhend, Edwin vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Tel Aviv olm prel 1964 B14
Smyslov, Vassily vs Uhlmann, Wolfgang
1/2-1/2
Capablanca mem 1964 C19
Smyslov, Vassily vs Unzicker, Wolfgang
0-1
Tel Aviv olm fin-A 1964 A13
Milev, Zdravko vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Tel Aviv olm fin-A 1964 D22
O'Kelly de Galway, Alberic vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Capablanca mem 1964 D22
Smyslov, Vassily vs Balinas, Rosendo Carrean
1-0
Tel Aviv olm prel 1964 B39
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