Botvinnik, Mikhail Moiseyevich

▪ 1996

      Soviet chess grandmaster (b. Aug. 17 [Aug. 4, Old Style], 1911, Kuokkala, near St. Petersburg, Russia—d. May 5, 1995, Moscow, Russia), was the first Soviet world chess champion (1948-57, 1958-60, 1961-63). Botvinnik learned chess at the relatively advanced age of 12, but within two years he had defeated the reigning world champion, José Raúl Capablanca of Cuba, in an exhibition match. In 1931 he won the first of seven national championships. He graduated in electrical engineering from the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute (1932) and worked as an engineer during World War II, although he was allowed to concentrate on chess three days a week. After the death of Alexander Alekhine of France left the world title open, Botvinnik defeated four other grandmasters in a championship tournament (1948). He successfully defended his title in 1951 and 1954. He lost in 1957 (to Vasily Smyslov) and 1961 (to Mikhail Tal), but both times he regained the championship in the mandatory rematch. When he lost to Tigran Petrosyan in 1963, rematches were no longer obligatory. He retired from competition in 1970. Botvinnik was known as a brilliant tactician and an intimidating competitor who could withstand the most distracting conditions. He also wrote several books on chess tactics, worked on a computer chess program, and ran a chess school, where his students included future world champions Anatoly Karpov and Gary Kasparov.

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▪ Soviet chess player

born August 17 [August 4, Old Style], 1911, Kuokkala, Finland [now Repino, Russia]

died May 5, 1995, Moscow, Russia

      Soviet chess master who held the world championship three times (1948–57, 1958–60, and 1961–63).

      At the age of 14, less than two years after he had learned the moves of chess, Botvinnik defeated the then-current world champion, José Raúl Capablanca (Capablanca, José Raúl), in one game of an exhibition in which Capablanca played simultaneously against several opponents. In 1931 Botvinnik won the chess championship of the Soviet Union for the first of seven times. He won the world championship in a 1948 tournament held to choose a successor to Alexander Alekhine (Alekhine, Alexander), whose death in 1946 had left the title vacant. Botvinnik lost the title in 1957 to Vasily Smyslov (Smyslov, Vasily Vasilyevich) but regained it the following year; in 1960 he was challenged successfully by Mikhail Tal (Tal, Mikhail Nekhemyevich), but he once more regained the championship in 1961. After losing to Tigran Petrosyan (Petrosyan, Tigran Vartanovich) in 1963, he abandoned competition for the world title, though he continued to play in important tournaments and to write on chess.

      Botvinnik's style of play was eclectic, methodical, and rational rather than strongly intuitive. He wrote numerous books on chess, and his scientific approach influenced a generation of Soviet chess (chess) players, among them Anatoly Karpov (Karpov, Anatoly Yevgenyevich) and Garry Kasparov (Kasparov, Garry). Botvinnik's One Hundred Selected Games (1951) traces his rise from promising Soviet junior to world championship contender.

      Botvinnik graduated as an electrical engineer from the Leningrad Polytechnic Institute in 1932 and from 1955 was an associate of the All-Union Scientific Research Institute of Electrical Energy.

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