Master Moves #15 - Botvinnik the challenger

by ChessBase
8/18/2011 – All the deepest plans or endgame technique are useless if you fall victim to a shot that leaves you in a lost position. Likewise, sometimes that superior play will only offer a single window of opportunity to deliver that final blow, so it is vital to be ready for it when it does. All the shots were played by Botvinnik prior to winning his first World Championship title in 1948. Challenge the challenger!
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Master Moves #15

All the deepest plans or endgame technique are useless if you fall victim to a shot that leaves you in a lost position. Likewise, sometimes that superior play will only offer a single window of opportunity to deliver that final blow, so it is vital to be ready for it when it does.

All the shots below were played by Mikhail Botvinnik prior to winning his first World Championship title in 1948.

Position 1 - Botvinnik - Reshevsky
White to play and win.

Position 2 - Bondarevsky - Botvinnik
Black to play and win.

Position 3 - Botvinnik - Grigoriev
White to play and win.

Position 4 - Botvinnik - Kagan
Common strategy says to attack where the opponent
is weakest. Except here. White to play and win.

Position 5 - Botvinnik - Alexander
One of the world champion's most famous shots
played in the 1946 Radio Match between England
and the Soviet Union. White to play and win.

Position 6 - Botvinnik - Stoltz
White to play and win.

Position 7 - Botvinnik - Alatortsev
White to play and win.

Position 8 - Botvinnik - Vidmar
Instead of rehashing for the Nth time the famous
combination against Capablanca, here is another
fantastic shot from Nottingham 1936. White to play and win.

Click here to see solutions

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