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Vasily Smyslov - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vasily Smyslov
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov (Russian:

; 24 March 1921 27 March

Vasily Smyslov

2010)[1] was a Soviet and Russian chess grandmaster, and

was World Chess Champion from 1957 to 1958. He was a
Candidate for the World Chess Championship on eight
occasions (1948, 1950, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1965, 1983,
and 1985). Smyslov twice tied for first at the Soviet
Championship (1949, 1955), and his total of 17 Chess
Olympiad medals won is an all-time record. In five European
Team Championships, Smyslov won ten gold medals.
Smyslov remained active and successful in competitive chess
well into the 1960s and 1970s, qualifying for the finals of the
World Championship Candidates' Matches as late as 1983.
Despite failing eyesight, he remained active in the occasional
composition of chess problems and studies until shortly
before his death in 2010.

Contents

Full name Vasily Vasilyevich (Vasilievich)

Smyslov

1 Early years

Country

Soviet Union

2 War years

Born

24 March 1921
Moscow, Russian Soviet Federative
Socialist Republic, Soviet Union

Died

27 March 2010 (aged 89)

Moscow, Russia

7 Post-war tournament record

Title

Grandmaster

8 Team competition

195758
World
Champion

3 World title challenger

4 World Champion
5 Later World Championships
6 Soviet Championships

9 Final years
10 Legacy
11 Opera singer

Peak
rating

2620 (July 1971)

12 Notable chess games

13 Books by Smyslov
14 References
15 Further reading
16 External links
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Early years
Smyslov (pronounced "smis-LOFF") first became interested in chess at the age of six. His father, Vasily Osipovich
Smyslov, worked as an engineering technician and had represented the St. Petersburg Technical Institute in
intercollegiate chess competitions. Smyslov's father had also studied chess for a time under the tutelage of Mikhail
Chigorin and the senior Smyslov became the boy's first teacher. The elder Smyslov gave his son a copy of
Alexander Alekhine's book My Best Games of Chess 19081923 and the future world champion would later
write that this book became his constant reference. He would also write that "...I was later to read everything that
my father had in his library: Dufresne's handbook, separate numbers of the Soviet chess magazines Chess and
Chess Sheet, the text-books of Lasker and Capablanca, and the collections of games of Soviet and international
tournaments. The games of the great Russian chess master M. I. Chigorin made an indelible impression on me; it
was with interest that I read the various declarations on questions of strategy by A. I. Nimzovitch; I studied
attentively the genius of prominent Soviet masters."
Smyslov's competitive chess experiences began at the age of 14, when he started taking part in classification
tournaments. In 1938, at age 17, Smyslov won the USSR Junior Championship. That same year, he tied for 1st
2nd places in the Moscow City Championship, with 12/17. However, Smyslov's first attempt at adult competition
outside his own city fell short; he placed 12th13th in the LeningradMoscow International tournament of 1939
with 8/17 in an exceptionally strong field. In the Moscow Championship of 193940 Smyslov placed 2nd3rd with
9/13.

War years
In his first Soviet final, the 1940 USSR Chess Championship (Moscow, URS-ch12), he performed exceptionally
well for 3rd place with 13/19, finishing ahead of the reigning champion Mikhail Botvinnik. This tournament was the
strongest Soviet final up to that time, as it included several players, such as Paul Keres and Vladas Miknas, from
countries annexed by the USSR, as part of the Nazi-Soviet Pact of 1939.
The Soviet Federation held a further tournament of the top six from the 1940 event, and this was called the 1941
Absolute Championship of the USSR, one of the strongest tournaments ever organized. The format saw each
player meet his opponents four times. The players were Botvinnik, Keres, Smyslov, Isaac Boleslavsky, Igor
Bondarevsky, and Andor Lilienthal. Smyslov scored 10/20 for third place, behind Botvinnik and Keres. This
proved that Smyslov was of genuine world-class Grandmaster strength at age 20, a very rare achievement at that
time.
The Second World War forced a halt to most international chess. But several tournaments involving Soviet players
only were still organized. Smyslov won the 1942 Moscow Championship outright with a powerful 12/15. At
Kuibyshev 1942, he placed second with 8/11. In a strong field at Sverdlovsk 1943, Smyslov tied for 3rd4th
places with 8/14. In the 194344 Moscow Championship, Smyslov tied for 3rd4th with 11/16. He finished
second in the 1944 USSR Championship at Moscow (URS-ch13) with 10/16. He emerged as champion from
the 194445 Moscow Championship with 13/16. By this juncture, Smyslov had advanced into the group of the top
three Soviet players, along with Botvinnik and Keres (who was playing in Nazi-occupied Europe during the War).
As the war ended, organized chess picked up again. But Smyslov's form hit a serious slump in the immediate postwar period. In the 1945 USSR Championship at Moscow (URS-ch14), Smyslov was in the middle of the very
powerful field with 8/17; the winner was Botvinnik, with Boleslavsky and the new star David Bronstein occupying
second and third places. At Tallinn 1945, Smyslov had the worst result of his career to date, scoring just 6/15 in
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a not especially strong field. It was little better in the Moscow Championship of 194546, as he could only score
7/15 for a tie of 7th11th places, as Bronstein won. Then in the Moscow Championship of 1946, Smyslov
scored just 8/15, for a tie of 3rd6th places, as Bronstein won again. During this period he scored just 31/62 in
those four tournaments, for 50%.
Nevertheless, Smyslov's earlier strong results secured him one of the five Soviet places in the first really strong
post-war international tournament, at Groningen, Netherlands, in August 1946. This event, the Howard Staunton
Memorial, was won by Botvinnik with 14/19, half a point ahead of former World Champion Max Euwe. Smyslov
finished third with 12/19, and this confirmed his status as one of the world's top players.
Smyslov found it tough going for the next while however, once he was back playing in Soviet events. In the next
Soviet Championship (URS-ch15, Leningrad 1947), he tied for 3rd4th places with 12/19, as Keres won. At
Prnu 1947, Smyslov scored 8/13 for a tied 4th6th places, as Keres won again. At Warsaw 1947, Smyslov
scored 6/9 to tie for 2nd5th places; the winner was Svetozar Gligori. In the Mikhail Chigorin Memorial
tournament, Moscow 1947, Smyslov tied for 3rd4th places, with 10/15, as Botvinnik won.
His results showed a consistent pattern of high finishes against strong company, but with virtually no tournament
championships. Smyslov had never actually won an adult tournament other than the Moscow City Championship,
before he played in the 1948 World Championship Tournament.

World title challenger

Smyslov was one of the five players selected to compete for the 1948 World Chess Championship tournament to
determine who should succeed the late Alexander Alekhine as champion. His selection was questioned in some
quarters, but this criticism was amply rebutted when he finished second behind Mikhail Botvinnik, with a score of
11/20.
With his second-place finish from the 1948 World Championship, Smyslov was admitted directly into the 1950
Budapest Candidates' tournament without needing to play in qualifying events. Smyslov scored 10/18 for third
place, behind Bronstein and Boleslavsky, who tied for first place. Smyslov's third place automatically qualified him
into the next Candidates' tournament. He was awarded the International Grandmaster title in 1950 by FIDE on its
inaugural list.
After winning the Candidates Tournament in Zrich 1953, with 18/28, two points ahead of Keres, Bronstein, and
Samuel Reshevsky, Smyslov played a match with Botvinnik for the title the following year. Sited at Moscow, the
match ended in a draw, after 24 games (seven wins each and ten draws), meaning that Botvinnik retained his title.

World Champion
Smyslov had again won the Candidates' Tournament at Amsterdam in 1956, which led to another world
championship match against Botvinnik in 1957. Assisted by trainers Vladimir Makogonov and Vladimir Simagin,
Smyslov won by the score 129. The following year, Botvinnik exercised his right to a rematch, and won the
title back with a final score of 1210. Smyslov later said his health suffered during the return match, as he came
down with pneumonia, but he also acknowledged that Botvinnik had prepared very thoroughly.[2] Over the course
of the three World Championship matches, Smyslov had won 18 games to Botvinnik's 17 (with 34 draws), and yet

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he was only champion for a year. Yet Smyslov was to write in his autobiographical games collection Smyslov's
Best Games, "I have no reason to complain of my fate. I fulfilled my dream and became the seventh world
champion in the history of chess."[2]

Later World Championships

Smyslov did not qualify for another World Championship, but continued to play in World Championship qualifying
events. In 1959, he was a Candidate, but finished fourth in the qualifying tournament held in Yugoslavia, which was
won by the rising superstar Mikhail Tal. He missed out in 1962, but was back in 1964, following a first-place tie at
the Amsterdam Interzonal, with 17/23. However he lost his first-round match to Efim Geller.
In 1983, at the age of 62, he went through to the Candidates' Final (the match to determine who plays the
champion, in that case Anatoly Karpov), losing 84 at Vilnius 1984 to Garry Kasparov, who was 21 at the
time, and who went on to beat Karpov to become world champion in 1985. He had beaten Zoltn Ribli 64 in
the semifinal, but drew his quarter-final match against Robert Hbner 77, with the advancing player (Smyslov)
determined only by the spin of a roulette wheel. His final Candidates' appearance was the Montpellier 1985
tournament, where he did not advance.

Soviet Championships
Smyslov was a frequent competitor at the Soviet Championships and enjoyed some notable successes. In 1940,
while still a teenager, he finished third behind Bondarevsky and Lilienthal. At the 13th Championship in 1944, he
placed second behind Botvinnik and in 1947, shared third with Bondarevsky, after Keres and Boleslavsky.
He was a joint winner of the contest in 1949 and again in 1955 (with Bronstein and Geller respectively). Whilst the
1949 title was shared, the 1955 title was awarded to Geller after a play-off.
Much later in his career he showed that he could still mount a credible challenge; he took a share of third place in
1969 (behind Petrosian and Polugaevsky) and in 1971, was joint runner-up with Tal, after Savon.

Post-war tournament record

Smyslov maintained an active tournament schedule throughout the 1950s, 60s and 70s, registering many top three
finishes in some of the most prestigious tournaments of the period.
In 1950, he was second behind Kotov at Venice and in 1951, won the Chigorin Memorial, held in Leningrad. He
shared third place with Botvinnik at Budapest (Marczy Memorial) in 1952, after Keres and Geller. In 1953, he
won a training tournament in Gagra and finished third at Bucharest, behind Tolush and Petrosian. At the 1954/55
edition of the Hastings Congress, he shared first place with Keres. At Zagreb 1955, he was sole winner, two clear
points ahead of the field. He continued his winning streak at Moscow's Alekhine Memorial in 1956, a victory
shared with his constant rival, Botvinnik. During this period, there were several triumphs in his city of birth, when he
shared first place with Bronstein and Spassky in 1959, was a joint winner in both 1961 (with Kholmov) and 1962
(with Vasiukov), and won outright in 1963.
His good form continued throughout the sixties. There were shares of second place at Dortmund 1961 (after
Taimanov) and at Mar del Plata 1962 (after Polugaevsky). He travelled again to Hastings at the end of 1962 and
registered third place behind Gligoric and Kotov. In 1963, he was second at Sochi (Chigorin Memorial) after
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Polugaevsky. His visit to Havana's Capablanca Memorial in 1964 resulted in a share of first with the East German,
Uhlmann. He took outright first at the same tournament the following year. In 1966, there were victories at Mar del
Plata and at the Rubinstein Memorial in Polanica Zdroj. In 1967, he was second to Fischer at Monte Carlo, won at
Moscow and took second after Stein at the city's Alekhine Memorial tournament. He placed third the same year at
the Capablanca Memorial in Havana (after Larsen and Taimanov) and finished third again at Palma de Mallorca
1967 and Monte Carlo 1968, the latter two events both being headed by Larsen and Botvinnik. This was also the
year he repeated his previous success at Polanica Zdroj, taking outright first. His next trip to Hastings also ended in
triumph, as he took clear first at the 1968/69 edition. The sixties drew to a close with victory at Monte Carlo 1969
(shared with Portisch) and a share of third place at Skopje 1969 (with Uhlmann and Kholmov, after Hort and
Matulovic).
While less prolific than in previous decades, Smyslov played many strong tournaments in the seventies and even into
the eighties and beyond. He was joint runner-up with Hort, Gligoric and Korchnoi at Rovinj/Zagreb 1970, after
Fischer. A winner at Amsterdam in 1971, he came third at the Alekhine Memorial (Moscow) the same year, after
Karpov and Stein. At Las Palmas 1972, he was second equal with Larsen, behind Portisch and in 1973, topped
the Capablanca Memorial in Cienfuegos. First place followed at Reykjavk in 1974 and at the Venice tournament
of the same year, he finished second behind Liberzon. Then followed a second place at the Alexander Memorial
(Teesside) in 1975 (after Geller), a first place at Szolnok (also 1975), and a multi-way share of second at the large
Lone Pine Open of 1976 (Petrosian won). He finished third behind Romanishin and Tal at Leningrad in 1977, when
all three eclipsed the efforts of then world champion Anatoly Karpov. In 1978, he won at So Paulo and finished
with a share of second at Buenos Aires, after Andersson. As the seventies ended, he took first place at Berlin
1979, this time shared with Csom.
Notable outcomes for 1980 included joint first places at San Miguel (with Browne, Panno, Jaime Emma) and at
Copenhagen (the Politiken Cup, with Mikhalchishin). The same year, he finished second at Bar, after Petrosian and
second at Baguio City, after Torre. At Moscow 1981, he joined Kasparov and Polugaevsky in second place,
behind Karpov. A further Hastings visit in 1981/82 resulted in a share of second place, with Speelman, after
Kupreichik. He was first at Graz in 1984 and first equal at Copenhagen (Politiken Cup) 1986 with Chernin,
Pigusov and Cserna. He played at Reggio Emilia over the New Year of 1986/87 and shared second spot with
Hort, Chernin and Spassky, after Ribli. At Hastings in 1988/89, he took a share of third with Gulko and Speelman,
behind Short and Korchnoi.
His tournament appearances were relatively more sparse in the nineties, but results included a share of first at
Buenos Aires 1990 and a share of second at Malm (Sigeman) in 1997, after Hellers.

Team competition
Smyslov represented the Soviet Union a total of nine times at chess Olympiads, from 1952 to 1972 inclusive,
excepting only 1962 and 1966. He contributed mightily to team gold medal wins on each occasion he played,
winning a total of eight individual medals. His total of 17 Olympiad medals won, including team and individual
medals, is an all-time Olympiad record, according to olimpbase.org.
At Helsinki 1952, he played second board, and won the individual gold medal with 10/13. At Amsterdam 1954,
he was again on second board, scored 9/12, and took the individual bronze medal. At Moscow 1956, he scored
8/13 on second board, but failed to win a medal. At Munich 1958, he made 9/13 on second board, good for
the silver individual medal. At Leipzig 1960, he was dropped to first reserve, and made a great score of 11/13,
which won the gold medal.
After missing out on selection in 1962, he returned for Tel Aviv 1964, on third board, and won the gold medal with
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11/13. He missed selection in 1966, but returned with a vengeance for

Lugano 1968, and made a phenomenal 11/12 for another gold medal as
second reserve. At Siegen 1970, he was first reserve, and scored 8/11
for the bronze medal. His final Olympiad was Skopje 1972, where at age
51 he played third board and scored 11/14, good for the silver medal.
His overall Olympiad score is an imposing 90 points in 113 games (+69
2 =42), for 79.6%. This performance is the fifth all-time best for players
participating in at least four Olympiads. Smyslov also represented the
USSR in five European Team Championships, and emerged with a
perfect medals' record: he won five team gold medals and five board
gold medals. His total score in these events was (+19 1 =15), for
75.7%. From olimpbase.org, here is his European teams' data.

Smyslov and Yuri Averbakh, 2002

Vienna 1957: board 1, 3/6 (+2 1 =3), board and team gold medals;
Oberhausen 1961: board 5, 9/9 (+7 0 =2), board and team gold medals;
Hamburg 1965: board 4, 6/9 (+3 0 =6), board and team gold medals;
Kapfenberg 1970: board 5, 5/6 (+4 0 =2), board and team gold medals;
Bath, Somerset 1973: board 6, 4/5 (+3 0 =2), board and team gold medals.
Smyslov played for the USSR in both the 1970 and 1984 matches against teams representing the Rest of the
World. He was on board six at Belgrade in 1970, and on board four at London in 1984, with the Soviets winning
both matches.

Final years
In 1991 Smyslov won the inaugural World Senior Chess Championship. He retired from competitive play after the
2001 Klompendans Veterans Vs. Ladies Tournament in Amsterdam. Some of the matches were adjourned early
as draws due to the 80-year-old grandmaster's failing eyesight. His Elo rating after this event was 2494.
Smyslov died of heart failure in hospital in Moscow on the morning of 27 March 2010, three days after his 89th
birthday.[3][4][5]

Legacy
Smyslov was known for his positional style, and, in particular, his precise handling of the endgame, but many of his
games featured spectacular tactical shots as well. He made enormous contributions to chess opening theory in many
openings, including the English Opening, Grnfeld Defence, and the Sicilian Defence. He has a variation of the
Closed Ruy Lopez named for him: the line runs 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5
7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 h6. In the Grnfeld Defence, the continuation 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7
5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4 Bg4 8.Be3 Nfd7 is known as the Smyslov Variation and remains a major variation.
Smyslov also successfully revived the Fianchetto Defence to the Ruy Lopez (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6) in the
1970s. In the Slav Defence, the side line 1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Nf3 dxc4 5.a4 Na6 is named the Smyslov
Variation. Finally, a variation of the King's Indian Defense is named after him which proceeds with the moves 1. d4
Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 0-0 5. Bg5 d6 6. e3.
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Stanley Kubrick named a character after him in his film 2001: A Space
Odyssey.[6]

Opera singer
Smyslov was a baritone singer, and only positively decided upon a chess
career after a failed audition with the Bolshoi Theatre in 1950. He
occasionally gave recitals during chess tournaments, often accompanied
by fellow Grandmaster and concert pianist Mark Taimanov. Smyslov
once wrote that he tried to achieve harmony on the chess board, with
each piece assisting the others.[7]

Notable chess games

Vasily Smyslov congratulates Yuri

Averbakh at his 80th birthday and
presents him with a book of his own
chess studies.

Tigran Petrosian vs Vasily Smyslov, USSR Championship, Moscow 1949, Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen
Variation (B84), 01 (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1106156,) The first meeting of two
future World Champions goes to Smyslov in a precise positional performance.
Vasily Smyslov vs Efim Geller, USSR Championship, Moscow 1951, Sicilian Defence, Closed Variation
(B26), 10 (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1048532,) Smyslov used the Closed Sicilian
periodically throughout his life, and made many important improvements.
Paul Keres vs Vasily Smyslov, Zurich Candidates' Tournament 1953, English Opening: Anglo-Indian
Defense. Hedgehog System (A17) 01 (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1072466) In a
vital late-tournament encounter, Smyslov fights off Keres' very dangerous attack, to put himself in the driver's
seat towards winning the tournament.
Vasily Smyslov vs Mikhail Botvinnik, World Championship Match, Moscow 1954, game 9, French
Defence, Winawer Variation (C17), 10 (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1032329,)
Smyslov blows up one of the World Champion's favourite variations with a queen sacrifice to score a
stunning win.
Mikhail Botvinnik vs Vasily Smyslov, World Championship Match, Moscow 1954, game 14, King's Indian
Defence, Fianchetto Variation (E68), 01 (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1032320,)
With one of the deepest pre-game home preparations ever seen, Smyslov unleashes a chain of tactical
wizardry, including a queen sacrifice, to record a beautiful win which fundamentally changed the theory in this
variation.
Vasily Smyslov vs David Bronstein, Candidates' Tournament, Amsterdam 1956, English Opening (A34), 1
0 (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1033917,) The two players were fighting for the right
to qualify, late in the tournament, and Smyslov finds a way to come out on top.
Vasily Smyslov vs Mikhail Tal, Candidates' Tournament, Yugoslavia 1959, Sicilian Defence, Najdorf /
Opecensky Variation (B92), 10 (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1125876,) It was their
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first-ever meeting, and the young star Tal gets a sharp lesson from the veteran.
Robert Fischer vs Vasily Smyslov, Candidates' Tournament, Yugoslavia 1959, Sicilian Defence, Fischer /
Sozin Variation (B86), 01 (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044105,) The 16-year-old
Fischer had honed this opening line into a formidable weapon, but here Smyslov shows him a few new
wrinkles.
Vasily Smyslov vs Boris Spassky, Moscow vs Leningrad team match 1960, Alekhine's Defence (B05), 10
(http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1125905,) Spassky tries the unusual Alekhine's Defence
and is beaten in fairly short order.
Vasily Smyslov vs Anatoly Karpov, USSR Championship, Leningrad 1971, English Opening / Queen's
Gambit (A34), 10 (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1067631,) Karpov was the young
rising star, but here he lasts for only 29 moves against Smyslov, who is 30 years older.
Vasily Smyslov vs Garry Kasparov, Soviet Olympiad Training tournament (?) 1980, Sicilian Defence,
Scheveningen Variation (B84), 10 (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1292995,) Smyslov
spots the young Kasparov 42 years, but shows chess is a game for all ages with a precise victory over the
future World Champion.

Books by Smyslov
Vasily Smyslov (2003) Smyslov's Best Games, Volume 1: 19351957 (Moravian Chess Publishing
House)
Vasily Smyslov (2003) Smyslov's Best Games, Volume 2: 19581995 (Moravian Chess Publishing
House)
Vasily Smyslov (1997) Endgame Virtuoso (Cadogan)
Vasily Smyslov (1995) Smyslov's 125 Selected Games (modern edition published by Everyman Chess)
Grigory Levenfish and Vasily Smyslov (1971) Rook Endings (Batsford Edition)

References
1. Crowther, Mark (2010-03-27). "Vasily Smyslov 19212010"
(http://www.chess.co.uk/twic/chessnews/obituaries/vasily-smyslov-1921-2010). The Week in Chess. Retrieved
2010-03-28.
2. Watson, J. "Book Reviews by John Watson" (http://www.chess.co.uk/twic/jwatsonbkrev81.html). chess.co.uk.
3. "Former world chess champion Vasily Smyslov dies at 89" (http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report_former-worldchess-champion-vasily-smyslov-dies-at-89_1364237). DNAIndia.com. 27 March 2010. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
4. New York Times: Vasily Smyslov, Former World Chess Champion, Dies at 89
(http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/28/crosswords/chess/28smyslov.html).
5. Chessbase: World Champion Vasily Smyslov dies at 89 (http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6219).
6. "I'M SORRY, FRANK..." (http://www.chessbase.com/support/support.asp?pid=62). ChessBase. August 29, 1999.
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7. Smyslov's Selected Games, by Vassily Smyslov, 1995, London, Everyman Chess

Further reading
Winter, Edward G. (ed.) (1981). World Chess Champions. Pergamon. ISBN 0-08-024094-1.
Chernev, Irving (1995). Twelve Great Chess Players and Their Best Games. New York: Dover. pp. 58
75. ISBN 0-486-28674-6.
Kasparov, Garry (2003). "My Great Predecessors, part II". Everyman Chess. ISBN 1-85744-342-X.

External links
Vasily Smyslov (http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?

Wikimedia Commons has

media related to Vassily
Smyslov.

pid=14676) player profile and games at Chessgames.com

Interview with Vassily Smyslov
(http://www.gmsquare.com/interviews/smyslov.html)

Vasily Smyslov (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/7564357/Vasily-Smyslov.html) - Daily

Telegraph obituary
Smyslov's Chess Record (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?
key=0AiF9ULO9hJY3dFhZSHYtbmZJN2ZpeFdLU2lpb2tBclE&hl=en)
Visa with photo 1962 (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-22393-44718-37?cc=1932363)
Awards
Preceded by
Mikhail Botvinnik

World Chess Champion

19571958

Succeeded by
Mikhail
Botvinnik

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vasily_Smyslov&oldid=650547881"

Categories: 1921 births 2010 deaths Burevestnik athletes Cardiovascular disease deaths in Russia
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