World Chess Championship 1948
Encyclopedia
The 1948 World Chess Championship was a tournament played to determine a new World Chess Champion following the death of the previous champion Alexander Alekhine
in 1946. The tournament marked the passing of control of the championship title to FIDE, the International Chess Federation which had been formed in 1924. Mikhail Botvinnik
won the five-player championship tournament, beginning the era of Soviet
domination of international chess that would last over twenty years without interruption.
(gap between reigns) that made the normal procedure impossible. The situation was very confused, with many respected players and commentators offering different solutions. FIDE found it very difficult to organise the early discussions on how to resolve the interregnum because problems with money and travel so soon after the end of World War II
prevented many countries from sending representatives - most notably the Soviet Union
. The shortage of clear information resulted in otherwise responsible magazines publishing rumors and speculation, which only made the situation more confused. See Interregnum of World Chess Champions
for more details.
The eventual solution was very similar to FIDE's initial proposal and to a proposal put forward by the Soviet Union. The 1938 AVRO tournament
was used as the basis for the 1948 Championship Tournament. The AVRO tournament had brought together the eight players who were, by general acclamation, the best players in the world at the time. Two of the participants at AVRO - Alekhine and former world champion José Raúl Capablanca
- had died; but FIDE decided that the other six participants at AVRO would play a quadruple round robin tournament. These players were: Max Euwe
(from Holland); Mikhail Botvinnik
, Paul Keres
and Salo Flohr
(from the Soviet Union
); and Reuben Fine
and Samuel Reshevsky
(from the USA).
The proposal was modified slightly, in that the Soviet Union was allowed to replace Flohr with Vasily Smyslov
, a young player who had emerged during the war
years and was obviously stronger. Reuben Fine elected not to play, for reasons which are not totally clear (see Reuben Fine#1948 World Championship). There was a proposal that he should be replaced with Miguel Najdorf
, but in the end the tournament was played with only five players, and as a five-cycle round robin.
Before the tournament, Botvinnik was considered the favourite because of his victory at Groningen 1946 and his pre-war results.
Keres and Reshevsky were veterans of international competition.
Although Euwe was the former world champion, he had played poorly since Groningen.
Smyslov was not well known in the West, as he had only appeared in two international competitions: a third place finish at Groningen and shared second at Warsaw 1947.
The Soviets brought a large contingent of about twenty-one including the players Botvinnik, Keres, and Smyslov; their seconds Viacheslav Ragozin
, Alexander Tolush
, and Vladimir Alatortsev
respectively; correspondents Igor Bondarevsky
, Salo Flohr
, and Andor Lilienthal
; member of the adjudication committee Alexander Kotov
; leader of the group Postnikov; a private doctor from Moscow; and Botvinnik's wife and young daughter.
The U.S. delegation numbered one person—Reshevsky traveled alone and Lodewijk Prins
was procured at the last moment to be his second.
Theo van Scheltinga
served as Euwe's second.
The tournament was played partly in The Hague
(from March 2–25), and partly in Moscow
(from April 11 to May 17).
Botvinnik became the sixth World Chess Champion by winning the tournament convincingly with 14 points out of 20. He also had a plus score against all the other players. Smyslov came second with 11 points, just ahead of Keres and Reshevsky on 10½. Former champion Euwe was in bad form, and finished last with 4 out of 20.
Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine was the fourth World Chess Champion. He is often considered one of the greatest chess players ever.By the age of twenty-two, he was already among the strongest chess players in the world. During the 1920s, he won most of the tournaments in which he played...
in 1946. The tournament marked the passing of control of the championship title to FIDE, the International Chess Federation which had been formed in 1924. Mikhail Botvinnik
Mikhail Botvinnik
Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik, Ph.D. was a Soviet and Russian International Grandmaster and three-time World Chess Champion. Working as an electrical engineer and computer scientist at the same time, he was one of the very few famous chess players who achieved distinction in another career while...
won the five-player championship tournament, beginning the era of Soviet
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
domination of international chess that would last over twenty years without interruption.
Interregnum
Previously, a new World Champion had won the title by defeating the former champion in a match. Alekhine's death created an interregnumInterregnum of World Chess Champions
The Interregnum of World Chess Champions was the period between March 24, 1946 and May 17, 1948 ....
(gap between reigns) that made the normal procedure impossible. The situation was very confused, with many respected players and commentators offering different solutions. FIDE found it very difficult to organise the early discussions on how to resolve the interregnum because problems with money and travel so soon after the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
prevented many countries from sending representatives - most notably the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. The shortage of clear information resulted in otherwise responsible magazines publishing rumors and speculation, which only made the situation more confused. See Interregnum of World Chess Champions
Interregnum of World Chess Champions
The Interregnum of World Chess Champions was the period between March 24, 1946 and May 17, 1948 ....
for more details.
The eventual solution was very similar to FIDE's initial proposal and to a proposal put forward by the Soviet Union. The 1938 AVRO tournament
AVRO tournament
The AVRO tournament was a chess tournament held in the Netherlands in 1938, sponsored by the Dutch broadcasting company AVRO. The event was a double round-robin tournament...
was used as the basis for the 1948 Championship Tournament. The AVRO tournament had brought together the eight players who were, by general acclamation, the best players in the world at the time. Two of the participants at AVRO - Alekhine and former world champion José Raúl Capablanca
José Raúl Capablanca
José Raúl Capablanca y Graupera was a Cuban chess player who was world chess champion from 1921 to 1927. One of the greatest players of all time, he was renowned for his exceptional endgame skill and speed of play...
- had died; but FIDE decided that the other six participants at AVRO would play a quadruple round robin tournament. These players were: Max Euwe
Max Euwe
Machgielis Euwe was a Dutch chess Grandmaster, mathematician, and author. He was the fifth player to become World Chess Champion . Euwe also served as President of FIDE, the World Chess Federation, from 1970 to 1978.- Early years :Euwe was born in Watergraafsmeer, near Amsterdam...
(from Holland); Mikhail Botvinnik
Mikhail Botvinnik
Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik, Ph.D. was a Soviet and Russian International Grandmaster and three-time World Chess Champion. Working as an electrical engineer and computer scientist at the same time, he was one of the very few famous chess players who achieved distinction in another career while...
, Paul Keres
Paul Keres
Paul Keres , was an Estonian chess grandmaster, and a renowned chess writer. He was among the world's top players from the mid-1930s to the mid-1960s....
and Salo Flohr
Salo Flohr
Salomon Mikhailovich Flohr was a leading Czech and later Soviet chess grandmaster of the mid-20th century, who became a national hero in Czechoslovakia during the 1930s. His name was used to sell many of the luxury products of the time, including Salo Flohr cigarettes, slippers and eau-de-cologne...
(from the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
); and Reuben Fine
Reuben Fine
Reuben Fine was one of the strongest chess players in the world from the early 1930s through the 1940s, an International Grandmaster, psychologist, university professor, and author of many books on both chess and psychology.Fine won five medals in three chess Olympiads. Fine won the U.S...
and Samuel Reshevsky
Samuel Reshevsky
Samuel "Sammy" Herman Reshevsky was a famous chess prodigy and later a leading American chess Grandmaster...
(from the USA).
The proposal was modified slightly, in that the Soviet Union was allowed to replace Flohr with Vasily Smyslov
Vasily Smyslov
Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov 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 . Smyslov was twice equal first at the Soviet Championship , and his total of 17 Chess Olympiad medals won...
, a young player who had emerged during the war
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
years and was obviously stronger. Reuben Fine elected not to play, for reasons which are not totally clear (see Reuben Fine#1948 World Championship). There was a proposal that he should be replaced with Miguel Najdorf
Miguel Najdorf
Miguel Najdorf was a Polish-born Argentine chess grandmaster of Jewish origin, famous for his Najdorf Variation....
, but in the end the tournament was played with only five players, and as a five-cycle round robin.
Championship
Keres and Reshevsky were veterans of international competition.
Although Euwe was the former world champion, he had played poorly since Groningen.
Smyslov was not well known in the West, as he had only appeared in two international competitions: a third place finish at Groningen and shared second at Warsaw 1947.
The Soviets brought a large contingent of about twenty-one including the players Botvinnik, Keres, and Smyslov; their seconds Viacheslav Ragozin
Viacheslav Ragozin
Viacheslav Vasilyevich Ragozin was a Soviet chess Grandmaster, an International Arbiter of chess, and a World Correspondence Chess Champion. He was also a chess writer and editor.- Biography :...
, Alexander Tolush
Alexander Tolush
Alexander Kazimirovich Tolush was a Soviet Russian chess grandmaster. He was one of Boris Spassky's mentors. Tolush was born and died in Saint Petersburg...
, and Vladimir Alatortsev
Vladimir Alatortsev
Vladimir Alexeyevich Alatortsev , was a Russian chess grandmaster, organizer, teacher, author, and administrator. During his career, he became champion of both Leningrad and Moscow, and played nine times in the Soviet Chess Championship finals, with his best competitive results in the 1930s...
respectively; correspondents Igor Bondarevsky
Igor Bondarevsky
Igor Zakharovich Bondarevsky was a Soviet Russian chess Grandmaster in both over-the-board and correspondence chess, an International Arbiter, trainer, and chess author...
, Salo Flohr
Salo Flohr
Salomon Mikhailovich Flohr was a leading Czech and later Soviet chess grandmaster of the mid-20th century, who became a national hero in Czechoslovakia during the 1930s. His name was used to sell many of the luxury products of the time, including Salo Flohr cigarettes, slippers and eau-de-cologne...
, and Andor Lilienthal
Andor Lilienthal
Andor Arnoldovich Lilienthal was a Hungarian and Soviet chess Grandmaster. In his long career, he played against ten male and female world champions, beating Emanuel Lasker, José Raúl Capablanca, Alexander Alekhine, Max Euwe, Mikhail Botvinnik, Vasily Smyslov, and Vera Menchik...
; member of the adjudication committee Alexander Kotov
Alexander Kotov
Alexander Alexandrovich Kotov was a Soviet chess grandmaster and author. He was a Soviet champion, a two-time world title Candidate, and a prolific chess author. Kotov served in high posts in the Soviet Chess Federation and most of his books were written during the period of Cold War between the...
; leader of the group Postnikov; a private doctor from Moscow; and Botvinnik's wife and young daughter.
The U.S. delegation numbered one person—Reshevsky traveled alone and Lodewijk Prins
Lodewijk Prins
Lodewijk Prins was a Dutch chess player and referee of chess competitions.Prins was awarded the International Master title in 1950, and was made an International Arbiter in 1960. In 1982 FIDE made him an honorary Grandmaster.Prins represented the Netherlands twelve times in all Chess Olympiads...
was procured at the last moment to be his second.
Theo van Scheltinga
Theo van Scheltinga
Tjeerd Daniel van Scheltinga was a Dutch chess player. FIDE awarded him the International Master title in 1950 ....
served as Euwe's second.
The tournament was played partly in The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
(from March 2–25), and partly in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
(from April 11 to May 17).
Botvinnik became the sixth World Chess Champion by winning the tournament convincingly with 14 points out of 20. He also had a plus score against all the other players. Smyslov came second with 11 points, just ahead of Keres and Reshevsky on 10½. Former champion Euwe was in bad form, and finished last with 4 out of 20.
Scores
| Player | Rd 5 | Rd 10 | Rd 15 | Rd 20 | Rd 25 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3½ | 6 | 9 | 12 | 14 | |
| 2 | 4 | 5½ | 8½ | 11 | |
| 2 | 4 | 6½ | 7½ | 10½ | |
| 2½ | 4½ | 6 | 8½ | 10½ | |
| 0 | 1½ | 3 | 3½ | 4 |
| Player | Botvinnik | Smyslov | Keres | Reshevsky | Euwe | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| – | ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ | 1 1 1 1 0 | 1 ½ 0 1 1 | 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ | 14 | |
| ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ | – | 0 0 ½ 1 ½ | ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ | 1 1 0 1 1 | 11 | |
| 0 0 0 0 1 | 1 1 ½ 0 ½ | – | 0 ½ 1 0 ½ | 1 ½ 1 1 1 | 10½ | |
| 0 ½ 1 0 0 | ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ | 1 ½ 0 1 ½ | – | 1 ½ ½ 1 1 | 10½ | |
| 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ | 0 0 1 0 0 | 0 ½ 0 0 0 | 0 ½ ½ 0 0 | – | 4 |