Celebrating chess great Vasily Smyslov at 100

The competition isn’t particularly stiff, but Vasily Smyslov may have been the most normal person ever to capture the world championship crown in chess.

In the competitive snake pit that is elite chess (and Soviet-era chess in particular), no one appears to have a bad word to say about Smyslov, who was born 100 years ago this week. Genial, level-headed, happily married, a talented pianist with a fine classical baritone voice, he also boasted a well-rounded, harmonious, technically rock-solid style at the chessboard and ranked among the world’s very best players for some four decades.

He had only one year to enjoy his championship, playing an epic trio of title matches with great rival Mikhail Botvinnik in the mid-1950s that resulted in a tied match, a win for Smyslov in 1957 and a rematch victory for Botvinnik in 1958. Although the automatic rematch clause was widely criticized (and eventually ended) and though he played the 1958 match while under the weather, the sunny Smyslov didn’t dwell on his abbreviated reign: “I have no reason to complain of my fate,” he wrote in his marvelous anthology “125 Selected Games.” “I fulfilled my dream and became the seventh world champion in the history of chess.”

Botvinnik had a slight edge in the 100-plus games these two titans played, but it was Smyslov who had a +1 cumulative score in their 1950s title bouts. Smyslov found himself down 3½-½ after just four games in the inaugural 1954 match but staged an epic comeback to draw the match at 12-12. Key to the turnaround was Game 9, when our hero got in a rare queen sacrifice against one of the game’s legendary defenders.

Botvinnik was a champion of the French Defense but here fails to take the measure of White’s aggressive 7. Qg4!. Both players afterward criticized Black’s 10. Qxh7 Nd7?! as too slow in such a sharp position, as after 12. Qd3 Qxa5 13. h4 Bd7 14. Bg5!, Black’s king is permanently marooned in the center.

Smyslov elegantly cashes in with 16. Rb1! (the key to the coming combination; trading on f5 only helps Black by giving his knight the e6-square, while White’s move prevents the simplifying 16…Nxd4 17. Qxd4 Bb5, while tempting Botvinnik into a fatal mistake) Rc4? (overlooking White’s idea, but Black was still struggling after the tougher 16…b6 17. g4 Nxd4 18. Qxd4 Qxa3 19. Bd3) 18. Nxf5 exf5 19. Rxb7 Re4+? (marginally better was 18…Rxg5 19. hxg5 Re4+, but White remains a clear exchange to the good after 20. Be2 Ng6 [Ne6 21. g6! fxg6 22. Rh8+ Ke7 23. Rh7+] 21. Kf1 Nf4 22. Qa6) 19. Qxe4!!.

The tactics here aren’t especially difficult, but the real achievement was getting to this position in 19 moves against a player of Botvinnik’s caliber. Black is lost: 19…dxe4 20. Rb8+ Bc8 21. Bb5+ Qxb5 (unfortunately forced as 21…Nd7 22. Rxc8+ wins the house) 22. Rxb5 Ne6 23. Bf6, with a dominating game. In the final position, there’s no stopping the passed White h-pawn, and Black resigned.

Smyslov never got another title shot after his 1958 loss, but he had one last amazing run in his 60s. He made it to the final Candidates match in 1984 to challenge Anatoly Karpov, only to be defeated by a young up-and-comer by the name of Garry Kasparov. Smyslov was still beating young grandmasters well into his 70s before failing eyesight ended his career. He died from heart failure in 2011 at age 89.

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An endgame virtuoso, Smyslov on the side also probably created more quality endgame studies than any other world champ. Today’s diagram is a delightful “White to play and win” challenge he created when all of 15 years old.

Black’s two advanced passed pawns — one about to queen with check — appear unstoppable, but White (just barely) finds a way: 1. Bb1!! a1=Q+ (forced, as 1…axb1=Q 2. Nxb1 is a simple win for White) 2. Kb5 Bg3! (it turns out that despite his queen, Black can’t hold back the g-pawn — e.g. 2…Qa3 3. g7 Qd6 4. g8=Q+ Qb8+ 5. Qxb8+ Kxb8 6. Ne4 and wins; Black’s move prepares a diabolically clever defense) 3. g7 Bb8! (and now 4. g8=Q?? Qa5+!! 5 Kxa5 is a stalemate, but White has another option…) 4. g8=B!! (the threat of 5. Bd5 mate forces the Black bishop to move once again) Bf4 5. Bga2! (neatly entombing the Black queen, but there’s still work to do) Bxd2 6. Kc6 Kb8 7. Kd7!, and the Black king and queen are now both trapped in corners. White wins easily, as the lone Black bishop cannot hold back White’s remaining passers.

A charming study with a slew of nice points.

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Dutch GM Anish Giri, building on a recent surge of strong play, has captured the Magnus Carlsen Invitational online rapid event, qualifying for the finals of the Meltwater Champions Chess Tour later this year. Giri defeated Russian GM Ian Nepomniachtchi in the finals after the Russian knocked out world champion (and tournament namesake) Magnus Carlsen in the semifinals.

Smyslov-Botvinnik, Game 9, World Championship Match, April 1954

1. e4 e6 2. d4 d5 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. e5 c5 5. a3 Ba5 6. b4 cxd4 7. Qg4 Ne7 8. bxa5 dxc3 9. Qxg7 Rg8 10. Qxh7 Nd7 11. Nf3 Nf8 12. Qd3 Qxa5 13. h4 Bd7 14. Bg5 Rc8 15. Nd4 Nf5 16. Rb1 Rc4 17. Nxf5 exf5 18. Rxb7 Re4+ 19. Qxe4 dxe4 20. Rb8+ Bc8 21. Bb5+ Qxb5 22. Rxb5 Ne6 23. Bf6 Rxg2 24. h5 Ba6 25. h6 Black resigns

• David R. Sands can be reached at 202/636-3178 or by email at dsands@washingtontimes.com.