View source for World Chess Championship 1957

{{Short description|none}}
{{Infobox chess match
|comp1 = Mikhail Botvinnik
|comp2 = Vasily Smyslov
|image = [[File:Botvinnik vs Smyslov 1957-04-19.jpg|center|330px]]
|title1 = Defending champion
|title2 = Challenger
|flag1 = URS
|flag2 = URS
|dob1 = 17 August 1911
|age1 = 45 years old
|dob2 = 24 March 1921
|age2 = 35/36 years old
|qual1 = Winner of the [[World Chess Championship 1954|1954 World Chess Championship]]
|qual2 = Winner of the [[World Chess Championship 1957#1956 Candidates tournament|1956 Candidates Tournament]]
|prev = 1954
|prev_link = World Chess Championship 1954
|next = 1958
|next_link = World Chess Championship 1958
|score1 = 9½
|score2 = 12½
}}

A [[World Chess Championship]] was played between [[Mikhail Botvinnik]] and [[Vasily Smyslov]] in Moscow from March 5 to April 27, 1957. Botvinnik had been World Champion since [[World Chess Championship 1948|1948]], while Smyslov earned the right to challenge by winning the [[#1956 Candidates tournament|1956 Candidates tournament]]. This was the second World Championship match between the pair, after the drawn [[World Chess Championship 1954|1954 match]].

Smyslov won the match and became the seventh World Chess Champion. However he lost the title in the [[World Chess Championship 1958|1958 rematch]].

== 1955 Interzonal tournament==

An interzonal tournament was held in [[Gothenburg]], Sweden, in August and September 1955. The top nine finishers qualified for the Candidates Tournament.

:{| class="wikitable"
|+ 1955 Interzonal Tournament
|-
!  !! !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! 15 !! 16 !! 17 !! 18 !! 19 !! 20 !! 21 !! Total !! Tie break
|- style="background:#ccffcc;"
| 1 || align=left|{{flagathlete|'''[[David Bronstein]]'''|Soviet Union}} || x || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || '''15''' ||
|- style="background:#ccffcc;"
| 2 || align=left|{{flagathlete|'''[[Paul Keres]]'''|Soviet Union}} || 0 || x || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || '''13½''' ||
|- style="background:#ccffcc;"
| 3 || align=left|{{flagathlete|'''[[Oscar Panno]]'''|Argentina|alt}} || 0 || 0 || x || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || '''13''' ||
|- style="background:#ccffcc;"
| 4 || align=left|{{flagathlete|'''[[Tigran Petrosian]]'''|Soviet Union}} || ½ || ½ || ½ || x || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || '''12½''' ||
|- style="background:#ccffcc;"
| 5 || align=left|{{flagathlete|'''[[Efim Geller]]'''|Soviet Union}} || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || x || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || '''12''' || '''111.75'''
|- style="background:#ccffcc;"
| 6 || align=left|{{flagathlete|'''[[László Szabó (chess player)|László Szabó]]'''|Hungary}} ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||½ ||x ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||1 ||1 ||1 ||1 ||1 || '''12''' || '''108.50'''
|- style="background:#ccffcc;"
| 7 || align=left|{{flagathlete|'''[[Miroslav Filip]]'''|Czechoslovakia}} ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||x ||½ ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||0 ||1 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||1 ||1 ||'''11''' || '''104.00'''
|- style="background:#ccffcc;"
| 8 || align=left|{{flagathlete|'''[[Hermann Pilnik]]'''|Argentina|alt}} || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || x || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || '''11''' || '''102.50'''
|- style="background:#ccffcc;"
| 9 || align=left|{{flagathlete|'''[[Boris Spassky]]'''|Soviet Union}} ||½ ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||1 ||1 ||x ||1 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||0 ||1 ||1 ||½ ||'''11''' || '''102.50'''
|-
| 10 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Georgy Ilivitsky]]|Soviet Union}} ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||x ||½ ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||1 ||10½ || 100.50
|-
| 11 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Luděk Pachman]]|Czechoslovakia}} ||½ ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||x ||½ ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||10½ || 99.25
|-
| 12 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Miguel Najdorf]]|Argentina|alt}} ||½ ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||1 ||½ ||x ||0 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||1 ||0 ||9½ ||94.00
|-
| 13 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Carlos Guimard]]|Argentina|alt}} ||½ ||0 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||x ||½ ||1 ||0 ||1 ||½ ||0 ||½ ||1 ||9½ || 89.50
|-
| 14 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Braslav Rabar]]|Yugoslavia}} ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||x ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||0 ||1 ||0 ||9 || 93.50
|-
| 15 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Andrija Fuderer]]|Yugoslavia}} ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||0 ||0 ||1 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||0 ||1 ||0 ||½ ||x ||1 ||1 ||1 ||1 ||0 ||½ ||9 ||81.25
|-
| 16 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Wolfgang Unzicker]]|West Germany}} ||0 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||0 ||x ||½ ||½ ||½ ||1 ||1 ||8½ ||
|-
| 17 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Gideon Ståhlberg]]|Sweden}} ||0 ||1 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||0 ||½ ||x ||1 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||8 || 74.00
|-
| 18 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Arthur Bisguier]]|United States|1912}} ||0 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||1 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||x ||½ ||1 ||1 ||8 || 70.50
|-
| 19 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Antonio Medina García|Antonio Medina]]|Spain|1945}} ||0 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||0 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||1 ||1 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||x ||0 ||0 || 5½ || 53.25
|-
| 20 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Jan Hein Donner]]|Netherlands}} ||0 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||0 ||1 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||1 ||x ||½ ||5½ || 49.25
|-
| 21 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Bogdan Śliwa]]|Poland|1928}} ||0 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||½ ||1 ||0 ||1 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||0 ||1 ||½ ||x ||5½ || 48.50
|}

Ilivitsky won a 6-game match against Pachman (1–0 with 5 draws) to qualify as first reserve for the Candidates.<ref>[https://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/5557$iix.htm 1955 Goteborg Interzonal Tournament], Mark Weeks' Chess Pages</ref>

==1956 Candidates tournament==
[[File:ChessCandidatesTournamentAmsterdam1956.jpg|thumb|upright=2|The 1956 Candidates tournament, Amsterdam. Left to right: Filip, Smyslov, Keres, Pilnik, Bronstein, Geller, Spassky, Petrosian, Panno, Szabó.]]
The 1956 Candidates tournament was held in [[Amsterdam]] in the Netherlands in April and May. As the loser of the last championship match, Smyslov was seeded directly into the tournament and joined by the top nine from the Interzonal. Smyslov won, once again becoming the challenger in the 1957 championship match.

With two rounds remaining, the leaders were Smyslov 10, Keres 9½, Geller 9.<ref>[https://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/5557$cix.htm 1956 Amsterdam Candidates Tournament], mark-weeks.com</ref> In the penultimate round, Keres lost in a winning position against Filip,<ref>''From Morphy to Fischer'', [[Israel Horowitz]], Batsford 1973</ref> while Smyslov and Geller drew their games, giving Smyslov a full point lead. Smyslov also won his final game, against Pilnik, to ensure victory.<ref>[https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?tid=82662&pid=14676 Amsterdam Candidates (1956)], [[Chessgames.com]]</ref>

:{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
|+ 1956 Candidates Tournament
|-
! !! !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! Score 
|- style="background:#ccffcc;"
| 1  || align=left|{{flagathlete|'''[[Vasily Smyslov]]'''|Soviet Union}}                      || xx || = = || = = || 0 = || = = || = 1 || 1 1 || = 1 || 1 = || = 1 || '''11½'''
|-
| 2  || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Paul Keres]]|Soviet Union}}                          || = = || xx || = = || = = || = = || = 1 || = = || = 0 || 1 = || 1 = || 10 
|-
| 3-7 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[László Szabó (chess player)|László Szabó]]|Hungary}} || = = || = = || xx || 1 = || = = || = = || = 1 || 0 = || = = || 0 1 || 9½ 
|-
| 3-7 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Boris Spassky]]|Soviet Union}}                       || 1 = || = = || 0 = || xx || = = || = 1 || 0 = || = = || = = || = 1 || 9½
|-
| 3-7 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Tigran Petrosian]]|Soviet Union}}                    || = = || = = || = = || = = || xx || 0 = || 0 1 || 1 = || = = || 1 = || 9½ 
|-
| 3-7 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[David Bronstein]]|Soviet Union}}                     || = 0 || = 0 || = = || = 0 || 1 = || xx || = 1 || 1 = || = = || = 1 || 9½ 
|-
| 3-7 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Efim Geller]]|Soviet Union}}                         || 0 0 || = = || = 0 || 1 = || 1 0 || = 0 || xx || 1 1 || = 1 || 1 = || 9½ 
|-
| 8-9 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Miroslav Filip]]|Czechoslovakia}}                    || = 0 || = 1 || 1 = || = = || 0 = || 0 = || 0 0 || xx || 1 0 || = 1 || 8 
|-
| 8-9 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Oscar Panno]]|Argentina|alt}}                            || 0 = || 0 = || = = || = = || = = || = = || = 0 || 0 1 || xx || 1 = || 8 
|-
| 10 || align=left|{{flagathlete|[[Hermann Pilnik]]|Argentina|alt}}                          || = 0 || 0 = || 1 0 || = 0 || 0 = || = 0 || 0 = || = 0 || 0 = || xx || 5 
|}

==1957 Championship match==

The match was played as best of 24 games. If it ended 12-12, Botvinnik, the holder, would retain the Championship. Smyslov won.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|+World Chess Championship Match 1957
|-
! !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! 15 !! 16 !! 17 !! 18 !! 19 !! 20 !! 21 !! 22 !! Points
|-
| align=left | {{flagathlete|'''[[Vasily Smyslov]]'''|Soviet Union}}
|style="background:black; color:white"| 1 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 1 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½  || '''12½'''
|-
| align=left | {{flagathlete|[[Mikhail Botvinnik]]|Soviet Union}}
| 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 1 || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || 1 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 0 ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| 0 || ½ ||style="background:black; color:white"| ½ || 9½
|}

==References==
<references />

==External links==
{{Commons category|World Chess Championship 1957}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20050122065135/http://members.aol.com/graemecree/chesschamps/world/world1957.htm 1957 World Chess Championship] at the Internet Archive record of Graeme Cree's Chess Pages

{{Chess}}
{{World Chess Championships|state=expanded}}

[[Category:World Chess Championships|1957]]
[[Category:1957 in chess]]
[[Category:1957 in Soviet sport]]
[[Category:1957 in Moscow]]