Smyslov strikes back

Vasily Smyslov vs Mikhail Botvinnik

World championship · 1957 · 1-0

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0 / 55 half-moves

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The story behind the moves

A masterpiece, move by move

Smyslov’s sixth game of the 1957 championship features a passed c-pawn and a sequence of exchanges that wins material.

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20. c6

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The advanced pawn. The c-pawn reaches the sixth rank. It occupies valuable space and supports a knight arriving on d7 or b7, while White prepares to improve the knight on e2.

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23. Rxd5

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An exchange with a purpose. Smyslov trades a rook for the knight on d5. After the e-pawn recaptures, the knight takes on c7 and the bishop can capture the rook on c8.

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26. Nxd5

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Count what remains. The knight captures the d5-pawn. The ensuing ...Rxc6+ removes White’s advanced pawn, but White has emerged with a rook, knight and six pawns against a rook, bishop and four.