View source for Vasily Smyslov

{{short description|Soviet chess grandmaster (1921–2010)}}
{{family name hatnote|Vasilyevich|Smyslov|lang=Eastern Slavic}}
{{More citations needed|date=July 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Infobox chess player
|name          = Vasily Smyslov
|image         = Interpolisschaaktoernooi Tilburg 1819 Smyslov aan zet, Bestanddeelnr 929-3630.jpg
|caption       = Smyslov in 1977
|birthname     = Vasily Vasilyevich (Vasilievich) Smyslov
|country       = Soviet Union
|birth_date    = {{birth date|1921|03|24|df=yes}}
|birth_place   = [[Moscow]], [[Russian SFSR]]
|death_date    = {{death date and age|2010|03|27|1921|03|24|df=yes}}
|death_place   = Moscow, [[Russia]]
|title         = [[Grandmaster (chess)|Grandmaster]] (1950)
|worldchampion = 1957–58
|peakrating    = 2620 (July 1971)
|peakranking   = No. 9 (July 1971)
}}

'''Vasily Vasilyevich Smyslov''' ({{langx|ru|Васи́лий Васи́льевич Смысло́в|Vasíliy Vasíl'yevich Smyslóv}}; 24 March 1921 – 27 March 2010)<ref>{{cite web | author=Crowther, Mark |title=Vasily Smyslov 1921–2010 |date=27 March 2010 |url=http://theweekinchess.com/chessnews/obituaries/vasily-smyslov-1921-2010 |publisher=The Week in Chess |access-date=28 March 2010}}</ref> was a Soviet and Russian [[chess grandmaster]] who was the seventh [[World Chess Champion]] from 1957 to 1958. He was a [[Candidates Tournament|Candidate]] for the [[World Chess Championship]] on eight occasions (1948, 1950, 1953, 1956, 1959, 1965, 1983, and 1985). Smyslov twice tied for first place at the [[USSR Chess Championship]]s (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 over the age of sixty. Despite his failing eyesight, he remained active in the occasional composition of [[chess problem]]s and studies until shortly before his death in 2010. Besides chess, he was an accomplished [[baritone]] singer.

== Early years ==
Smyslov was born in Moscow, into a [[Russians|Russian]] family. He 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. The senior Smyslov, who had also studied chess for a time under the tutelage of [[Mikhail Chigorin]], became his son's first teacher, and gave him a copy of [[Alexander Alekhine]]'s book ''My Best Games of Chess 1908–1923''. The future world champion would later write that this book became his constant reference, and that "...I was later to read everything that my father had in his library: [[Jean Dufresne|Dufresne]]'s handbook, separate numbers of the Soviet chess magazines ''Chess'' and ''Chess Sheet'', the text-books of [[Emanuel Lasker|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 [[Aron Nimzowitsch|A. I. Nimzovitch]]; I studied attentively the genius of prominent Soviet masters."<ref>Fine, R. (ed.), (1976). ''The World's Greatest Chess Games''. New York: Dover Publications, Inc.</ref>

Smyslov's competitive chess experiences began at the age of 14, when he started taking part in classification tournaments. In 1938, when he was 17, Smyslov won the USSR Junior Championship. That same year, he tied for 1st–2nd places in the [[Moscow City Chess Championship|Moscow City Championship]], with 12½/17. However, Smyslov's first attempt at adult competition outside his own city fell short; he placed 12th–13th in the [[Leningrad]]–Moscow International tournament of 1939 with 8/17 in an exceptionally strong field. In the Moscow Championship of 1939–40 Smyslov placed 2nd–3rd 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 Mikėnas]], from countries annexed by the USSR following 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 (chess)|Grandmaster]] strength at age 20, a very rare achievement at that time.

World War II forced a halt to most international chess, but several tournaments involving Soviet players only were still organized. Smyslov was exempted from military service due to being severely nearsighted, and he won the 1942 Moscow Championship outright with a powerful 12/15. At [[Samara, Russia|Kuibyshev]] 1942, he placed second with 8/11. In a strong field at [[Yekaterinburg|Sverdlovsk]] 1943, Smyslov tied for 3rd–4th places with 8/14. In the 1943–44 Moscow Championship, Smyslov tied for 3rd–4th with 11½/16. He finished second in the 1944 USSR Championship at Moscow (URS-ch13) with 10½/16. He emerged as champion from the 1944–45 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 were 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 post-war period. In the 1945 USSR Championship at Moscow (URS-ch14), Smyslov was in the middle of the very powerful field with 8½/17; 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, scoring just 6½/15 in a not especially strong field. It was little better in the Moscow Championship of 1945–46, as he could only score 7½/15 for a tie of 7th–11th places, as Bronstein won. Then in the Moscow Championship of 1946, Smyslov scored just 8½/15, for a tie of 3rd–6th 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 (city)|Groningen]], Netherlands, in August 1946. This event, the [[Howard Staunton]] Memorial, was won by Botvinnik with 14½/19, half a point ahead of former World Champion [[Max Euwe]]. Smyslov finished third with 12½/19, and this reconfirmed his status as one of the world's top players.

Once he was back playing in Soviet events, however, Smyslov found it tough going for a while. In the next Soviet Championship (URS-ch15, [[Leningrad]] 1947), he tied for 3rd–4th places with 12/19, as Keres won. At [[Pärnu]] 1947, Smyslov scored 8/13, tying for 4th–6th places, as Keres won again. At [[Warsaw]] 1947, Smyslov scored 6/9 to tie for 2nd–5th places; the winner was [[Svetozar Gligorić]]. In the [[Mikhail Chigorin]] Memorial tournament, Moscow 1947, Smyslov tied for 3rd–4th 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 [[World Chess Championship 1948|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 (chess)|Grandmaster]] title in 1950 by [[FIDE]] on its inaugural list.

After winning the [[Candidates Tournament]] in [[Zürich]] 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 ==
[[File:Botvinnik vs Smyslov 1957-04-19.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Botvinnik vs. Smyslov (right) at the [[World Chess Championship 1957]]]]
Smyslov again won the Candidates' Tournament at [[Amsterdam 1956 chess tournament|Amsterdam in 1956]], this time by 1½ points. This qualified him for a second world championship match against Botvinnik in 1957. Assisted by trainers [[Vladimir Makogonov]] and [[Vladimir Simagin]], Smyslov won the title, scoring 12½–9½. The following year, Botvinnik exercised his right to a rematch, and regained the title with a final score of 12½–10½. 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.<ref name="watson">{{cite web |author=Watson, J. |title=Book Reviews by John Watson |url=http://theweekinchess.com/john-watson-reviews/historical-and-biographical-works-installment-2 |publisher=chess.co.uk}}</ref> Over the course of the three World Championship matches, Smyslov had 18 wins to Botvinnik's 17 (with 34 draws), yet was only champion for a year. Nonetheless, Smyslov wrote 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."<ref name="watson"/>

== Later World Championships ==
[[File:Vasily Smyslov 1964.jpg|left|thumb|upright=0.90|Smyslov at the Amsterdam [[Interzonal]] in 1964]]
Smyslov did not qualify for another World Championship, but continued to play in World Championship qualifying events. He was a Candidate in 1959, 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 reached the Candidates' Final (the match to determine who plays the champion, in that case [[Anatoly Karpov]]), losing 8½–4½ 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 [[Zoltán Ribli]] 6½–4½ in the semifinal, but drew his quarter-final match against [[Robert Hübner]] 7–7, 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 Chess Championship|Soviet Championship]]s 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, finishing behind 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 [[Tigran Petrosian|Petrosian]] and [[Polugaevsky]]) and in 1971, was joint runner-up with Tal, behind [[Vladimir Savon|Savon]]. He was ranked by FIDE as one of the top 15 players in the world from the late 1940s into the early 1980s, a stretch of almost 40 years.

== Post-war tournament record ==
Smyslov maintained an active tournament schedule throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, registering many top three finishes in some of the most prestigious tournaments of the period.

In 1950, he was second behind [[Alexander Kotov|Kotov]] at [[Venice]] and in 1951, won the Chigorin Memorial, held in [[Leningrad]]. He shared third place with Botvinnik at Budapest ([[Géza Maróczy|Maróczy]] Memorial) in 1952, behind Keres and Geller. In 1953, he won a training tournament in [[Gagra]] and finished third at [[Bucharest]], behind [[Alexander Tolush|Tolush]] and Petrosian. At the 1954–55 edition of the [[Hastings International Chess Congress|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 [[Boris Spassky|Spassky]] at the inaugural edition of the Moscow Central Chess Club international tournament series (sometimes also referred as an [[Alekhine Memorial]]) in 1959, was a joint winner in both 1960 (with [[Ratmir Kholmov|Kholmov]]) and 1961 (with [[Evgeny Vasiukov|Vasiukov]]), and won outright in 1963.

His good form continued throughout the 1960s. There were shares of second place at [[Dortmund]] 1961 (behind [[Mark Taimanov|Taimanov]]) and at [[Mar del Plata]] 1962 (behind Polugaevsky). He traveled again to Hastings at the end of 1962, and scored third place behind Gligoric and Kotov. In 1963, he was second at [[Sochi]] (Chigorin Memorial) behind Polugaevsky. His visit to [[Havana]]'s Capablanca Memorial in 1964 resulted in a share of first with the East German, [[Wolfgang Uhlmann|Uhlmann]]. He took outright first at the same tournament the following year. In 1966, there were victories at Mar del Plata and at the [[Akiba Rubinstein|Rubinstein]] Memorial in [[Polanica Zdroj]]. In 1967, he was second (behind [[Bobby Fischer|Fischer]]) at [[Monte Carlo]], won at Moscow, and finished second (behind [[Leonid Stein|Stein]]) at the city's Alekhine Memorial tournament. He placed third the same year at the Capablanca Memorial in Havana (behind [[Bent Larsen|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, finishing first outright. His next trip to Hastings also ended in triumph, as he took clear first at the 1968–69 edition. The 1960s drew to a close with victory at Monte Carlo 1969 (shared with [[Lajos Portisch|Portisch]]) and a share of third place at Skopje 1969 (with Uhlmann and Kholmov, behind [[Vlastimil Hort|Hort]] and [[Milan Matulović|Matulović]]).

[[File:Karpov, Euwe and Smyslov 1977.jpg|thumb|upright=1.1|Karpov (left), Euwe (bottom) and Smyslov at the 1977 [[Tilburg chess tournament]]]]

While less prolific than in previous decades, Smyslov played many strong tournaments in the 1970s and even into the 1980s and beyond. He was joint runner-up with Hort, Gligoric and [[Viktor Korchnoi|Korchnoi]] at [[Rovinj]]/Zagreb 1970, behind Fischer. A winner at [[Amsterdam]] 1971, he came third at the Alekhine Memorial (Moscow) in the same year, behind 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 [[Reykjavík]] 1974; at the Venice tournament of the same year, he finished second behind [[Vladimir Liberzon|Liberzon]]. Then followed a second place at the [[CHO'D Alexander|Alexander]] Memorial ([[Teesside]]) in 1975 (behind Geller), a first place at [[Szolnok]] (also 1975), and a multi-way share of second at the large [[Lone Pine International|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 [[São Paulo]] and finished with a share of second at [[Buenos Aires]], behind [[Ulf Andersson|Andersson]]. As the 1970s ended, he took first place at Berlin 1979, this time shared with [[István Csom|Csom]].

Notable outcomes for 1980 included joint first places at San Miguel (with [[Walter Browne|Browne]], [[Oscar Panno|Panno]], Jaime Emma) and at [[Copenhagen]] (the Politiken Cup, with [[Adrian Mikhalchishin|Mikhalchishin]]). In the same year he finished second at [[Bar, Montenegro|Bar]], behind Petrosian, and second at [[Baguio]], behind [[Eugenio Torre|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 [[Jon Speelman|Speelman]], behind [[Kupreichik]]. He was first at [[Graz]] in 1984 and first equal at Copenhagen (Politiken Cup) 1986 with [[Alexander Chernin|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, behind Ribli. At Hastings in 1988–89, he took a share of third with [[Boris Gulko|Gulko]] and Speelman, behind [[Nigel Short|Short]] and Korchnoi.

Smyslov remained on FIDE's top 100 list until he was 70 years old. His tournament appearances were fewer in the 1990s, but results included a share of first place at Buenos Aires 1990 and a share of second at [[Malmö]] (Sigeman) in 1997, behind Hellers.

== Team competition ==
{{MedalTableTop}}
{{MedalCountry|{{USSR}}}}
{{MedalSport|Men's [[chess]]}} [[File:Chess pictogram.svg|30px]]
{{MedalCompetition|[[Chess Olympiad|Olympiad]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[10th Chess Olympiad|1952 Helsinki]]|Open team}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[10th Chess Olympiad|1952 Helsinki]]|Individual board 2}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[11th Chess Olympiad|1954 Amsterdam]]|Open team}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[11th Chess Olympiad|1954 Amsterdam]]|Individual board 2<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.olimpbase.org/1954/1954in.html|title=OlimpBase :: 11th Chess Olympiad, Amsterdam 1954, information|website=www.olimpbase.org}}</ref>}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[12th Chess Olympiad|1956 Moscow]]|Open team}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[13th Chess Olympiad|1958 Munich]]|Open team}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[13th Chess Olympiad|1958 Munich]]|Individual board 2<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.olimpbase.org/1958/1958in.html|title=OlimpBase :: 13th Chess Olympiad, Munich 1958, information|website=www.olimpbase.org}}</ref>}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[14th Chess Olympiad|1960 Leipzig]]|Open team}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[14th Chess Olympiad|1960 Leipzig]]|Individual board 1st reserve}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[16th Chess Olympiad|1964 Tel Aviv]]|Open team}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[16th Chess Olympiad|1964 Tel Aviv]]|Individual board 3}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[18th Chess Olympiad|1968 Lugano]]|Open team}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[18th Chess Olympiad|1968 Lugano]]|Individual board 2nd reserve}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[19th Chess Olympiad|1970 Siegen]]|Open team}}
{{Medal|Bronze|[[19th Chess Olympiad|1970 Siegen]]|Individual board 1st reserve<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.olimpbase.org/1970/1970in.html|title=OlimpBase :: 19th Chess Olympiad, Siegen 1970, information|website=www.olimpbase.org}}</ref>}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[20th Chess Olympiad|1972 Skopje]]|Open team}}
{{Medal|Silver|[[20th Chess Olympiad|1972 Skopje]]|Individual board 3<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.olimpbase.org/1972/1972in.html|title=OlimpBase :: 20th Chess Olympiad, Skopje 1972, information|website=www.olimpbase.org}}</ref>}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[European Team Chess Championship|European Championship]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.olimpbase.org/index.php?https://www.olimpbase.org/worldteam/euro_results.html|title=OlimpBase :: the encyclopaedia of team chess|website=www.olimpbase.org}}</ref>}}
{{Medal|Gold|1957 Vienna|Open team}}
{{Medal|Gold|1957 Vienna|Individual board 1<ref>{{Cite web | title=OlimpBase :: 1st European Chess Team Championship, Vienna 1957, information | url=https://www.olimpbase.org/1957e/1957in.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060619135513/http://olimpbase.org/1957e/1957in.html | access-date=2025-08-22 | archive-date=19 June 2006 | url-status=live }}</ref>}}
{{Medal|Gold|1961 Oberhausen|Open team}}
{{Medal|Gold|1961 Oberhausen|Individual board 5<ref>{{Cite web | title=OlimpBase :: 2nd European Team Chess Championship, Oberhausen 1961, information | url=https://www.olimpbase.org/1961e/1961in.html | access-date=2025-08-22 | website=www.olimpbase.org}}</ref>}}
{{Medal|Gold|1965 Hamburg|Open team}}
{{Medal|Gold|1965 Hamburg|Individual board 4<ref>{{Cite web | title=OlimpBase :: 3rd European Team Chess Championship, Hamburg 1965, information | url=https://www.olimpbase.org/1965e/1965in.html | access-date=2025-08-22 | website=www.olimpbase.org}}</ref>}}
{{Medal|Gold|1970 Kapfenberg|Open team}}
{{Medal|Gold|1970 Kapfenberg|Individual board 5<ref>{{Cite web | title=OlimpBase :: 4th European Team Chess Championship, Kapfenberg 1970, information | url=https://www.olimpbase.org/1970e/1970in.html?__r=1.59b9da934f1d71d211665d89b4038939 | access-date=2025-08-22 | website=www.olimpbase.org}}</ref>}}
{{Medal|Gold|1973 Bath|Open team}}
{{Medal|Gold|1973 Bath|Individual board 6<ref>{{Cite web | title=OlimpBase :: 5th European Chess Team Championship Bath 1973: information | url=https://www.olimpbase.org/1973e/1973in.html | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060131092210/http://www.olimpbase.org/1973e/1973in.html | access-date=2025-08-22 | archive-date=31 January 2006 | url-status=live }}</ref>}}
{{MedalBottom}}
Smyslov represented the Soviet Union a total of nine times at [[chess Olympiad]]s, from 1952 to 1972 inclusive, excepting only 1962 and 1966. He contributed strongly 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 [[10th Chess Olympiad|Helsinki 1952]], he played second board, and won the individual gold medal with 10½/13. At [[11th Chess Olympiad|Amsterdam 1954]], he was again on second board, scored 9/12, and took the individual bronze medal. At [[12th Chess Olympiad|Moscow 1956]], he scored 8½/13 on second board, but failed to win a medal. At [[13th Chess Olympiad|Munich 1958]], he made 9½/13 on second board, good for the silver individual medal. At [[14th Chess Olympiad|Leipzig 1960]], he was dropped to first reserve, and made a great score of 11½/13, which won the gold medal.

After missing out on selection in 1962, he returned for [[16th Chess Olympiad|Tel Aviv 1964]], on third board, and won the gold medal with 11/13. He missed selection in 1966, but returned with a vengeance for [[18th Chess Olympiad|Lugano 1968]], and made a phenomenal 11/12 for another gold medal as second reserve. At [[19th Chess Olympiad|Siegen 1970]], he was first reserve, and scored 8/11 for the bronze medal. His final Olympiad was [[20th Chess Olympiad|Skopje 1972]], where at the age of 51 he played third board and scored 11/14, gaining 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 [[Chess Olympiad#Best individual results in the open section|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.

* [[Vienna]] 1957: board 1, 3½/6 (+2−1=3), board and team gold medals;
* [[Oberhausen]] 1961: board 5, 8/9 (+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 ==
[[Image:SmyslovCongratulatesAverbakh2002.jpg|thumb|right|Smyslov congratulates [[Yuri Averbakh]] at his 80th birthday and presents him with a book of his own chess studies.]]
In 1991, Smyslov won the inaugural [[World Senior Chess Championship]]. With a FIDE rating still around 2400 as of the year 2000, the 80-year old grandmaster participated in what was to be his final tournament, the Klompendans Veterans Vs. Ladies Tournament in [[Amsterdam]]. The highlight of the match was his rout of [[Zsofia Polgar]], leaving the all-time record between the two as +5–1=3. Some of the matches were adjourned early as draws due to his failing eyesight, and Smyslov officially retired from competitive play after this tournament. His [[Elo rating]] after this event was 2494.

Smyslov died of [[congestive heart failure]] in a Moscow hospital on the morning of 27 March 2010, three days after his 89th birthday. Reports circulated that his final years were spent in near-poverty and that he could not afford badly needed eye surgery. It was also reported that Smyslov and his wife Nadezhda mostly lived on income from renting their apartment and that no one checked on them or provided care.<ref>[http://theweekinchess.com/chessnews/obituaries/vasily-smyslov-1921-2010 Vasily Smyslov 1921–2010]. The Week in Chess (27 March 2010). Retrieved on 4 May 2018.</ref>

== Chess style and legacy ==
{{AN chess|pos=secleft}}
Smyslov was known for his positional style, and, in particular, his precise handling of the [[Chess endgame|endgame]], but many of his games featured spectacular tactics as well. His opening repertoire was conventional for the 1950s–1960s era, featuring mainly the [[Ruy Lopez]] and [[English Opening]] as White, and the [[Sicilian Defense]] and [[Nimzo-Indian Defense]] as Black. He made enormous contributions to [[chess opening]] theory, including the [[English Opening]], [[Grünfeld Defence]], and the [[Sicilian Defence]].

A variation of the Closed Ruy Lopez is named after 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 [[Grünfeld 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 sideline 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.

[[Stanley Kubrick]] named a character after him in his film ''[[2001: A Space Odyssey (film)|2001: A Space Odyssey]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=I'M SORRY, FRANK... |url=http://www.chessbase.com/support/support.asp?pid=62 |url-status=dead |publisher=[[ChessBase]] |date=29 August 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012110119/http://www.chessbase.com/support/support.asp?pid=62 |archive-date=12 October 2007}}</ref>

== Opera singer ==
A baritone, Smyslov only 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, as in music, he tried to achieve harmony on the chess board, with each piece assisting the others.<ref>Smyslov, Vassily (1995), ''Smyslov's Selected Games''. London, Everyman Chess.</ref> He also recorded operatic arias.<ref>Archived at [https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/IAvrT52VXOI Ghostarchive]{{cbignore}} and the [https://web.archive.org/web/20200616043326/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAvrT52VXOI Wayback Machine]{{cbignore}}: {{cite web |title=Vasily Smyslov. Operatic Arias (1997) |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IAvrT52VXOI&feature=youtu.be |website=www.youtube.com |date=27 March 2016 |access-date=23 January 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Dutch insurance company [[Interpolis]] once released an EP sung entirely by Smyslov on their record label imprint Interpolis Verzekeringen to celebrate the fifth anniversary of the Interpolis chess tournament. The EP, titled ''Schaakgrootmeester Vassily Smyslov Zingt'' (english: ''Chess Grandmaster Vassily Smyslov Sings''), contains vocal covers of traditional Dutch songs accompanied by orchestra conducted by [[Harry van Hoof]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Schaakgrootmeester Vasily Smyslov Zingt |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/1598858-Vassily-Smyslov-Schaakgrootmeester-Vassily-Smyslov-Zingt |website=Discogs |date=1981 }}</ref>

== Personal life ==
[[File:Vasily Smyslov with wife 1956.jpg|thumb|upright=0.90|Smyslov with his wife at the 1956 [[Candidates Tournament]]]]
For more than 50 years, Smyslov was married to Nadezhda Smyslova, a woman three years his senior whose first husband was executed during a Stalinist purge in the early 1940s. They met in 1948. Nadezhda had a son from her first marriage, an aspiring chess player who competed at the World Junior Championship. Vasily and Nadezhda had no children of their own. She often accompanied her husband at major tournaments to provide moral support.<ref>[http://president.org.ua/news/news-187422/ 24 марта выдающемуся шахматисту исполнилось 87 лет] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106154907/http://president.org.ua/news/news-187422/ |date=6 January 2014 }}. president.org.ua (26 March 2008)</ref><ref>[http://www.chesslibrary.ru/publ/ehnciklopedija_shakhmat/vasilij_smyslov/glava_1_zhizn_i_sudba/11-1-0-69 ГЛАВА 1 ЖИЗНЬ И СУДЬБА]{{Dead link|date=October 2025 |bot=InternetArchiveBot }}. chesslibrary.ru</ref> However, she remained in Moscow during the 1959 Candidates tournament when, to the consternation of Soviet authorities, the normally staid Smyslov had a flagrant affair with a woman grandmaster that affected his play.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news |date=2010-03-29 |title=Vasily Smyslov obituary |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2010/mar/28/vasily-smyslov-obituary}}</ref> Smyslov's stepson, Vladimir Selimanov, represented the USSR at the 1957 World Junior Championship at Toronto, where he finished 4th. Selimanov died by suicide in 1960.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Soltis |first=Andy |date=2010-04-04 |title=Champ's tragedy |work=New York Post |url=https://nypost.com/2010/04/04/champs-tragedy/ |access-date=2023-09-06}}</ref>

== Books by Smyslov ==
*Vasily Smyslov (2003) ''Smyslov's Best Games, Volume 1: 1935–1957'' (Moravian Chess Publishing House)
*Vasily Smyslov (2003) ''Smyslov's Best Games, Volume 2: 1958–1995'' (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)

== Notable games ==
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1106156, Tigran Petrosian vs Vasily Smyslov, USSR Championship, Moscow 1949, Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation (B84), 0–1] The first meeting of two future World Champions goes to Smyslov in a precise positional performance.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1048532, Vasily Smyslov vs Efim Geller, USSR Championship, Moscow 1951, Sicilian Defence, Closed Variation (B26), 1–0] Smyslov used the Closed Sicilian periodically throughout his life, and made many important improvements.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1072466 Paul Keres vs Vasily Smyslov, Zurich Candidates' Tournament 1953, English Opening: Anglo-Indian Defense. Hedgehog System (A17) 0–1] 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.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1032329, Vasily Smyslov vs Mikhail Botvinnik, World Championship Match, Moscow 1954, game 9, French Defence, Winawer Variation (C17), 1–0] Smyslov blows up one of the World Champion's favourite variations with a queen sacrifice to score a stunning win.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1032320, Mikhail Botvinnik vs Vasily Smyslov, World Championship Match, Moscow 1954, game 14, King's Indian Defence, Fianchetto Variation (E68), 0–1] 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.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1033917, Vasily Smyslov vs David Bronstein, Candidates' Tournament, Amsterdam 1956, English Opening (A34), 1–0] The two players were fighting for the right to qualify, late in the tournament, and Smyslov finds a way to come out on top.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1125876, Vasily Smyslov vs Mikhail Tal, Candidates' Tournament, Yugoslavia 1959, Sicilian Defence, Najdorf / Opecensky Variation (B92), 1–0] It was their first-ever meeting, and the young star Tal gets a sharp lesson from the veteran.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1044105, Robert Fischer vs Vasily Smyslov, Candidates' Tournament, Yugoslavia 1959, Sicilian Defence, Fischer / Sozin Variation (B86), 0–1] The 16-year-old Fischer had honed this opening line into a formidable weapon, but here Smyslov shows him a few new wrinkles.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1125905, Vasily Smyslov vs Boris Spassky, Moscow vs Leningrad team match 1960, Alekhine's Defence (B05), 1–0] Spassky tries the unusual Alekhine's Defence and is beaten in fairly short order.
*[http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1067631, Vasily Smyslov vs Anatoly Karpov, USSR Championship, Leningrad 1971, English Opening / Queen's Gambit (A34), 1–0] Karpov was the young rising star, but here he lasts for only 29 moves against Smyslov, who is 30 years older.
*[https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1126740, Vasily Smyslov vs Zoltan Ribli, World Championship Candidates Semi-final, London 1983, Queens Gambit, Semi-Tarrasch Defence (), 1-0]  The finest game of Smyslov's semi-final win, featuring several sacrifices.

== References ==
{{Reflist|30em}}

== Further reading ==
*{{cite book |author=Sosonko, Genna |author-link=Genna Sosonko| title=Smyslov on the Couch | publisher=Elk and Ruby Publishing House| year=2018 | isbn=978-5950043321 }}
*{{cite book |author=Terekhov, Andrey | title=The Life and Games of Vasily Smyslov. Volume 1: The Early Years 1921–1948 | publisher=Russell Enterprises| year=2020 | isbn=978-1-949859-24-9 }}
*{{cite book |editor=Winter |editor-first=Edward G. |author-link=Edward G. Winter |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/worldchesschampi0000unse |title=World Chess Champions |publisher=Pergamon |year=1981 |isbn=0-08-024094-1}}
*{{Cite book |author-link=Irving Chernev |first=Irving |last=Chernev |year=1995 |title=Twelve Great Chess Players and Their Best Games |location=New York |publisher=Dover |isbn=0-486-28674-6 |pages=58–75 }}
*{{Cite book |last=Kasparov |first=Garry |author-link= |url-access=registration |year=2003 |url=https://archive.org/details/garrykasparovonmygreatpredecessors_part2/page/n131/mode/2up |title=My Great Predecessors, part II |publisher=Everyman Chess |isbn=1-85744-342-X}}

== External links ==
{{commons category|Vassily Smyslov}}
*[http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/smyslov.html “Vassily Smyslov (1921-2010)” by Edward Winter]
*{{chessgames player|id=14676}}
*[http://www.gmsquare.com/interviews/smyslov.html Interview with Vassily Smyslov]
*[https://www.chess.com/blog/Spektrowski/vasily-smyslovs-85th-birthday-interview-2006 Vasily Smyslov's 85th birthday interview, 2006]
* [https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/7564357/Vasily-Smyslov.html Vasily Smyslov] – Daily Telegraph obituary
*[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AiF9ULO9hJY3dFhZSHYtbmZJN2ZpeFdLU2lpb2tBclE&hl=en Smyslov's Chess Record]
*[https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-1951-22393-44718-37?cc=1932363 Visa with photo 1962]
{{s-start}}
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{{succession box
|before= [[Mikhail Botvinnik]]
|title= [[World chess champion|World Chess Champion]]
|years= 1957–1958
|after= [[Mikhail Botvinnik]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{World Chess Championships}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Smyslov, Vasily}}
[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:2010 deaths]]
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[[Category:Chess players from Moscow]]
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[[Category:Russian operatic baritones]]
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