Matches for the world championship. Anthology. Volume 2. Berdichevsky M.

In 1946, the world champion Alexander Alyokhin passed away to the undefeated. A difficult question arose: how to determine the new, sixth by the chess king? In the end, in 1948, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) held a match-tournament of five grandmasters, in which I had a chance to participate. Botvinnik won, and over the next quarter century, only Soviet chess players directly fought for the title of champion. Only the Fisher violated their hegemony, but for a short while...

“on my share fell in a sense of the connecting link between different generations of chess players. I played with those who are presented in this volume, and with those whose main achievements will be reflected in the third, last volume of anthology, which included matches with the participation of Karpov and Kasparov. The book that you are holding in your hands covers the period of the championship of Botvinnik, Smyslov, Taly, Petrosyan, Spassky and Fisher. Of course, all the world champions, without exception, made their significant contribution to the development of our game. But still, remembering the old days, I think that I was lucky - I found the Golden Age Chess, the time when they were primarily by art. Now they have become much more than a gaming, sports element that has never been the main thing for me. I am glad of the publication of this interesting and necessary three -volume. For the first time, all the commented parties of all matches for the world championship from 1886 to 1998 were together. In addition to the encyclopedic, the publication has significant educational value, since at all times people studied primarily in the parties of the champions. The reader will receive just the pleasure of this book, because real chess always delighted people with their depths, beauty and harmony. ”

Vasily Smyslov.