9. Smyslov – Botvinnik (1957 game 6) – 9.0-0-0
In 1957 after losing to Botvinnik in 1954 Vasily Smyslov came prepared with an onslaught of good opening innovations and strong endgames to defeat the then world champion Mikhail Botvinnik. Perhaps it helped a bit that Botvinnik played openings that Smyslov had studied fairly thoroughly from the opposite color. In this game in particular Botvinnik employs a line of the Grunfeld that is now named after Smyslov. Smyslov recounts,
One of the most sharp and problematic variations in modern opening theory. I have to admit that the choice of this opening system on the part of Botvinnik came as a surprise to me, since up till then he had normally preferred to play this variation as White, whereas I had been willing to try to vindicate the plan of piece development for Black. Now the roles were reversed, and I had to seek a way of countering my own theoretical weapon. – Vasily Smyslov
To date this line has been played in 60 games and 27 GM games scoring 40% for white in the big database.
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