The World Chess Championship 1954: Botvinnik v. Smyslov Hardinge Simpole Chess Classics: Amazon.co.uk: H. Golombek: Books

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Contains the account and eye witness analysis by Golombek of the first of the three titanic world title clashes between Botvinnik and Smyslov, unquestionably the dominant players of the 1950s. These games are bloodthirsty classics between two supreme exemplars.

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4.8 out of 5 stars (5 customer reviews)

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2 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars chess titans of the 1950's, 22 Jul 2002

By A Customer

this book covers the first of the three great world chess championship matches between botvinnik and smyslov in the 1950's.this contest was drawn after smyslov staged an heroic fightback having gone 3 games down at the start.

the notes to every game are excellent written in easily understandable prose and with variations based on the best russian analysis of the day. the author harry golombek was present throughout in moscow as an umpire. he really brings the drama of the occasion to vivid life.

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2 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great stylist writes beautiful book, 16 Jul 2002

By A Customer

harry golombek was a chess grandmaster and chess columnist of the times and the observer newspapers in london. connoisseurs rate him as the greatest stylist ever to write about chess. apart from the present book he wrote chess biographies of reti and capablanca that are considered classics.

many people think that match books in english on the world championships started in 1972 with gligorics book on fischer v spassky. thats not so-golombek started much earlier-in 1954 he was umpire for the first of the three titanic botvinik smyslov matches in moscow. this one from 1954 was drawn and golombek shows how smyslov fought back bravely after going 3-0 down near the start.its fascinating to see how these great players of the 1950s managed to win games against their equals with black which modern champions find increasingly hard to do.

golombeks notes altho in the older descriptive notation are a joy to read-he makes every game and the match as a whole into a drama and it is much more entertaining than the modern predilection for telephone directory style notes. golombek is like an epic bard tasked with the duty of singing the praises of the chess warriors and making their deeds live for ever in the memory of chessplayers and chess lovers-and in this he succeeds superlatively!

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1 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Botvinnik's decade., 30 Oct 2005

By	S. Hameed "shire-reader" (Berkshire, England) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Golombek proved his penchant for chess writing time and time again, as correspondent for The Times and The Observer, his pieces stood out for their clarity, their grandiose and eloquent style and for the passion with which he wrote. His power of communication makes it well worthwhile reading WCC 1954, despite the slight lack of enthusiasm with which one might approach work covering Botvinnik’s career through the 50s, which he dominated which such seeming ease. But if there was ever a player to contend with Botvinnik at this time (before the appearance of Tigran Petrosian of course), it must surely have been Smyslov. Smyslov had crushed all the the major opposition by this point, and at the time there must have been serious speculation that Smyslov would actually oust the Soviet strong-arm. Golombek captures some of this tension, and as an expert on Soviet chess, and an observer of the match, is a perfect medium through which to witness such a class of titans.

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Synopsis
Harry Golombek was perhaps the king of chess writers. Chess correspondent for The London Times and The Observer, he possessed an unrivalled gift for transforming a chess game into... Read more

Published on 6 Jul 2007 by Hugh Davies

5.0 out of 5 stars 1954 World Chess Championship - an exciting analysis
Harry Golombek, OBE and former chess correspondent for The London Times and The Observer, annotates with unrivalled personal experience the first match between chess giants... Read more

Published on 30 Jul 2002

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The World Chess Championship 1954: Botvinnik v. Smyslov (Hardinge Simpole Chess Classics) (Paperback)

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