Mikhail Botvinnik vs. Tigran Petrosian | World Chess Championship 25th 1963 | round 18

The 1963 World Chess Championship was a historic match that marked the transition from Mikhail Botvinnik's reign to the rise of a new champion, Tigran Petrosian. This was the last world championship match in which Botvinnik participated, as he chose not to exercise his rematch rights after losing.
Date: March 23 - May 20, 1963
Location: Moscow, USSR
Champion: Mikhail Botvinnik (USSR)
Challenger: Tigran Petrosian (USSR)
Final Score: Petrosian won 12.5 - 9.5
Petrosian: 5 wins, 15 draws, 2 losses
Botvinnik: 2 wins, 15 draws, 5 losses
Botvinnik's Style:
Strategic, scientific, and methodical.
Focused on preparation, deep calculation, and counterplay.
Relied on opening innovations and long-term plans.
Petrosian's Style:
Highly defensive, known for prophylaxis (preventing opponent’s plans).
Master of positional play and exchange sacrifices.
Preferred slow maneuvering, aiming to wear down his opponent.
Botvinnik struggled against Petrosian’s solid, patient style. Petrosian’s ability to neutralize Botvinnik’s attacking chances and create small, accumulating advantages led to his victory.
Game 5 (Petrosian Wins)
Petrosian, playing Black, outplayed Botvinnik strategically, demonstrating his deep understanding of position and prophylaxis.
Game 10 (Botvinnik’s Only Win)
Botvinnik finally broke through Petrosian’s defenses, proving that even the strongest defensive player could be cracked.
Game 15 (Famous Exchange Sacrifice by Petrosian)
Petrosian sacrificed a rook for a knight, a classic theme in his games, securing a powerful positional advantage that led to victory.
Game 19 (Petrosian's Decisive Win)
This game was a turning point, putting Petrosian in a commanding lead and making a Botvinnik comeback nearly impossible.
Petrosian became the 9th World Chess Champion, succeeding Botvinnik.
Botvinnik declined a rematch and retired from world championship play.
Petrosian successfully defended his title in 1966 against Boris Spassky before losing to him in 1969.
This match ushered in a new era of chess, with positional and prophylactic play becoming more dominant in elite chess strategy.
Drone in D di Kevin MacLeod è un brano concesso in uso tramite licenza Creative Commons Attribution 4.0. creativecommon...
Fonte: incompetech.com...
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