World Chess Championship 1961

The 1961 World Chess Championship was played between former champion Mikhail Botvinnik and champion Mikhail Tal in Moscow from March 15[1] to May 13, 1961. Tal had unseated Botvinnik in the 1960 match, thus Botvinnik was entitled to this rematch the next year. Tal was strong favourite due to his heavy win the previous year, and being 25 years younger.

Botvinnik won convincingly, by a 13-8 margin, regaining the world title.[2] Although Tal suffered kidney illness in 1962, there was no hint of it at the time, and commentators put the victory down to Botvinnik playing a superior strategy, and being able to combat Tal's attacking style.[3] However, in 2002, Yuri Averbakh revealed that Tal was having health issues, and his doctors in Riga advised that he should postpone the match for health reasons. When Botvinnik would agree to a postponement only if Tal was certified unfit by Moscow doctors, Tal decided to play, thinking he would win anyway.[4]

The win made Botvinnik the first (and only) person to have three separate reigns as World Champion. At 49 years of age, it also makes him (as of 2019) the oldest player since 1891 to win a World Championship match.

Results

The match was played as best of 24 games. If it ended 12–12, Tal, the title holder, would retain the Championship.

World Chess Championship Match 1961
123456789101112131415161718192021Points
 Mikhail Botvinnik (Soviet Union) 101½½½1011101½1½010½113
 Mikhail Tal (Soviet Union) 010½½½0100010½0½101½08
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See also

References
  1. "Tal Will Defend Crown in Chess; Latvian to Meet Botvinnik in Moscow on March 15 for World Championship", New York Times, March 5, 1961
  2. "Botvinnik Wins Chess Title", New York Times, May 13, 1961
  3. "Russian First to Regain World Chess Title", Montreal Gazette, June 1, 1961, p. 27
  4. Kingston, T. (2002). "Yuri Averbakh: An Interview with History – Part 2" (PDF). The Chess Cafe. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2009-03-25.
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