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Chess 18 Jun 1960, Sat Chronicle (Crewe, Cheshire, England) Newspapers.com
Chess For All By G. Chesters
World Championship matches have always aroused interest among lovers of the game, but it is only since 1946 that the system of finding a challenger to the champion has been by means of zonal, inter-zonal, and candidates' tournaments, held every three years.
P. H. Clarke and J. Penrose represent England in two zonal tournaments at present. The top three qualify for the inter-zonal, and usually the top six of the latter play in the candidates' tournament, and, of course, the winner of this plays the world champion in a 24-game match.
As you all probably know, the present world champion is M. Tal, of Russia. His championship-winning match against M. Botvinnik has been published already. The book, “World Chess Championship, 1960, Tal—Botvinnik,” gives all the games, plus others played by the contestants, and comments on the players, previous championship matches, the games, and the result.
Every defeated champion has the right to a return match. Alekhine and Botvinnik are the only ones who have won their return match; Alekhine beat M. Euwe and Botvinnik beat V. Smyslov. Steinitz played 1866-97, seven championship matchees. Tchigorin twice, and Gunsberg, but losing twice to the great Emanuel Lasker. Lasker went to play six more matches, beating Marshall, Tarrasch, Janowski twice, and Schlechter, but losing to Capablanca. Capablanca did not defend his title until six years later, 1927, and he lost to Alekhine. Alekhine retained the championship until his death in 1946, with one break of two years, when Euwe held it.
In 1948 the International Chess Federation organized a tournament of the five strongest players in the world. Botvinnik scored 14 pts., Smyslov 11, Keres and Reshevsky 10½, and Euwe 4. Botvinnik lost to Smyslov in 1957, but won the year later.
It is noticeable that all the champions and challengers since 1948 have been Russian, but many forecast that the title will go to Bobby Fischer before long. The diagram this week is from a Russian chess magazine. Do Russian readers have harder position than ours? Judge for yourself!
FEN 6k1/5pp1/4p1bp/3pP3/3P2N1/q7/1r1Q1PPP/2R3K1 w - - 0 1
Answer: 1. R-B8ch K-R2; 2. QxPch!! PxQ; 3. N-B6ch K-N2; 4. R-KN8mate.
1. Rc8+ Kh7 2. Qxh6+ gxh6 3. Nf6+ Kg7 4. Rg8#
