Mikhail Botvinnik Photograph from the 1960 Chess Olympiad
Mikhail Botvinnik Photograph from the 1960 Chess Olympiad
Mikhail Botvinnik Photograph from the 1960 Chess Olympiad
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Mikhail Botvinnik Photograph from the 1960 Chess Olympiad
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Mikhail Botvinnik Photograph from the 1960 Chess Olympiad
  • Load image into Gallery viewer, Mikhail Botvinnik Photograph from the 1960 Chess Olympiad

Mikhail Botvinnik Photograph from the 1960 Chess Olympiad

Regular price
$250.00
Sale price
$250.00
Regular price
Sold out
Unit price
per 

Author: Botvinnik, Mikhail Moiseyevich (1911-1995) signed

Year: 1960

Publisher:

Place: Leipzig

Description:

Black and white photograph measuring 5 1/2" x 3" signed on verso.

The 14th Chess Olympiad, organized by FIDE and comprising an open team tournament, as well as several other events designed to promote the game of chess, took place between October 26 and November 9, 1960, in Leipzig, East Germany. The German Chess Federation organized the 14th Olympiad in the historic city of Leipzig. Alluding to Napoleon's famous defeat at Leipzig by Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden, chess historian Árpád Földeák summed up the event: "Thus the 'Battle of Nations' was relived once again on a peaceful field..." In conjunction with the tournament, the Stadtgeschichtlichen Museum organized an exhibit called "Chess Through the Ages." In the two years since the last Olympiad, Tal had become world champion, and now took his throne on the USSR first board, followed by Mikhail Botvinnik, Paul Keres and Soviet champion Viktor Korchnoi. Vasily Smyslov and Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian occupied the reserve boards. The preliminaries were played 17-27 October, and Tal sat out the first 3 rounds. He joined the fray with a victory over future FIDE president Florencio Campomanes, but gave up three draws before the finals, played 28 October - 9 November.1 Tal didn't mind drawing Robert James Fischer in final round 5, however, remarking that "it was only after this encounter that he began to respect me." Tal went on to finish well, except for the last round, when he unaccountably lost to the untitled Englishman Jonathan Penrose. This loss cost him the gold medal on 1st board, which went to Karl Robatsch. Tal settled for the silver medal with a more than respectable score of +8 -1 =6. The Soviet team lived up to expectations and won their fifth consecutive gold medals, with the United States and Yugoslavia taking the silver and bronze, respectively. In a reversal of fortune from the previous Olympiad, the East German hosts finished 9th, right behind rivals West Germany. Unlike the last time, however, the match between the two was a tight affair that ended in a 2–2 draw. A total of 40 teams entered the competition and were divided into four preliminary groups of 10 teams each. The top three from each group advanced to Final A, the teams placed 4th-6th to Final B, and the rest to Final C. All preliminary groups as well as Finals A and B were played as round-robin tournaments, while Final C with 16 teams was played as an 11 round Swiss system tournament. Group 1 was won by the Bulgaria, ahead of Yugoslavia and the host nation. Norway, Finland, and Israel took the places 4-6, while Indonesia, France, Albania, and Malta finished at the bottom of the group. The Soviet Union took first place in group 2, well ahead of Argentina and the Netherlands. Poland, Austria, and India made up the middle part of the group, while Portugal, the Philippines, Italy, and Monaco had to settle for the bottom. Group 3 was won by England, ahead of Czechoslovakia and Hungary. The three Nordic nations Sweden, Denmark, and Iceland had to settle for Final B. Meanwhile, Mongolia, Tunisia, Greece, and Bolivia finished at the bottom of the group. The United States clinched group 4, ahead of West Germany and Romania. Spain, Chile, and Cuba made up the middle part of the group, while Belgium, Ecuador, Ireland, and Lebanon completed the field.

Condition:

Some light edge wear else near fine in a crisp signature.

SOLD 2024