1948 World Chess Championship Tournament
The Hague/Moscow
April 2 - May 16, 1948
1 2 3 4 5
1. Botvinnik, Mikhail USR xxxxx ½½1½½ 1½011 11110 1½1½½ 14 - 6
2. Smyslov, Vassily USR ½½0½½ xxxxx ½½1½½ 00½1½ 11011 11 - 9
3. Reshevsky, Samuel USA 0½100 ½½0½½ xxxxx 1½01½ 1½½11 10½- 9½
4. Keres, Paul USR 00001 11½0½ 0½10½ xxxxx 1½111 10½- 9½
5. Euwe, Max NET 0½0½½ 00100 0½½00 0½000 xxxxx 4 -16
Result: Mikhail Botvinnik becomes the 6th World Champion.
World Champion Alexander Alekhine died in possession of the title,
in a hotel in Estoril, while preparing for a championship match against
Botvinnik. The FIDE organization, founded in 1924, took the opportunity
to step in and administer the World Championship themselves.
Max Euwe, as the only surviving World Champion, became FIDE's first
World Champion... for one day. The Soviet Delegation arrived a day late,
and were able to nullify the decision to award the title to Euwe.
This 20-round Quintuple Round Robin tournament was arranged to name a
champion, and the title was defended in 3 year intervals from then on,
against a challenger who qualifed from FIDE's Interzonals and Candidates.
Rueben Fine had originally been scheduled to participate, but
declined his invitation.
Reshevsky would have finished ahead of Keres on Sonnenborn
tiebreak points, 90.5 to 86, though no official tiebreaking was done.
The first two cycles of this tournament were played in The Hague.
The final three were played in Moscow.
See the Games of the Tournament!
Return to the Chesschamps Main Page
Return to the World Championship Main Page