1951 World Chess Championship
Mikhail Botvinnik (USSR) vs. David Bronstein (USSR)
Moscow, USSR
March 15 - May 11, 1951
Conditions: Best of 24 Games. In the event of
a 12-12 tie, Botvinnik retains the title.
| USSR, 1951
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
4
|
5
|
6
|
7
|
8
|
9
|
10
|
11
|
12
|
13
|
14
|
15
|
16
|
17
|
18
|
19
|
20
|
21
|
22
|
23
|
24
|
|
Score
|
| Botvinnik
|
½
|
½
|
½
|
½
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
½
|
½
|
½
|
0
|
1
|
½
|
½
|
½
|
½
|
0
|
½
|
1
|
½
|
0
|
0
|
1
|
½
|
|
12
|
| Bronstein
|
½
|
½
|
½
|
½
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
½
|
½
|
½
|
1
|
0
|
½
|
½
|
½
|
½
|
1
|
½
|
0
|
½
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
½
|
|
12
|
Result: Mikhail Botvinnik retains the World Title.
See the Games of the Match!
This is one of only two times in World Championship history in
which the Black pieces scored higher than the Whites.
In this match, Black won 6 times to White's 4 times. The only other
championship match won by Black was the
1934
Alekhine-Bogolubov Match.
One unusual rule in this match was the requirement for adjourned
games to have moves sealed in two separate envelopes, each given to
separate arbiters. Botvinnik feared that a friendly arbiter might
allow Bronstein to alter his move before the resumption.
Match Breakdown
# White - Black Locale Date ECO Result
1 Botvinnik - Bronstein Moscow 03-16-1951 A91 ½-½
2 Bronstein - Botvinnik Moscow 03-18-1951 D87 ½-½
3 Botvinnik - Bronstein Moscow 03-20-1951 C08 ½-½
4 Bronstein - Botvinnik Moscow 03-23-1951 D90 ½-½
5 Botvinnik - Bronstein Moscow 03-25-1951 E43 0-1
6 Bronstein - Botvinnik Moscow 03-26-1951 B63 0-1
7 Botvinnik - Bronstein Moscow 03-30-1951 A94 1-0
8 Bronstein - Botvinnik Moscow 04-01-1951 D49 ½-½
9 Botvinnik - Bronstein Moscow 04-03-1951 A91 ½-½
10 Bronstein - Botvinnik Moscow 04-06-1951 A85 ½-½
11 Botvinnik - Bronstein Moscow 04-08-1951 E17 0-1
12 Bronstein - Botvinnik Moscow 04-10-1951 A85 0-1
13 Botvinnik - Bronstein Moscow 04-13-1951 E44 ½-½
14 Bronstein - Botvinnik Moscow 04-15-1951 A08 ½-½
15 Botvinnik - Bronstein Moscow 04-17-1951 C08 ½-½
16 Bronstein - Botvinnik Moscow 04-20-1951 A91 ½-½
17 Botvinnik - Bronstein Moscow 04-22-1951 E45 0-1
18 Bronstein - Botvinnik Moscow 04-24-1951 D15 ½-½
19 Botvinnik - Bronstein Moscow 04-27-1951 D74 1-0
20 Bronstein - Botvinnik Moscow 04-29-1951 A14 ½-½
21 Botvinnik - Bronstein Moscow 05-04-1951 E69 0-1
22 Bronstein - Botvinnik Moscow 05-06-1951 A91 1-0
23 Botvinnik - Bronstein Moscow 05-08-1951 D71 1-0
24 Bronstein - Botvinnik Moscow 05-11-1951 D44 ½-½
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