Mikhail Botvinnik Games: Guess the Move

Mikhail Botvinnik was born in 1911 near Saint Petersburg and became Soviet champion at twenty. He won the 1948 World Championship tournament after Alexander Alekhine's death, becoming the sixth world champion. His three reigns spanned 1948–1957, 1958–1960, and 1961–1963: after losing to Vasily Smyslov and Mikhail Tal, he defeated each in a return match to recover the title. Tigran Petrosian ended his final reign in 1963. Alongside his tournament career, Botvinnik qualified as an electrical engineer and later pursued research into computer chess, exploring how a program could select promising moves rather than examine every possibility.

Botvinnik approached chess preparation systematically, combining opening analysis with attention to physical fitness and daily routines. His strategic play connected pawn structures and piece coordination with accurate calculation, making his games useful for studying how a long-term plan survives concrete tactical tests. In this collection, identify the pawn break he is preparing, improve the pieces that support it, and check the opponent's counterplay before committing. After revealing his move, compare its purpose with your own choice: did it strengthen the plan, prevent a threat, or change the character of the position?

Solitaire Chess is a way to study master games by choosing moves for one side before revealing what the player actually played. Here, you take Botvinnik's side and use Guess the Move to test your decisions.

Before each move, identify your opponent's threat, choose candidate moves, and calculate your preferred continuation. After revealing Botvinnik's choice, compare the plans behind the moves and review the engine feedback.