Fifty games of the sixth world champion, selected and annotated by Alexander Khalifman. Published by New in Chess in 2025. Hardcover, 448 pages, with an introduction by Vladimir Barsky.
The games run chronologically in three chapters. Rise to the Top takes twenty-three games from Moscow 1931 to Groningen 1946, with Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine, Spielmann and Tartakower among the opponents. The World Championship Years covers 1948 to 1963 and the matches against Bronstein, Smyslov, Tal and Petrosian. Later Years closes with six games up to Leiden 1970. Khalifman’s case for the selection is set out in the preface: Botvinnik’s strengths were the link between opening and middlegame, complex strategic conceptions, technique in converting an advantage, and a will to win that kept games alive when there was little left to play for.
Best for: readers who want the classics annotated by a strong modern player. Club and up.