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Malbase · 07-10-2009, 05:47 PM

Where Kasparov researched the question of Alekhine and Botvinnik playing a match is unclear. One of the problems with chess books, there are few exceptions there are no citations, footnotes, or bibliographies.
See Two Alekhine Interviews (1941) by Edward Winter
by Winter of items sent to him by Pedro Moran.
"With regard to the world championship, he replied to us that it was very difficult to imagine that a match could be held before the end of the War. In this connection the names of various players were mentioned, and he told us who were the most outstanding younger players; he was particularly watching Keres, Eliskases and a few others, with whom battles would be interesting".
Note that the last Tournament in Europe was the AVRO in Holland.
1 Keres ** 1½ ½½ ½½ 1½ ½½ 1½ ½½ 8½
2 Fine 0½ ** 1½ 10 10 11 ½½ 1½ 8½
3 Botvinnik ½½ 0½ ** ½0 1½ 1½ ½1 ½½ 7½
4 Euwe ½½ 01 ½1 ** 0½ 0½ 01 1½ 7
5 Reshevsky 0½ 01 0½ 1½ ** ½½ ½½ 1½ 7
6 Alekhine ½½ 00 0½ 1½ ½½ ** ½1 ½1 7
7 Capablanca 0½ ½½ ½0 10 ½½ ½0 ** ½1 6
8 Flohr ½½ 0½ ½½ 0½ 0½ ½0 ½0 ** 4½

In the Bell (Dover) edition of the Absolute there was no indication that the tournament was to determine who would play Alekhine.
Probably the information during the war in the West was the same as in the East. Fine did indicate that there was an attempt to deny Alekhine playing such a match after the War, because of articles he wrote mixing Chess and Nazi propaganda.
On the Winter website Alekhine mentioned Reshevsky and Stahlberg with no reference to a match. (Beside the above)
If anyone has reference to the English or Russian articles on the match post it. There were two recent books on Tournament in English but I have never read them.
Now this is not Kasparov's book but a website undocumented.
1939: Alekhine accepted Botvinnik's challenge for the World title. However the 2nd World war put an end to international chess in Europe.
The question I would ask was Botvinnik ready in 1941. I have to imagine that Alekhine may have believed that he could defeat Botvinnik.
Remember the Efim Dmitriyevich Bogoljubow two matches.
("When I am Black, I win because I am Bogolyubov"), well not in the 2 matches against Alekhine.
Chessmetrics Summary for 1941-1944
gives a summary of chess between 1941 to 1944.
Between 1941 and October 1942 Botvinnik was the top player.
Between 1943 Alekhine rated 2804 (their rating), came in second.
Reshevsky came in third.
The strongest Tournament between 1941 and 1944, The Absolute Championship.
Chessmetrics omitted U.S. Chess from any listing. Although Fine and Reinfeld edited Tournament Books. Before WWII and maybe into WWII the U.S. had the top players. Fine, Reshevsky, Horowitz, Seidman, Pincus, and countless others.
The Strongest match: Bogoljubov- Euwe III, Karlsbad 1941.
(The Euwe-Keres match was played before 1941, and was considered the strongest match at the time).
Too bad the Chess Library Archives in Moscow or Leningrad are not online.

07-10-2009, 05:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
Malbase Forum King Posts: 1,080 Thanked 70 Times in 68 Posts Chess Profile	Where Kasparov researched the question of Alekhine and Botvinnik playing a match is unclear. One of the problems with chess books, there are few exceptions there are no citations, footnotes, or bibliographies. See Two Alekhine Interviews (1941) by Edward Winter by Winter of items sent to him by Pedro Moran. "With regard to the world championship, he replied to us that it was very difficult to imagine that a match could be held before the end of the War. In this connection the names of various players were mentioned, and he told us who were the most outstanding younger players; he was particularly watching Keres, Eliskases and a few others, with whom battles would be interesting". Note that the last Tournament in Europe was the AVRO in Holland. 1 Keres 1½ ½½ ½½ 1½ ½½ 1½ ½½ 8½ 2 Fine 0½ 1½ 10 10 11 ½½ 1½ 8½ 3 Botvinnik ½½ 0½ ½0 1½ 1½ ½1 ½½ 7½ 4 Euwe ½½ 01 ½1 0½ 0½ 01 1½ 7 5 Reshevsky 0½ 01 0½ 1½ ½½ ½½ 1½ 7 6 Alekhine ½½ 00 0½ 1½ ½½ ½1 ½1 7 7 Capablanca 0½ ½½ ½0 10 ½½ ½0 ½1 6 8 Flohr ½½ 0½ ½½ 0½ 0½ ½0 ½0 4½ In the Bell (Dover) edition of the Absolute there was no indication that the tournament was to determine who would play Alekhine. Probably the information during the war in the West was the same as in the East. Fine did indicate that there was an attempt to deny Alekhine playing such a match after the War, because of articles he wrote mixing Chess and Nazi propaganda. On the Winter website Alekhine mentioned Reshevsky and Stahlberg with no reference to a match. (Beside the above) If anyone has reference to the English or Russian articles on the match post it. There were two recent books on Tournament in English but I have never read them. Now this is not Kasparov's book but a website undocumented. 1939: Alekhine accepted Botvinnik's challenge for the World title. However the 2nd World war put an end to international chess in Europe. The question I would ask was Botvinnik ready in 1941. I have to imagine that Alekhine may have believed that he could defeat Botvinnik. Remember the Efim Dmitriyevich Bogoljubow two matches. ("When I am Black, I win because I am Bogolyubov"), well not in the 2 matches against Alekhine. Chessmetrics Summary for 1941-1944 gives a summary of chess between 1941 to 1944. Between 1941 and October 1942 Botvinnik was the top player. Between 1943 Alekhine rated 2804 (their rating), came in second. Reshevsky came in third. The strongest Tournament between 1941 and 1944, The Absolute Championship. Chessmetrics omitted U.S. Chess from any listing. Although Fine and Reinfeld edited Tournament Books. Before WWII and maybe into WWII the U.S. had the top players. Fine, Reshevsky, Horowitz, Seidman, Pincus, and countless others. The Strongest match: Bogoljubov- Euwe III, Karlsbad 1941. (The Euwe-Keres match was played before 1941, and was considered the strongest match at the time). Too bad the Chess Library Archives in Moscow or Leningrad are not online.