Master Class Volume 14 - Vasily SmyslovMaster Class Volume 14 Vasily Smyslov Vasily Smyslov defeated Mikhail Botvinnik at the second attempt in 1957 and thus became the 7th world champion in chess history, but had to relinquish the title in a rematch the following year. After that Smyslov belonged to the absolute world elite for many years. His performance in the 1982 1985 World Championship cycle was sensational, when he defeated Robert Hbner and Zoltan Ribli one after the other in the