AThe Los Angeles Times Los Angeles, California Sunday, March 21, 1965 - Page 98
Botvinnik Drops Out
The news columns of The Times last Sunday carried the report that former world champion Mikhail Botvinnik of Russia had dropped out of the series of matches to determine the next challenger for the title.
Now 53, Botvinnik has long been regarded as one of the greatest masters of all time. He held the championship for all but two years from 1948 to 1963, when he was defeated by Tigran Petrosian, now 35.
Botvinnik's retirement has been rumored for some time. He will continue to play on occasion, but does not feel that he can maintain the highest level against his much younger competitors.
Ewfim Geller of Russia will take Botvinnik's place, and will oppose former world champion Vassily Smyslov in a 10-game match next month. Paul Keres and Boris Spassky will contest a similar match at the same time.
Another quartet will play In Yugoslavia, starting late in May. Another former world champion, Mikhail Tal, will play Lajos Portisch of Hungary and Bent Larsen of Denmark will face Boris Ivkov of Yugoslavia.
Geller moved up as a result of his third place finish in the last Candidates' Tournament at Curacao in 1962. Petrosian was the winner at the time, and went on to take the world championship.
Keres, who was second in Curacao, was seeded into the next Candidates' Tournament, which was later changed to the series of matches, as outlined above.
Of particular interest to us is the fact that if Geller should not participate for any reason, the next person in succession would be U.S. champion Bobby Fischer, who at 22 has already compiled a brilliant record.
Fischer has played no match or tournament chess for over a year, however. He refused to play in the Interzonal Tournament last summer. In good form, he would almost certainly have been one of the six qualifiers from that event.
