World Championship Tournament 1948 program

Tournament programs served as a source of brief information on the current state of events for the spectators who came to watch the tournament live. It usually had the schedule, tournament table and pairing for the day, and was sold at the tournament venue. On this program from the 1948 World Championship Tournament one can see a handwritten note that reads “13/V-1948. г. Москва. Колонный зал Дома Союзов” (“13th of May, 1948. Moscow. Pillar Hall of the House of the Unions”). The 1948 World Chess Championship was a tournament held to determine the new World Chess Champion following the passing of the previous titleholder, Alexander Alekhine, in 1946. The tournament commenced in The Hague, Holland, and later continued in Moscow, USSR. Five players participated in the championship: Mikhail Botvinnik, Paul Keres, Max Euwe, Samuel Reshevsky, and Vasily Smyslov. Mikhail Botvinnik convincingly won the event with 14 out of 20, three points above runner up Smyslov.