"EJAY" wrote in message
...
On Dec 30 2007, 11:52 am, zdrakec wrote:
Hello all, and especially the historians among us:

I have in front of me a copy of Botvinnik's "Half a Century of Chess".
This edition was published by Pergamon Press, translated by E.
Strauss, edited by K. P. Neat, and printed in 1984 as the first
English edition.
On page 66 of this edition, I find Botvinnik saying, in reference to
the conclusion of the tournament in Moscow in 1935:
"...I was also awarded the title of USSR Grandmaster (after
consultation with Lasker and Capablanca)."

I find this statement to be curious, to say the least. Botvinnik needs
approval from Lasker and Capablanca to be named grandmaster? I wonder:
1) Who actually awarded this title to Botvinnik? I don't mean an
agency, but which actual person would get to make this sort of
decision?

I think a few weeks ago in discussion of Soviet School of Chess we saw the
title was awarded politically, and the book's co-author, Kotov said that he
himself became the 3rd.

It was also pointed out that this ignored the fact previous titles awarded
Russian players - by restarting the [political] clock at the time of the
revolution - were ignored as if they did not exist.

Therefore, there are Russian GMs, Soviet GMs, and Fide GMs.

I would be interested to know when Western publishers switched titles from
their usual 'master' to grandmaster, and if that was a result of the Fide
award, rather than repeat titles Soviets awarded themselves, [since neither
Capablanca nor Alekhine were 'honored' with a title by the Soviets].

Phil Innes

2) Who actually consulted with Lasker and Capablanca?
3) What form did this consultation take?

Best regards,
zdrakec

I think one had to win a Grandmaster tournament to get the Title of
Grandmaster.1935 Botvinnik tied for 1st Place with Salo Flohr.Both
Lasker and Capablanca played also.It could be as former Champs they
could declare Botvinnik a Grandmaster.This is purely speculation on my
part.Back in the day there was only a handful of Grandmasters.As for
Lasker and Capablanca being "consulted"to be awarded the titleof "USSR
Grandmaster" I can't speculate and agree with you that is odd.Was FIDE
in existence in 1935? Don't know....Ernie