Caricature of Champion Botvinnik Waiting for a Challenger

Mikhail Botvinnik, who became the World Chess Champion by winning the 1948 championship tournament, is depicted in a laurel wreath, looking at portraits of potential challengers David Bronstein and Isaac Boleslavsky. Co-winners of the 1950 Candidates Tournament, these two Soviet grandmasters played a 12-game match in Moscow in July and August 1950 to determine the challenger. The match ended in a 6-6 tie, so the first decisive game would determine the winner. Bronstein won the 14th game, qualifying for the 1951 World Championship match.