Vassily Smyslov is one of the greats of chess and this tournament victory is one of the greatest ever chess sporting performances. Facing a field which included such titans as Keres, Bronstein, Reshevsky and Petrosian, Smyslov shattered the oppposition and thus secured for himself the sole qualifying slot to face the great Botvinnik in a match for the world title. Combined with the companion Hardinge Simpole volume on the World Championship Candidates Tournament 1956 this book begins a record of staggering tournament expertise and determination by the immortal Smyslov.