"This book is the best one available as far as chess analysis concerns" - Mikhail Botvinnik in 1950

Botvinnik himself was the glorious winner of the last important prewar event (March-April 1941), easily outstripping his great rivals Keres, Lilienthal, Smyslov, Bondarevsky and Boleslavski. This "Absolute Championship" was made necessary as the 1940 Soviet Championship had ended in a tie between Lilienthal and Bondarevsky. Apparently Botvinnik himself stressed the necessity of this play-off to the authorities, implying that neither Bondarevsky nor Lilienthal were worthy Soviet Champions!

60 games have been annotated by Botvinnik in detail, so a high quality is assured.