This week's episode of the New In Chess Podcast features the second half of the narration from Genna Sosonko's “The Essential Sosonko” on Mikhail Botvinnik.

Continuing where we ended two weeks ago, we find Botvinnik giving his perception on several his chess colleagues. He then proceeds to talk about other matters that are close to his heart, such as the future of computer chess and his own painful losses.

Narrated by professional voice actor Nick Murphy, in “His Journey to Immortality” Sosonko does recites a long monologue given by the former World Champion himself, in a way making this chapter a double autobiography.

00:00 Introduction

01:18 Botvinnik's position to the divide between Karpov and Kasparov

04:34 Botvinnik's regards on Kramnik, Shirov and Beliavsky

07:27 Botvinnik defused Bronstein, Smyslov and Tal

09:35 How Botvinnik took care of himself

12:13 Botvinnik on the future of computer chess

13:03 AD BREAK

13:56 Botvinnik's relation with and views on politics

17:31 What old age meant to Botvinnik

23:08 Botvinnik remembered his painful losses

24:28 Botvinnik's principles and convictions

27:17 AD BREAK

27:50 To understand Botvinnik is to understand him in the context of his time

30:44 The last time Sosonko met Botvinnik

34:30 Botvinnik’s death and the journey to immortality