A World Chess Championship was played between Mikhail Botvinnik and Mikhail Tal in Moscow from March 15 to May 7, 1960. Botvinnik was the reigning champion, after winning the World Chess Championship 1958, while Tal qualified by winning the Candidates tournament. Tal won by a margin of 4 points.

Zonals The 1958 USSR Chess Championship was a zonal, with the first four finishers qualifying for the 1958 Interzonal. The final leading scores were Tal 12½/18, Petrosian 12, Bronstein 11½ and Averbakh 11 qualifying; ahead of Boris Spassky and Lev Polugaevsky on 10½.Zonals 1957-1960, Mark Weeks's Chess pages Spassky had a strong position against Tal in the final round, but pushed too hard for a win, and lost.From Morphy to Fischer, Israel Horowitz, Batsford, 1973, p.178

The 1957/8 US Chess Championship was a zonal, with the first two finishers qualifying. The final leading scores were Bobby Fischer on 10½/13, Samuel Reshevsky on 9½ and James Sherwin on 9. Reshevsky declined his invitation to the interzonal, so the qualifiers were Fischer and Sherwin.

1958 Interzonal tournament

An interzonal chess tournament was held in Portorož, SR Slovenia, SFR Yugoslavia, in August and September 1958. The top six finishers qualified for the Candidates Tournament.

Before the final round, the leaders were: (1st) Tal 13; (2nd–3rd) Gligoric, Petrosian 12½ (though Petrosian had the bye in the last round); (4th) Benko 12; (5th–6th) Fischer, Bronstein 11½; (7th–10th) Olafsson, Averbakh, Szabo, Pachman 11. In the final round Fischer had black against Gligoric; while Bronstein, Olafsson, Szabo and Pachman had relatively weaker opponents. Feeling he was forced to play for a win, Fischer played the risky but double-edged Goteborg variation of the Sicilian Najdorf. Later, while the Gligoric–Fischer game was in a critical position with Fischer having some advantage, Fischer saw that Bronstein was unexpectedly losing to Cardoso. So Fischer accepted a draw, qualifying for the Candidates.First anniversary of Bobby Fischer's death, Chessbase, 1/17/2009 Of the players on 11 points, only Olafsson won, joining Fischer in the last two qualifying positions.

{| class="wikitable" |+ 1958 Interzonal Tournament |- ! !! !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! 9 !! 10 !! 11 !! 12 !! 13 !! 14 !! 15 !! 16 !! 17 !! 18 !! 19 !! 20 !! 21 !! Total |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 1 || align=left| || x || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 13½ |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 2 || align=left| || ½ || x || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 13 |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 3 || align=left| || ½ || ½ || x || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 12½ |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 4 ||Pal Benko (stateless) || 0 || ½ || ½ || x || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 12½ |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 5 || align=left| ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||x ||1 ||0 ||1 ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||1 ||0 ||0 ||1 ||1 ||1 || 12 |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 6 || align=left| || ½ || ½ || ½ || 0 || 0 || x || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || ½ || 1 || 1 || 1 || 12 |- | 7 || align=left| || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || x || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || ½ || 1 || ½ || 0 || ½ || 1 || 11½ |- | 8 || align=left| ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||0 ||½ || ½ || x ||1 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||1 ||1 ||1 ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||11½ |- | 9 || align=left| ||1 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||x ||1 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||1 ||1 ||½ ||1 ||½ ||1 ||11½ |- | 10 || align=left| ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||0 ||x ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||0 ||½ ||1 ||1 ||1 ||1 ||1 ||11½ |- | 11 || align=left| ||½ ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||x ||½ ||½ ||½ ||1 ||1 ||1 ||½ ||1 ||1 ||1 ||11½ |- | 12 || ||0 ||0 ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||x ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||11 |- | 13 || align=left| ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||½ ||x ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||1 ||1 ||1 ||11 |- | 14 || ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||0 ||½ ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||x ||1 ||½ ||1 ||1 ||½ ||1 ||½ ||10 |- | 15 || ||½ ||0 ||½ ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||1 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||x ||0 ||½ ||1 ||1 ||½ ||1 ||9½ |- | 16 || ||0 ||0 ||1 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||1 ||x ||1 ||1 ||½ ||0 ||1 ||8½ |- | 17 || ||½ ||1 ||0 ||½ ||1 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||½ ||0 ||x ||1 ||0 ||1 ||1 ||7½ |- | 18 || ||0 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||1 ||½ ||½ ||0 ||½ ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||x ||1 ||½ ||1 ||7 |- | 19 || ||½ ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||1 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||½ ||1 ||0 ||x ||1 ||1 ||6 |- | 20 || ||0 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||½ ||½ ||0 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||½ ||1 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||x ||0 ||4½ |- | 21 || ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||½ ||0 ||½ ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||0 ||1 ||x ||2

1959 Candidates Tournament

The 1959 Candidates Tournament was held in Yugoslavia in Bled, Zagreb, and Belgrade in September and October 1959.1959 Yugoslavia Candidates Tournament, Mark Weeks' chess pages The top two players from the previous tournament, Vasily Smyslov and Paul Keres, were seeded directly into the tournament and joined by the top six from the interzonal. Mikhail Tal won, becoming the challenger in the 1960 championship match.

The tournament was notable in that the two top finishers, Tal and Keres, scored heavily against the bottom of the field. If only scores between the top four are taken into account, the results of the top four are quite similar (Tal 5½/12, Keres 6½/12, Petrosian and Smyslov both 6/12). But Tal and Keres scored heavily against the bottom four, with Tal scoring an incredible 14½/16, including winning all four of his games against Fischer.

Future world champion Bobby Fischer was 16 years old at the time. He was the youngest Candidate in history until Magnus Carlsen qualified for the 2007 Candidates under a different system.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |+ 1959 Candidates Tournament |- ! !! !! 1 !! 2 !! 3 !! 4 !! 5 !! 6 !! 7 !! 8 !! Score |- style="background:#ccffcc;" | 1 || align=left| || xxxx || 0 0 1 0 || ½ ½ ½ ½ || 0 1 ½ 1 || 1 ½ 1 1 || 1 1 1 1 || 1 1 1 ½ || 1 1 1 ½ || 20 |- | 2 || align=left| || 1 1 0 1 || xxxx || 0 ½ ½ ½ || 1 ½ ½ 0 || ½ ½ 1 1 || 0 1 0 1 || 1 1 1 0 || 1 1 1 1 || 18½ |- | 3 || align=left| || ½ ½ ½ ½ || 1 ½ ½ ½ || xxxx || ½ ½ 0 ½ || 0 ½ ½ 1 || 1 1 ½ ½ || 1 0 0 ½ || ½ 1 1 ½ || 15½ |- | 4 || align=left| || 1 0 ½ 0 || 0 ½ ½ 1 || ½ ½ 1 ½ || xxxx || 0 ½ 1 0 || ½ ½ 1 0 || ½ 1 ½ 1 || ½ 0 1 1 || 15 |- | 5 || align=left| || 0 ½ 0 0 || ½ ½ 0 0 || 1 ½ ½ 0 || 1 ½ 0 1 || xxxx || 0 1 ½ ½ || ½ ½ 1 0 || ½ 1 ½ ½ || 12½ |- | 6 || align=left| || 0 0 0 0 || 1 0 1 0 || 0 0 ½ ½ || ½ ½ 0 1 || 1 0 ½ ½ || xxxx || 0 1 ½ 1 || ½ 1 ½ 1 || 12½ |- | 7 || align=left| || 0 0 0 ½ || 0 0 0 1 || 0 1 1 ½ || ½ 0 ½ 0 || ½ ½ 0 1 || 1 0 ½ 0 || xxxx || 0 0 ½ 1 || 10 |- | 8 || align=left|Pal Benko (stateless) || 0 0 0 ½ || 0 0 0 0 || ½ 0 0 ½ || ½ 1 0 0 || ½ 0 ½ ½ || ½ 0 ½ 0 || 1 1 ½ 0 || xxxx || 8

Round 1, Bled The 1959 Candidates was the first time Tal and Smyslov played each other in a tournament. The games Smyslov–Tal and Keres–Fischer were completed on Wednesday September 9. + Round 1, Bled, Monday September 7 White Black Result Opening Moves Smyslov Tal 1–0 Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation 65 Keres Fischer 0–1 Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation 53 Petrosian Olafsson 1–0 Nimzo-Indian Defense, Three Knights Variation 37 Benko Gligorić ½–½ King's Indian Defense 35

Round 2, Bled Tal–Gligorić was the only game to finish in the first session of play. + Round 2, Bled, Tuesday September 8 White Black Result Opening Moves Fischer (1) Petrosian (1) 0–1 Caro–Kann Defense, Two Knights Variation 68 Smyslov (1) Keres (0) 0–1 Ruy Lopez, Chigorin Defense 59 Tal (0) Gligorić (½) 1–0 King's Indian Defence, Sämisch Variation 47 Olafsson (0) Benko (½) 0–1 Ruy Lopez, Flohr–Zaitsev Variation 54

Round 3, Bled + Round 3, Bled, Thursday September 10 White Black Result Opening Moves Petrosian (2) Smyslov (1) ½–½ English Opening, Reversed Sicilian 60 Benko (1½) Fischer (1) ½–½ King's Indian Defense 49 Keres (1) Tal (1) 1–0 English Opening 64 Gligorić (½) Olafsson (0) ½–½ Nimzo-Indian Defense, Rubinstein System 54

Round 4, Bled + Round 4, Bled, Friday September 11 White Black Result Opening Moves Keres (2) Petrosian (2½) 0–1 Sicilian Defense, Accelerated Dragon, Maróczy Bind 51 Smyslov (1½) Benko (2) ½–½ Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation 28 Fischer (1½) Gligorić (1) 1–0 Sicilian Defense, Dragon Variation 32 Tal (1) Olafsson (½) 1–0 Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation 42

Round 5, Bled Petrosian and Tal made the first "grandmaster draw" in this tournament with their game lasting only . Benko lost on time, and his written protest to the tournament committee was denied after the chess clock was examined and found to be working correctly. + Round 5, Bled, Monday September 14 White Black Result Opening Moves Petrosian (3½) Tal (2) ½–½ Semi-Tarrasch Defense 12 Benko (2½) Keres (2) 0–1 English Opening, Reverse Sicilian 39 Olafsson (½) Fischer (2½) 1–0 Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation 45 Gligorić (1) Smyslov (2) 1–0 Slav Defense 38

Round 6, Bled + Round 6, Bled, Tuesday September 15 White Black Result Opening Moves Petrosian (4) Benko (2½) ½–½ King's Indian Defense, Fianchetto Variation 42 Keres (3) Gligorić (2) ½–½ Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Defense 66 Tal (2½) Fischer (2½) 1–0 King's Indian Defense, Petrosian Variation 41 Smyslov (2) Olafsson (1½) ½–½ Sicilian Defense, Kan Variation 67

Round 7, Bled + Round 7, Bled, Thursday September 17 White Black Result Opening Moves Gligorić (2½) Petrosian (4½) 1–0 Caro–Kann Defense, Classical Variation 40 Benko (3) Tal (3½) 0–1 Dutch Defense 29 Olafsson (2) Keres (3½) 0–1 Réti Opening 40 Fischer (2½) Smyslov (2½) ½–½ Caro–Kann Defense, Two Knights Variation 41

Round 8, Belgrade + Round 8, Belgrade, Friday September 18 White Black Result Opening Moves Tal (4½) Smyslov (3) 1–0 Caro–Kann Defense 26 Fischer (3) Keres (4½) 0–1 Caro–Kann Defense, Two Knights Variation 30 Olafsson (2) Petrosian (4½) 1–0 Queen's Gambit Declined, Ragozin Variation 66 Gligorić (3½) Benko (3) 1–0 Ruy Lopez, Breyer Defense 55

Round 9, Belgrade + Round 9, Belgrade, Monday September 21 White Black Result Opening Moves Gligorić (4½) Tal (5½) ½–½ Ruy Lopez, Chigorin Defense 26 Keres (5½) Smyslov (3) ½–½ Ruy Lopez 41 Petrosian (4½) Fischer (3) 1–0 Nimzo-Indian Defense, Rubinstein System 31 Benko (3) Olafsson (4½) 1–0 Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation 42

Round 10, Belgrade + Round 10, Belgrade, Tuesday September 22 White Black Result Opening Moves Tal (6) Keres (6) 0–1 Nimzo-Indian Defense, 4.f3 40 Smyslov (3½) Petrosian (5½) ½–½ English Opening 28 Olafsson (3) Gligorić (5) ½–½ King's Indian Defense 73 Fischer (3) Benko (4) 1–0 Sicilian Defense 27

Round 11, Belgrade + Round 11, Belgrade, Thursday September 24 White Black Result Opening Moves Petrosian (6) Keres (7) ½–½ English Opening, Reversed Sicilian 25 Olafsson (3½) Tal (6) 0–1 Sicilian Defense, Kan Variation 71 Gligorić (5½) Fischer (4) 1–0 Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation 43 Benko (4) Smyslov (4) 1–0 Sicilian Defense, Kan Variation 74

Round 12, Belgrade + Round 12, Belgrade, Friday September 25 White Black Result Opening Moves Keres (7½) Benko (5) 1–0 Ruy Lopez, Breyer Variation 21 Tal (7) Petrosian (6½) ½–½ Ruy Lopez, Chigorin Variation 23 Smyslov (4) Gligorić (6½) ½–½ Nimzo-Indian Defense, Rubinstein System 59 Fischer (4) Olafsson (3½) 1–0 Ruy Lopez, Modern Steinitz Variation 78

Round 13, Belgrade + Round 13, Belgrade, Monday September 28 White Black Result Opening Moves Gligorić (7) Keres (8½) ½–½ Nimzo-Indian Defense, Rubinstein System 72 Fischer (5) Tal (7½) 0–1 Sicilian Defense, Najdorf Variation 33 Benko (5) Petrosian (7) 0–1 Réti Opening 34 Olafsson (3½) Smyslov (4½) 0–1 English Opening, Reversed Sicilian 57

Round 14, Belgrade