| USSR Championship (1952) |
|
The 20th Soviet chess championship took place in Moscow from November 29th to December 29th 1952. The field was composed of twenty players: Six were invited, including the world champion Mikhail Botvinnik and the five Soviet grandmasters from the Olympiad, Isaac Boleslavsky, David Bronstein, Efim Geller, Paul Keres, and Vasily Smyslov. The other fourteen players qualifed from semi-final play. Mark Taimanov took an early lead of two points over the field, due in part to a win against Botvinnik, the heavy favorite, in the third round. Taimanov remained with a clear lead until the final round when Geller defeated him, allowing Botvinnik his chance to tie by defeating Alexey Suetin. A playoff match was held to determine an outright winner, so a concert hall was scheduled for the six game encounter, held from January 25th to February 5th, 1953. Botvinnik beat Taimanov +2 -1 =3 to win his sixth and last Soviet Championship. The final standings and crosstable:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 Pts
=1 Botvinnik * 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 13½
=1 Taimanov 1 * 0 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 13½
3 Geller 0 1 * 1 1 ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 12
=4 Boleslavsky ½ 1 0 * 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 11½
=4 Tolush ½ ½ 0 1 * ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 1 11½
6 Korchnoi ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ 1 0 0 1 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 1 1 11
=7 Bronstein 0 0 ½ ½ 1 1 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 10½
=7 Moiseev 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 * ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 10½
=7 Smyslov ½ ½ 1 0 0 0 ½ ½ * 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 10½
=10 Keres 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 * 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ 1 9½
=10 Suetin 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 0 * ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 0 1 1 ½ 9½
=12 Aronin ½ 0 ½ 1 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 9
=12 Byvshev ½ 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 ½ * 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 9
=14 Ilivitsky 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 * 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 8½
=14 Simagin ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 8½
16 Konstantinopolsky 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 0 1 0 0 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 7½
17 Lipnitsky ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 * 1 ½ 0 7
18 Kan 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 * 1 1 6½
19 Kasparian ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 * ½ 5½
20 Goldenov 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ * 5
The USSR Championship Playoff (1953) determined the winner: 1 2 3 4 5 6
1 Botvinnik 1 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 3½
2 Taimanov 0 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 2½
Original collection: Game Collection: USSR Championship 1952, by User: suenteus po 147.
|
|
| page 2 of 8; games 26-50 of 190 |
     |
 |
| Game |
| Result | Moves |
Year | Event/Locale | Opening |
| 26. Taimanov vs Suetin |
 | 0-1 | 72 | 1952 | USSR Championship | D85 Grunfeld |
| 27. Aronin vs V Byvshev |
| ½-½ | 32 | 1952 | USSR Championship | B91 Sicilian, Najdorf, Zagreb (Fianchetto) Variation |
| 28. B Goldenov vs A Konstantinopolsky |
| ½-½ | 23 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E15 Queen's Indian |
| 29. I Lipnitsky vs I Kan |
| 1-0 | 42 | 1952 | USSR Championship | B43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3 |
| 30. Smyslov vs G Kasparian |
| ½-½ | 40 | 1952 | USSR Championship | D15 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav |
| 31. Botvinnik vs Taimanov |
 | 0-1 | 50 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E40 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 |
| 32. O Moiseev vs Bronstein |
| 0-1 | 41 | 1952 | USSR Championship | A53 Old Indian |
| 33. Geller vs Keres |
| 1-0 | 40 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E52 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with ...b6 |
| 34. G Kasparian vs Korchnoi |
| 0-1 | 44 | 1952 | USSR Championship | C49 Four Knights |
| 35. V Byvshev vs Simagin |
| 0-1 | 69 | 1952 | USSR Championship | B39 Sicilian, Accelerated Fianchetto, Breyer Variation |
| 36. Suetin vs Aronin |
| ½-½ | 19 | 1952 | USSR Championship | B29 Sicilian, Nimzovich-Rubinstein |
| 37. B Goldenov vs Tolush |
| 0-1 | 38 | 1952 | USSR Championship | A70 Benoni, Classical with 7.Nf3 |
| 38. G Ilivitsky vs I Lipnitsky |
| ½-½ | 36 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E48 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 d5 |
| 39. I Kan vs Smyslov |
| ½-½ | 37 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E17 Queen's Indian |
| 40. A Konstantinopolsky vs Boleslavsky |
| ½-½ | 25 | 1952 | USSR Championship | A54 Old Indian, Ukrainian Variation, 4.Nf3 |
| 41. Aronin vs Botvinnik |
| ½-½ | 15 | 1952 | USSR Championship | C48 Four Knights |
| 42. Bronstein vs V Byvshev |
| 1-0 | 42 | 1952 | USSR Championship | A30 English, Symmetrical |
| 43. I Lipnitsky vs Geller |
| ½-½ | 22 | 1952 | USSR Championship | C13 French |
| 44. Keres vs O Moiseev |
| ½-½ | 41 | 1952 | USSR Championship | D61 Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox, Rubinstein Attack |
| 45. Korchnoi vs I Kan |
| 1-0 | 38 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E07 Catalan, Closed |
| 46. Simagin vs Suetin |
| ½-½ | 38 | 1952 | USSR Championship | D55 Queen's Gambit Declined |
| 47. Smyslov vs G Ilivitsky |
| 1-0 | 31 | 1952 | USSR Championship | B25 Sicilian, Closed |
| 48. Taimanov vs B Goldenov |
| 1-0 | 42 | 1952 | USSR Championship | D54 Queen's Gambit Declined, Anti-Neo-Orthodox Variation |
| 49. Boleslavsky vs G Kasparian |
| 1-0 | 39 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E47 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 |
| 50. Tolush vs A Konstantinopolsky |
| 1-0 | 42 | 1952 | USSR Championship | D63 Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense |
|
| page 2 of 8; games 26-50 of 190 |
|
|
|
| May-26-13 | | ughaibu: The outstanding result in this tournament was Byshev's. His eight wins was only bettered by Botvinnik with nine and Taimanov with eleven. And one of his only two(!) draws was with the winner Botvinnik. On the other hand, he lost more than anyone but the two tailenders. Here are three amusing unkibitzed games; a win, a draw and a loss: Byvshev vs Boleslavsky, 1952 Aronin vs Byvshev, 1952 Tolush vs Byvshev, 1952 |
|
| Jul-30-14 | | RookFile: When you look up and see guys like Keres and Smyslov in the middle of the pack, it makes you realize how ridiculously strong these Soviet championships were. |
|
| Jul-30-14 | | kia0708: yes, the Soviet Union was a power house in chess
probably no other country will ever match their dominance |
|
| Jan-23-15 | | Fanques Fair: What a result for Taimanov ! He managed to have not less than 4 (!!!) points more than third place ! Botvinik went marveously well also, winning with an astonishing result ... But Taimanov inflicted one of his only 2 losses. |
|
Jan-23-15
 | | perfidious: Both, actually: the only defeat of Botvinnik in the regular event and a win in the playoff. |
|
Mar-12-15
 | | keypusher: <Fanques Fair: What a result for Taimanov ! He managed to have not less than 4 (!!!) points more than third place !> The six extra playoff games helped. As you can see from the crosstable, in the tournament Botvinnik and Taimanov actually finished a more modest (but still impressive!) 1 1/2 points ahead of third place Geller. |
|
| Sep-28-19 | | me to play: < A playoff match was held to determine an outright winner, so a concert hall was scheduled for the six game encounter, held from January 25th to February 5th, 1953. Botvinnik beat Taimanov +2 -1 =3 to win his sixth and last Soviet Championship.> Wow, a 6 game play-off match just to break the tie for this 1952 USSR championship! Now, we only get 12 for the World Championship. Oh well. |
|
| Oct-11-19 | | Ryan Razo: Could easily be otherwise a super tournament in itself |
|
| Oct-11-19 | | hemy: The book of Michail Judovich "20 первенство СССР по шахматам" (The 20th USSR Chess Championship): https://www.dropbox.com/s/vfcjgdxuq... |
|
|
|
|
NOTE: Create an account today
to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users.
Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username,
then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.
|
Please observe our posting guidelines:
- No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
- No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
- No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
- Nothing in violation of United States law.
- No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
- No trolling.
- The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
- Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.
Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.
NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic.
This forum is for this specific tournament only. To discuss chess or this site in general,
visit the Kibitzer's Café.
|
Messages posted by Chessgames members
do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration. |
Spot an error? Please suggest your correction and help us eliminate database mistakes!
Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC
|
Kibitzing
