USSR Championship (1931) |
The 7th USSR Chess Championship was held in the Soviet capital of Moscow from October 24th to November 14th, 1931. Eighteen of the Soviet Union's strongst masters qualified for the round robin event through eight championship semi-finals held earlier in the year. The qualifiers for 7th championship were: Vsevolod Rauzer and Mikhail Yudovich Sr. qualified from group 1; Viktor Goglidze, Ilia Kan, and Abram Zamikhovsky qualified from group 2; Alexander Ilyin-Zhenevsky and Isaak Mazel qualified from group 3; Genrikh Kasparian and Mikhail Botvinnik qualified from group 4; Nikolay Sorokin, Vladimir Alatortsev, and Fedor Bohatirchuk qualified from group 5; Alexander Budo and Nikolay Riumin qualified from group 6; Vladimir Kirillov qualified from group 7; and Veniamin Sozin, Georgy Lisitsin, and Boris Verlinsky from group 8. Young Botvinnik finished clear first with +10 to win by two full points, but his road was far from easy, as he began with a loss to Ilyin-Zhenevsky, with a defeat at the hands of Sozin leaving him well off the torrid pace set by Riumin. A run of 6.5/7 brought Botvinnik to within a half point of first to set the scene for the clash of the leaders, in which Botvinnik prevailed. Another victory in the next round would clinch the first of what would be six Soviet chess crowns for the future world champion, as Riumin lost once more. The final standings and crosstable:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pts
1 Botvinnik * 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 ½ 13½
2 Riumin 0 * 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 11½
=3 Verlinsky 0 0 * ½ 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 10
=3 Alatortsev 0 ½ ½ * 1 0 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 0 1 10
=3 Yudovich Sr. 0 ½ 0 0 * 1 1 0 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 10
=3 Bohatirchuk ½ 0 0 1 0 * ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 10
7 Kan 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ * ½ 0 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 9½
=8 Rauzer 0 1 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 9
=8 Mazel 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 1 1 * ½ 1 1 0 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 9
=10 Lisitsin ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ * 0 ½ 0 0 1 1 0 ½ 8½
=10 Kirillov 0 1 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 1 * 1 ½ 1 0 ½ 1 1 8½
=10 Ilyin Zhenevsky 1 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 0 ½ 0 * 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 8½
13 Sorokin 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 ½ 0 * 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 7
14 Zamikhovsky 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 0 0 0 * ½ 1 1 1 6½
15 Goglidze 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ * 0 1 1 6
16 Sozin 1 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 1 0 1 * ½ 0 5½
=17 Kasparian 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 1 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ * ½ 5
=17 Budo ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 0 1 ½ * 5 This collection would not have been possible without the efforts of <Phony Benoni>.Original collection: Game Collection: USSR Championship 1931, by User: suenteus po 147.
|
|
page 4 of 7; games 76-100 of 153 |
     |
 |
 |
page 4 of 7; games 76-100 of 153 |
     |
|

|
May-05-13 | | wordfunph: "I got drunk one on vodka when I first became Soviet champion, in 1931. I didn't feel very well afterwards and didn't do it again. I smoked for two months but gave it up because I realised it was harmful." - Mikhail Botvinnik
Source: Curse of Kirsan - Adventures in the Chess Underworld by Sarah Hurst the book was a birthday gift from my good-humored friend <nanobrain>. |
|
|
|
|
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
|