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USSR Championship (1973) In the aftermath of Robert James Fischer 's victory over Boris Spassky in the 1972 World Championship, the Soviet Union had been humiliated and humbled by an American, and the 24-year rule of the Soviet chess machine over the international chess world had finally been put to an end. The consequences of this result were felt in Soviet chess for months after. Mark Taimanov, Tigran Petrosian, and Spassky were all reprimanded for their failure to stop Fischer. Consequences continued into the 41st USSR Championship, held in the Soviet capital of Moscow, from October 2-26, 1973. The tournament was organized to be the strongest in a decade. In addition to the four qualifying players who had each won a semi-final (Orest Averkin, Karen Grigorian, Nukhim Rashkovsky, and Evgeni Sveshnikov), the very strongest grandmasters of the Soviet Union received forced invitations to participate. The list was a collection of former world champions, multiple Soviet title winners, and the very strongest of the Soviet school, including: Spassky, Petrosian, Mikhail Tal, Vasily Smyslov, Anatoli Karpov, Viktor Korchnoi, Efim Geller, Paul Keres, Lev Polugaevsky, Taimanov, Leonid Stein, Vladimir Tukmakov, Vladimir Savon and Gennadi Kuzmin. Viktor Baturinsky, the vice-president of the USSR chess federation, and a Colonel of Justice, explained clearly to all the participants that their attendance was not only obligatory, but their very future as Soviet chess players (and the favors imparted therein) depended on their performance in the championship. Stein died before the championship took place and he was replaced by junior world champion Alexander Beliavsky. In addition to the composed line up, it was made known that draws of thirty moves or less were 'discouraged' by the organizers. Although short draws did occur, the schedule of play and the intense combat among the contestants was arduous. It was Spassky, after failing in Reykjavik, who emerged victorious by a full point. This edition did have the desired effect of revealing future world title candidates, as Karpov and Korchnoi tied for second and would face each other the following year for what ultimately was the de facto world championship. 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 Spassky * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 11½ =2 Karpov ½ * 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 10½ =2 Petrosian ½ 1 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 10½ =2 Polugaevsky ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 10½ =2 Korchnoi ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 10½ =2 Kuzmin ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 10½ =7 Geller ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 0 8½ =7 Grigorian ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 8½ =9 Keres ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 8 =9 Taimanov 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 8 =9 Savon 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 8 =9 Tal ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 8 =13 Tukmakov 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 7½ =13 Rashkovsky 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 7½ =15 Averkin 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ 0 1 7 =15 Smyslov 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 7 17 Sveshnikov 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ * 0 6½ 18 Beliavsky 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 1 * 4½ Original collection: Game Collection: USSR Championship 1973, by User: suenteus po 147.  page 4 of 7; games 76-100 of 153  Game   Result Moves Year Event/Locale Opening 76. Savon vs Korchnoi 0-1 43 1973 USSR Championship B09 Pirc, Austrian Attack 77. N Rashkovsky vs Petrosian   ½-½ 26 1973 USSR Championship E91 King's Indian 78. Smyslov vs Spassky 0-1 33 1973 USSR Championship B40 Sicilian 79. Taimanov vs Tal 1-0 41 1973 USSR Championship A31 English, Symmetrical, Benoni Formation 80. Tukmakov vs K Grigorian   0-1 41 1973 USSR Championship B04 Alekhine's Defense, Modern 81. Sveshnikov vs A Beliavsky   0-1 35 1973 USSR Championship B36 Sicilian, Accelerated Fianchetto 82. Geller vs Keres 1-0 29 1973 USSR Championship C87 Ruy Lopez 83. O Averkin vs Karpov   ½-½ 29 1973 USSR Championship A15 English 84. Korchnoi vs Taimanov   ½-½ 26 1973 USSR Championship A16 English 85. Tukmakov vs Polugaevsky   ½-½ 41 1973 USSR Championship B96 Sicilian, Najdorf 86. Spassky vs Savon 0-1 62 1973 USSR Championship B39 Sicilian, Accelerated Fianchetto, Breyer Variation 87. Tal vs Sveshnikov ½-½ 34 1973 USSR Championship B40 Sicilian 88. G Kuzmin vs N Rashkovsky ½-½ 45 1973 USSR Championship B93 Sicilian, Najdorf, 6.f4 89. K Grigorian vs A Beliavsky   ½-½ 45 1973 USSR Championship E17 Queen's Indian 90. Petrosian vs Smyslov   ½-½ 31 1973 USSR Championship E41 Nimzo-Indian 91. Karpov vs Geller   ½-½ 30 1973 USSR Championship C84 Ruy Lopez, Closed 92. Keres vs Tukmakov   ½-½ 41 1973 USSR Championship B40 Sicilian 93. Sveshnikov vs Korchnoi 0-1 55 1973 USSR Championship C45 Scotch Game 94. Savon vs Petrosian   ½-½ 25 1973 USSR Championship C07 French, Tarrasch 95. Polugaevsky vs K Grigorian   1-0 48 1973 USSR Championship A04 Reti Opening 96. Smyslov vs G Kuzmin   0-1 76 1973 USSR Championship A28 English 97. Taimanov vs Spassky 0-1 42 1973 USSR Championship E97 King's Indian 98. A Beliavsky vs Tal 0-1 43 1973 USSR Championship B90 Sicilian, Najdorf 99. N Rashkovsky vs O Averkin   ½-½ 30 1973 USSR Championship E15 Queen's Indian 100. Geller vs N Rashkovsky   ½-½ 25 1973 USSR Championship B06 Robatsch  page 4 of 7; games 76-100 of 153    REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)   < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 4 OF 4 ·  Later Kibitzing> Mar-10-18    perfidious: Tal narrowly avoided relegation, but went on to share first the following year, if in a clearly weaker version than this, with the aforementioned Belyavsky. Mar-10-18    Retireborn: <perfidious> Tal had a rather strange year in 1973. First places at Wijk, Tallinn, Sochi, Dubna, and Hastings, but sad disappointments at the Leningrad izt and this Soviet ch. As you say, he did have a couple of further successes in both arenas ahead of him though. Mar-11-18    perfidious: <Retireborn>, 1973 saw the end of one long undefeated string at Leningrad and the birth of another during this event, which would run until Tal vs N Kirov, 1974, played the following October. Mar-11-18    Retireborn: <perfidious> It's very impressive, isn't it? But the mature Tal was always difficult to beat, even in his declining years. Ulf Andersson vs Tal, 1989 Mar-13-18    Retireborn: In his file van Reek thinks it was Levon Grigorian, not Karen, who played in this tournament. Every source I have, including Russbase, contradicts him, and certainly the openings played seem Karenish to me. Still can't help worrying that Spassky may have told him something the rest of the world doesn't know! Mar-16-19    Helios727: Was this the tournament that qualified Karpov for the 1973 Interzonal? As for Fischer, he could not have won this tournament ever, because the Soviet players would have been ordered to throw games to the favorite pick of the Soviet authorities. Mar-16-19    Retireborn: <Helios> This tournament, not a zonal, was played *after* the 1973 interzonals! I can't recall Karpov ever having played in a zonal tournament. I believe he qualified for the interzonal by virtue of winning the 1969 World junior championship; the 1971 winner Hug played in the Petropolis interzonal. Mar-16-19    Sally Simpson: *** That is correct, Karpov qualified because he won the 1969 Junior and played in the Leningrad Interzonal (1973) The Russian zonal qualifier for this event was USSR Championship (1972) which was also the qualifier for the other interzonal Petropolis Interzonal (1973) Korchnoi, Geller and Taimanov got into the Interzonals because they were in the previous candidates, A commission of Botvinnik, Najdorf, Kashdan and Trufuncvic also selected Polugaevsky, Smyslov, Keres and Stein to play in the Interzonals. Stein passed away and was replaced by Bronstein. https://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/zo... *** Mar-17-19    Helios727: So why did not the 1969 World Junior Championship place Karpov in the 1970 interzonal? Was there a rule that there had to be at least a two year wait? Mar-17-19    Retireborn: <Helios> World junior champions didn't get interzonal places in 1970; it was one of the changes made for 1973. It didn't last though. Certainly the next set of World junior winners (Beliavsky, Miles, and Chekhov) did not get to play in the 1976 interzonals. Dec-01-19    Diademas: Is this the only tournament in history featuring five World Champions? Future, past and present. Dec-01-19    Retireborn: <Diademas> There is Linares 1994, if you're willing to count Topalov as a real World champ. Dec-01-19    Diademas: <Retireborn: <Diademas> There is Linares 1994, if you're willing to count Topalov as a real World champ.> Not sure that I would :) But thanks anyway. I guess that could count. Dec-01-19    MissScarlett: <Is this the only tournament in history featuring five World Champions? Future, past and present.> Hard to foretell. Dec-01-19    Diademas: <MissScarlett: <Is this the only tournament in history featuring five World Champions? Future, past and present.> Hard to foretell.> Granted! My poor English may have disguised my point. I'm sure a clever guy like yourself can figure it out anyway. Dec-01-19    Olavi: <Diademas:> The well known ones are Nottingham 1936 and Moscow Alekhine memorial 1971. I'm sure that's it. Dec-01-19    Diademas: Thank you <Olavi>. I forgot about Nottingham (1936) . Quite a field! Dec-01-19    Diademas: Not a bad lineup in Moscow (1971) either. Dec-01-19    moronovich: Yes,an extremely impressive lineup. Dec-01-19    perfidious: <moronovich>, for which we can thank Fischer's decisive win of the world championship the year before: the Soviet chess bureaucracy were in a furore over losing the title. Dec-01-19    moronovich: That is right-good point <perfidious> ! I remember. Dec-01-19    Diademas: <perfidious: <moronovich>, for which we can thank Fischer's decisive win of the world championship the year before: the Soviet chess bureaucracy were in a furore over losing the title.> If they only had forced Botvinnik out of retirement they could have made it six WCs. I mean; what's the point of an oppressive dictatorship if you're not going to use it? ;) Dec-01-19    moronovich: <I mean; what's the point of an oppressive dictatorship if you're not going to use it? ;)> Ha-ha,but oth:If the threat is bigger than its execution !? Mar-07-22    perfidious: <moronovich: <I mean; what's the point of an oppressive dictatorship if you're not going to use it? ;)> Ha-ha,but oth:If the threat is bigger than its execution !?> Ah, so you understand, as we old players do.... Apr-02-25    beatgiant: <Diademas><Is this the only tournament in history featuring five World Champions?> No. See Nottingham (1936) Jump to page #    (enter # from 1 to 4) search thread:    < Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 4 OF 4 ·  Later Kibitzing> 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! 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