| USSR Championship (1952) |
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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.
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| page 1 of 3; games 1-25 of 69 |
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| Game |
| Result | Moves |
Year | Event/Locale | Opening |
| 1. Botvinnik vs A Konstantinopolsky |
  | 1-0 | 73 | 1952 | USSR Championship | B01 Scandinavian |
| 2. Tolush vs V Byvshev |
| 1-0 | 36 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E28 Nimzo-Indian, Samisch Variation |
| 3. Botvinnik vs B Goldenov |
| 1-0 | 35 | 1952 | USSR Championship | A13 English |
| 4. A Konstantinopolsky vs Korchnoi |
| 1-0 | 29 | 1952 | USSR Championship | D03 Torre Attack (Tartakower Variation) |
| 5. Boleslavsky vs Smyslov |
| 1-0 | 42 | 1952 | USSR Championship | D18 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Dutch |
| 6. Geller vs Simagin |
| 1-0 | 50 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E90 King's Indian |
| 7. I Lipnitsky vs I Kan |
| 1-0 | 42 | 1952 | USSR Championship | B43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3 |
| 8. Geller vs Keres |
| 1-0 | 40 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E52 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line with ...b6 |
| 9. Smyslov vs G Ilivitsky |
| 1-0 | 31 | 1952 | USSR Championship | B25 Sicilian, Closed |
| 10. Taimanov vs B Goldenov |
| 1-0 | 42 | 1952 | USSR Championship | D54 Queen's Gambit Declined, Anti-Neo-Orthodox Variation |
| 11. Korchnoi vs I Kan |
| 1-0 | 38 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E07 Catalan, Closed |
| 12. Boleslavsky vs G Kasparian |
| 1-0 | 39 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E47 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3 O-O 5.Bd3 |
| 13. Tolush vs A Konstantinopolsky |
| 1-0 | 42 | 1952 | USSR Championship | D63 Queen's Gambit Declined, Orthodox Defense |
| 14. Bronstein vs V Byvshev |
| 1-0 | 42 | 1952 | USSR Championship | A30 English, Symmetrical |
| 15. O Moiseev vs I Lipnitsky |
| 1-0 | 30 | 1952 | USSR Championship | D42 Queen's Gambit Declined, Semi-Tarrasch, 7.Bd3 |
| 16. V Byvshev vs Keres |
| 1-0 | 43 | 1952 | USSR Championship | C99 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 12...cd |
| 17. Keres vs Suetin |
| 1-0 | 29 | 1952 | USSR Championship | D50 Queen's Gambit Declined |
| 18. Simagin vs B Goldenov |
| 1-0 | 37 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E14 Queen's Indian |
| 19. Aronin vs Tolush |
| 1-0 | 55 | 1952 | USSR Championship | C99 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin, 12...cd |
| 20. Taimanov vs A Konstantinopolsky |
| 1-0 | 67 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E95 King's Indian, Orthodox, 7...Nbd7, 8.Re1 |
| 21. Geller vs Boleslavsky |
| 1-0 | 44 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E85 King's Indian, Samisch, Orthodox Variation |
| 22. Botvinnik vs Keres |
| 1-0 | 37 | 1952 | USSR Championship | D35 Queen's Gambit Declined |
| 23. Taimanov vs Aronin |
| 1-0 | 40 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E99 King's Indian, Orthodox, Taimanov |
| 24. G Ilivitsky vs G Kasparian |
| 1-0 | 66 | 1952 | USSR Championship | E91 King's Indian |
| 25. V Byvshev vs Smyslov |
| 1-0 | 66 | 1952 | USSR Championship | C97 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Chigorin |
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| page 1 of 3; games 1-25 of 69 |
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| 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 |
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| 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. |
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| Jul-30-14 | | kia0708: yes, the Soviet Union was a power house in chess
probably no other country will ever match their dominance |
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| 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. |
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Jan-23-15
 | | perfidious: Both, actually: the only defeat of Botvinnik in the regular event and a win in the playoff. |
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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. |
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| 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. |
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| Oct-11-19 | | Ryan Razo: Could easily be otherwise a super tournament in itself |
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| 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... |
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