chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing

🏆
TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
USSR Championship Tournament

Anatoly Karpov12/17(+8 -1 =8)[games]
Yuri Balashov11/17(+6 -1 =10)[games]
Tigran Petrosian10.5/17(+6 -2 =9)[games]
Lev Polugaevsky10.5/17(+6 -2 =9)[games]
Iossif Dorfman9.5/17(+6 -4 =7)[games]
Mikhail Tal9/17(+3 -2 =12)[games]
Vasily Smyslov9/17(+4 -3 =10)[games]
Efim Geller8.5/17(+4 -4 =9)[games]
Evgeny Sveshnikov8.5/17(+4 -4 =9)[games]
Oleg Romanishin8.5/17(+7 -7 =3)[games]
Boris Gulko8/17(+5 -6 =6)[games]
Rafael Vaganian7.5/17(+3 -5 =9)[games]
Karen Grigorian7.5/17(+4 -6 =7)[games]
Mark Taimanov7/17(+3 -6 =8)[games]
Nukhim Rashkovsky7/17(+2 -5 =10)[games]
Alexander I Zakharov6.5/17(+3 -7 =7)[games]
Vitaly Tseshkovsky6.5/17(+3 -7 =7)[games]
Viktor Kupreichik6/17(+5 -10 =2)[games]
*

Chessgames.com Chess Event Description
USSR Championship (1976)

The 44th Soviet Chess Championship was a Category XII event played in the capital of Moscow from November 27th to December 23th in 1976. Eighteen of the USSR's best grandmasters and masters participated in the tournament, including (in order of Elo): Anatoli Karpov (2695), Tigran Petrosian (2635), Lev Polugaevsky (2635), Efim Geller (2620), Mikhail Tal (2615), Vassily Smyslov (2580), Oleg Romanishin (2560), Vitaly Tseshkovsky (2550), Rafael Vaganian (2550), Yuri Balashov (2545), Mark Taimanov (2540), Boris Gulko (2530), Evgeni Sveshnikov (2510), Viktor Kupreichik (2490), Karen Grigorian (2485), Nukhim Rashkovsky (2485), Alexander Zakharov (2435), and Josif Dorfman (2405). The world champion Karpov dominated the event, earning wins against almost half the field, and won with 12/17.

Moscow, Soviet Union (Russia), 27 November - 23 December 1976

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pts 1 Karpov * 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 12 2 Balashov 0 * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 11 =3 Petrosian ½ ½ * ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 10½ =3 Polugaevsky ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 10½ 5 Dorfman 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 0 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 0 1 9½ =6 Tal ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 9 =6 Smyslov ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 9 =8 Geller 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ * 0 0 ½ 1 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 8½ =8 Sveshnikov ½ 0 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 * 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 8½ =8 Romanishin ½ 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 * 0 ½ 1 0 ½ 1 0 1 8½ 11 Gulko 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 * ½ 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 8 =12 Vaganian 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ 7½ =12 Grigorian 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 0 1 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 7½ =14 Taimanov ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 0 ½ * 0 1 ½ 0 7 =14 Rashkovsky ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 * 0 ½ ½ 7 =16 Zakharov 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 0 1 * 0 1 6½ =16 Tseshkovsky 0 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 * 0 6½ 18 Kupreichik 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 1 * 6

Original collection: Game Collection: USSR Championship 1976, by User: suenteus po 147.

 page 1 of 7; games 1-25 of 153  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. Balashov vs A I Zakharov  ½-½401976USSR ChampionshipD30 Queen's Gambit Declined
2. Geller vs Sveshnikov 0-1271976USSR ChampionshipD39 Queen's Gambit Declined, Ragozin, Vienna Variation
3. Taimanov vs Gulko 0-1651976USSR ChampionshipA48 King's Indian
4. N Rashkovsky vs Karpov ½-½211976USSR ChampionshipE17 Queen's Indian
5. Kupreichik vs Smyslov 1-0921976USSR ChampionshipC60 Ruy Lopez
6. Petrosian vs Tal 0-1281976USSR ChampionshipA15 English
7. Tseshkovsky vs Polugaevsky  ½-½211976USSR ChampionshipB30 Sicilian
8. Romanishin vs Dorfman 0-1321976USSR ChampionshipB88 Sicilian, Fischer-Sozin Attack
9. K Grigorian vs Vaganian ½-½201976USSR ChampionshipD80 Grunfeld
10. Sveshnikov vs Balashov 0-1351976USSR ChampionshipC02 French, Advance
11. Gulko vs Geller  ½-½171976USSR ChampionshipD00 Queen's Pawn Game
12. Karpov vs Taimanov  ½-½271976USSR ChampionshipB44 Sicilian
13. Tal vs Kupreichik 1-0431976USSR ChampionshipB51 Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Rossolimo) Attack
14. A I Zakharov vs Petrosian  ½-½211976USSR ChampionshipC07 French, Tarrasch
15. Polugaevsky vs N Rashkovsky  ½-½241976USSR ChampionshipA28 English
16. Smyslov vs Romanishin 1-0381976USSR ChampionshipA07 King's Indian Attack
17. Vaganian vs Dorfman 0-1341976USSR ChampionshipA04 Reti Opening
18. K Grigorian vs Tseshkovsky  ½-½251976USSR ChampionshipA57 Benko Gambit
19. Balashov vs Gulko  1-0361976USSR ChampionshipD86 Grunfeld, Exchange
20. Geller vs Karpov 1-0421976USSR ChampionshipC16 French, Winawer
21. Kupreichik vs A I Zakharov 0-1291976USSR ChampionshipC45 Scotch Game
22. Petrosian vs Sveshnikov 1-0281976USSR ChampionshipD14 Queen's Gambit Declined Slav, Exchange Variation
23. Taimanov vs Polugaevsky 0-1421976USSR ChampionshipA04 Reti Opening
24. Romanishin vs Tal 1-0301976USSR ChampionshipA35 English, Symmetrical
25. Dorfman vs Smyslov  ½-½171976USSR ChampionshipA29 English, Four Knights, Kingside Fianchetto
 page 1 of 7; games 1-25 of 153  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
Jun-17-18  ughaibu: Half of Karpov's wins were with black, I thought that wasn't meant to happen.
Aug-29-18  Joseph Blackcape: Karpov was really determined to win this one. A Soviet World Champion would not be taken seriously in Soviet Russia unless he would also win the Soviet Championship (which Karpov has never managed before), much less a WC that has not won the title in a match.
Mar-22-19  morphynoman2: USSR Chess Championship, 1976:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eja...
May-11-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  Open Defence: Karpov managing to do a +8 -1 against this field and Balashov managing +6 -1 to finish ahead of Petrosian and Polugaevsky… but any idea what happened to Spassky ? Why didn't he play in this edition ?
May-11-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: <Open Defence> <Karpov managing to do a +8 -1 against this field and Balashov managing +6 -1 to finish ahead of Petrosian and Polugaevsky… but any idea what happened to Spassky ? Why didn't he play in this edition ?>

Might have been a bit awkward. :-)

<In 1976, Spassky emigrated to France with his third wife; he became a French citizen in 1978, and has competed for France in the Chess Olympiads.>

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris...

May-12-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  Open Defence: <keypusher> thanks! for some reason I thought he migrated in the 1980s! now its clear!
May-12-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  keypusher: <Open Defence: <keypusher> thanks! for some reason I thought he migrated in the 1980s! now its clear!>

And that's understandable on your part, because Spassky didn't totally sever ties with the USSR until after he thought they mistreated him for finishing ahead of Karpov at some event in the early 80s...was it this one? Linares (1983)

For example, Spassky played the '77-'78 match against Korchnoi under the Soviet flag. Korchnoi called him a <one-legged defector>.

May-12-20  Damenlaeuferbauer: This was Tolya Karpov's first and deserved win of altogether three Soviet championships (1976, 1983, and 1988), but the undisputed best game of this tournament played Efim Geller in the third round against the champion.
May-12-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  Sally Simpson: Not only the best game of the tournament, the Geller v Karpov game was voted best game in the Informator Vol 22.

Geller vs Karpov, 1976

May-12-20
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: Out of curiosity, I checked to see how often Karpov tried the French and was surprised to see the frequency with which it appeared, with the loss to Geller being the first time he responded with 1....e6 to 1.e4 in his mature praxis (a 1973 draw with Hecht transposing via 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 e6 etc):

https://www.chessgames.com/perl/che...

Oct-23-20  Chessdreamer: Wrong game here?

Tseshkovsky vs Geller, 1976, I think it should be: Tseshkovsky vs Geller, 1976.

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:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. 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.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


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