- Understanding the Queen's Indian Defense
Soltis, Andy, Edmar Mednis, Raymond Keene, and John Grefe. "Understanding the Queen's Indian Defense." Great Neck, New York: R.H.M. Press, 1981.
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23 games, 1914-1979 - US Championship 1957/58
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The 10th United States Chess Championship tournament was held in New York City at the end of the year 1957. Fourteen of the US's best masters and grandmasters were invited to compete. Among the participants was a veritable who's who of former American champions, including Samuel Reshevsky, Arthur Bisguier, and Arnold Denker. Filling out the rest of the field was a number of players from the prestiguous Rosenwald Memorial held the previous year, including a fourteen year old prodigy named Bobby Fischer. Fischer was already gaining recognition from several brilliant wins as the next generation of American chess grandmastery. However, the next generation had already arrived as Fischer dominated this, his inaugural championship, scoring wins against over half the field and finishing with 10½/13, a full point over 7-time former American champion Reshevsky. He became the youngest person ever to win the US crown, and the following year would become the youngest person to become a grandmaster. It was the beginning of a career that would culminate in Fischer becoming world champion and earning a place as one of the greatest chess players in history. The final standings and crosstable:
1st Fischer 10½/13 * ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 2nd Reshevsky 9½/13 ½ * 0 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 3rd Sherwin 9/13 0 1 * ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 4th Lombardy 7½/13 0 1 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 0 1 1 1 5th Berliner 7/13 ½ 0 ½ ½ * 0 0 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 =6th Feuerstein 6½/13 0 0 1 ½ 1 * 1 ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ =6th Denker 6½/13 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 0 * 1 ½ 0 1 1 0 1 =6th Mednis 6½/13 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 * 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 9th Seidman 6/13 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 * 0 1 1 0 0 =10th Bernstein 5/13 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 * 0 ½ 1 0 =10th Bisguier 5/13 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 ½ 0 1 * 0 ½ 1 =12th Turner 4½/13 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ 1 * 1 ½ =12th Di Camillo 4½/13 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 ½ 0 * 1 14th Kramer 3/13 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 1 1 0 ½ 0 *
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91 games, 1957-1958 - US Championship 1958/59
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The 11th United States Chess Championship tournament was held in New York City at the end of the year 1958. Twelve of the US's best masters and grandmasters were invited to compete. Among the participants was a veritable who's who of former American champions, including Bobby Fischer, Samuel Reshevsky, Arthur Bisguier, and Larry Evans. It was Fischer's second consecutive US championship and his second consecutive American crown as he once again dominated, this time going undefeated with a final score of 8½/11. The final standings and crosstable:
1st Fischer 8½/11 * 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 2nd Reshevsky 7½/11 0 * 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 3rd Sherwin 6½/11 0 0 * 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ =4th Byrne, D 6/11 ½ ½ 0 * 1 0 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ =4th Lombardy 6/11 ½ 0 ½ 0 * ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 =4th Bisguier 6/11 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ * 0 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ =4th Evans 6/11 ½ 0 0 0 0 1 * 1 1 ½ 1 1
8th Benko 5½/11 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 * 1 ½ 1 1
=9th Byrne, R 4/11 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 * ½ 1 ½ =9th Kalme 4/11 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ =11th Mednis 3/11 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ * ½ =11th Weinstein 3/11 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ *
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66 games, 1958-1959 - US Championship 1959/60
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The 12th United States Chess Championship tournament was held in New York City from December 18th, 1959 to January 1st, 1960. The field was composed of seven grandmasters, one international master, three masters, and the 1959 US Junior Champion Robin Ault. It was Fischer's third consecutive appearance at the US championship and also his third consecutive win at the event. He was only sixteen years old and still the youngest participant. The final of this event saw the rare occurrence of no ties among the finishers anywhere in the field. It was a steep learning curve for young Ault as he finished with a "perfect" score, while Fischer dominated in what would become familiar fashion to those in attendance. table[
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 Pts
01 Fischer X = = 1 1 = 1 = 1 1 1 1 9.0
02 Byrne = X = 1 = 1 = = 1 = 1 1 8.0
03 Reshevsky = = X = 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 7.5
04 Benko 0 0 = X = 1 1 1 = 1 = 1 7.0
05 Bisguier 0 = 0 = X = = 1 = 1 1 1 6.5
06 Weinstein = 0 0 0 = X 1 0 1 1 1 1 6.0
07 Seidman 0 = 1 0 = 0 X = 1 0 1 1 5.5
08 Sherwin = = 0 0 0 1 = X = = = 1 5.0
09 Mednis 0 0 0 = = 0 0 = X 1 1 1 4.5
10 Bernstein 0 = 0 0 0 0 1 = 0 X 1 1 4.0
11 Denker 0 0 1 = 0 0 0 = 0 0 X 1 3.0
12 Ault 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 0.0
]table
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66 games, 1959-1960 - US Championship 1960/61
[Under Construction; needs intro/crosstable; 10 gamescores seem to be missing/lost.]
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56 games, 1960-1961 - US Championship 1963/64
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The US Chess Championship played in New York City from December 15th, 1963 to January 2nd, 1964 was the sixth to be attended by American prodigy and world's youngest grandmaster, Bobby Fischer. In addition to Fischer, six other US grandmasters, including former American champions Samuel Reshevsky, Arthur Bisguier, and Larry Evans, three US international masters, and two untitled players competed in a round robin event for the US chess crown. Fischer had won all five of the previous championships he had previously participated in and expectations for performance this time were quite high. Never one to disappoint when it came to chess results, Fischer completely annihilated the competition by earning a perfect score of eleven wins out of eleven games played. Afterwards, second place Evans was congratulated for winning the tournament whereas Fischer was congratulated for winning "the exhibition." The final standings and crosstable:
1st Fischer 11/11 * 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1
2nd Evans 7½/11 0 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 1 1
3rd Benko 7/11 0 0 * ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½
=4th Reshevsky 6½/11 0 ½ ½ * 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ =4th Saidy 6½/11 0 ½ 0 0 * ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 1
6th Byrne, R 5½/11 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ * 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 7th Weinstein 5/11 0 1 0 1 0 1 * 0 0 0 1 1
8th Bisguier 4½/11 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 * 1 0 ½ 1
=9th Addison 3½/11 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 0 * ½ ½ 1
=9th Mednis 3½/11 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 ½ * ½ ½
11th Steinmeyer 3/11 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ 12th Byrne, D 2½/11 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ * *This collection could not have been possible without the efforts of <nescio>, to whom I remain eternally grateful.
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66 games, 1963-1964 - US Championship 1968/69
[Under Construction; needs dates, introduction, crosstable, etc.]
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66 games, 1968 - US Championship 1975
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The 24th United States Chess Championship, held from June 7th to the 26th, 1975 in Oberlin, Ohio, was also a World Chess Championship zonal event. The participants for the event included (in order of ELO): Robert Byrne (2600), Lubomir Kavalek (2555), Walter Shawn Browne (2550), Samuel Reshevsky (2530), William Lombardy (2520), Pal Benko (2515), James Tarjan (2480), John Grefe (2470), Edmar Mednis (2455), Arthur Bisguier (2445), Kenneth Rogoff (2445), Kim Commons (2415), John Peters (2335), and Milan Vukcevich (2200). Browne and Rogoff qualified for the 1976 Interzonals based on their respective first and second place here. Byrne and Kavalek would compete at the interzonals also. Bisguier set the record here as the only person to draw every one of his games at the US Championship. The final round saw a controversy between Reshevsky and Benko over a supposed "pre-agreed draw" between the two that went sour. You can read all about the story here: Benko vs Reshevsky, 1975 and also in the first source below. table[
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4
1. Browne x ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 8½- 4½
2. Rogoff ½ x ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 8 - 5
3. Vukcevich ½ ½ x ½ 1 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ 7½- 5½
4. Byrne, R. 0 ½ ½ x ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 7 - 6
5. Reshevsky ½ ½ 0 ½ x ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 7 - 6
6. Lombardy ½ 1 1 ½ ½ x ½ 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 6½- 6½
7. Bisguier ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ x ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 6½- 6½
8. Tarjan ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 ½ x 1 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 6½- 6½
9. Commons ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 x ½ 1 0 1 1 6½- 6½
10. Kavalek ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ x 0 ½ ½ ½ 5½- 7½
11. Peters ½ 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 0 1 x ½ 0 ½ 5½- 7½
12. Mednis 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ x ½ ½ 5½- 7½
13. Grefe 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ x 1 5½- 7½
14. Benko 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 x 5 - 8]table Sources:
1. http://graeme.50webs.com/chesschamp...
2. http://www.365chess.com/tournaments...
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91 games, 1975 - US Championship 1991
The 1991 United States Chess Championship held in Los Angeles, California from July 27th to August 9th was a knock out tournament. Two rounds of preliminary, quarterfinal, and semi-final games were played at standard time controls. All tied matches went to playoff rounds played with two games at G/30, with tied matches going to two games of G/15 until a decisive two game result was reached. All G/15 tiebreak matches have been excluded from this championship collection. Kamsky emerged as the new US Champion, losing only one game (the second final match game against Benjamin) out of all his matches.
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44 games, 1991 - USSR Championship 1931
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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 best 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 a dominating +10 at the final. It was the first of what would be six Soviet chess crowns for the future world champion. The final standings and crosstable:
1st Botvinnik 13½/17 * 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 ½ 2nd Riumin 11½/17 0 * 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 =3rd Verlinsky 10/17 0 0 * ½ 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 11 =3rd Alatortsev 10/17 0 ½ ½ * 1 0 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 0 1 =3rd Yudovich Sr. 10/17 0 ½ 0 0 * 1 1 0 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 =3rd Bohatirchuk 10/17 ½ 0 0 1 0 * ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 7th Kan 9½/17 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ * ½ 0 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ =8th Rauzer 9/17 0 1 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ =8th Mazel 9/17 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 1 1 * ½ 1 1 0 0 ½ 1 1 ½ =10th Lisitsin 8½/17 ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ * 0 ½ 0 0 1 1 0 ½ =10th Kirillov 8½/17 0 1 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 1 * 1 ½ 1 0 ½ 1 1 =10th Ilyin Zhenevsky 8½/17 1 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 0 ½ 0 * 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 13th Sorokin 7/17 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 ½ 0 * 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 14th Zamikhovsky 6½/17 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 0 0 0 * ½ 1 1 1 15th Goglidze 6/17 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ * 0 1 1 16th Sozin 5½/17 1 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 1 0 1 * ½ 0 =17th Kasparian 5/17 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 1 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ * ½ =17th Budo 5/17 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 0 1 ½ * *This collection would not have been possible without the efforts of <Phony Benoni>.
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153 games, 1931 - USSR Championship 1934/35
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The 9th Soviet Chess Championship was played in the city of Leningrad from December 7th, 1934 to January 2nd, 1935. Twenty of the Soviet Union's best chess masters competed in the round robin event, with only one noticeable absence: Mikhail Botvinnik. The winner of the previous two Soviet championships had accepted an invitation to the chess festival held at Hastings at the end of the year 1934, and therefore could not participate as his nation's returning champion. Thus, two of Botvinnik's main rivals at the time were able to succeed at the top of their game in their opponent's absence. They were Fedor Bohatirchuk and Grigory Levenfish, and succeed they did. In the first half of the tournament Bohatirchuk lead the field closely followed by Vladimir Alatortsev, but he fell behind in the second half, allowing Levenfish to finish first, which he shared with Ilya Rabinovich. Bohatirchuk had to settle for third place, tying with Nikolai Riumin half a point behind the winners. It was the first of two titles that Levenfish would win, while Rabinovich would never win another USSR crown. The final standings and crosstable:
=1st Rabinovich 12/19 * ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 0 1 ½ =1st Levenfish 12/19 ½ * ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 =3rd Bohatirchuk 11½/19 1 ½ * 1 ½ 0 0 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 1 =3rd Riumin 11½/19 1 ½ 0 * ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 =5th Chekhover 10½/19 ½ 1 ½ ½ * 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 ½ =5th Lisitsin 10½/19 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 * 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 0 1 ½ 0 0 ½ =5th Ragozin 10½/19 0 0 1 1 ½ 1 * ½ 1 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 =5th Alatortsev 10½/19 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ * ½ 0 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 =9th Yudovich Sr. 10/19 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ * 1 ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 =9th Belavenets 10/19 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 0 * ½ 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ =9th Makogonov 10/19 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * 0 1 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 ½ =9th Kan 10/19 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 1 * 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 0 1 =13th Veresov 9/19 0 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 * 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 =13th Panov 9/19 0 ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ 0 1 1 0 ½ 0 * 0 0 1 1 1 1 =15th Savitsky 8½/19 0 0 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 * 0 1 1 0 1 =15th Mazel 8½/19 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 * ½ 1 1 ½ 17th Rauzer 7½/19 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 0 ½ * 1 0 1 =18th Dubinin 7/19 1 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 * 1 0 =18th Ilyin-Zhenevsky 7/19 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 ½ 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 1 0 * ½ 20th Freymann 4½/19 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ * *This collection would not have been possible without the efforts of <Phony Benoni>.
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190 games, 1934-1935 - USSR Championship 1937
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The 10th Soviet Chess Championship Final was held in the city of Tbilisi from April 12th to May 14th in 1937. No discernible semi-final qualifications for this year. Why didn't Botvinnik play? Jan Van Reek says a match between Levenfish and Botvinnik was held in Leningrad/Moscow after this tournament, with Levenfish keeping the championship trophy, but Botvinnik won a ticket to AVRO. Needs further sources and clarification. table[
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 Pts.
01 Levenfish * ½ 0 1 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 12½
02 Konstantinopolsky ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 12
03 Ragozin 1 ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 0 1 ½ 1 1 12
04 Makogonov 0 ½ ½ * 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 11½
05 Belavenets 1 ½ ½ 0 * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 0 1 11
06 Goglidze 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 11
07 Lisitsin 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ * ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 11
08 Rauzer 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 0 1 1 ½ 10½
09 Yudovich, Sr. ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 10
10 Alatortsev 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 1 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 9½
11 Bondarevsky ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 1 0 0 * ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 9½
12 Rabinovich ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * 1 ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 9½
13 Kan 1 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 9
14 Lilienthal ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 1 0 ½ ½ 8½
15 Panov 0 0 1 1 ½ ½ 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 ½ * 1 ½ 0 0 1 8
16 Budo ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 * 0 1 ½ ½ 7½
17 Ilyin-Zhenevsky 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 * 1 ½ ½ 7½
18 Chekhover 0 ½ ½ 1 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 1 0 0 * ½ 1 7½
19 Kasparian 0 0 0 0 1 0 ½ 0 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ * ½ 7
20 Ebralidze ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ * 5]table
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190 games, 1937 - USSR Championship 1940
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The 12th Soviet Chess Championship was played in the capital city of Moscow from September 5th to October 3rd, 1940. Twenty of the Soviet Union's best chess masters competed in the round robin event, six of which qualified from the semi-final tournament in Kiev earlier in the year, including: Eduard Gerstenfeld, Mark Stolberg, Igor Bondarevsky, Iosif Rudakovsky, Alexander Konstantinopolsky, and Peter Dubinin. The remaining invitations went out to the elite of Soviet chess (both new and old), including Mikhail Botvinnik, Vasily Smyslov, Paul Keres, Isaac Boleslavsky, Alexander Kotov, Viacheslav Ragozin, and Andre Lilienthal. For a more complete story on the conditions and aftermath of this championship, see here: Game Collection: USSR Absolute Championship 1941 Lilienthal and Bondarevsky finished as shared first, each with 13½/19. For the both of them, considering the strength of the assembled field, it was the greatest performance of their chess careers. The final standings and crosstable:
=1st Lilienthal 13½/19 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =1st Bondarevsky 13½/19 0 * ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 3rd Smyslov 13/19 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 4th Keres 12/19 ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ 0 1 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 0 =5th Boleslavsky 11½/19 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 1 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 0 1 1 ½ =5th Botvinnik 11½/19 0 0 ½ ½ 1 * 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 =7th Makogonov 10½/19 0 ½ 1 1 0 1 * 0 1 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ =7th Dubinin 10½/19 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 * 0 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ =7th Veresov 10½/19 0 0 0 1 ½ 0 0 1 * 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 10th Petrov 9/19 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 * ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ =11th Ragozin 8½/19 ½ 1 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ * 1 ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ 1 1 =11th Lisitsin 8½/19 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 * 1 1 0 1 1 ½ 0 1 =13th Mikenas 8/19 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 * ½ 1 0 0 1 0 ½ =13th Konstantinopolsky 8/19 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 0 ½ * 1 0 ½ ½ 0 1 =13th Panov 8/19 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 0 0 * ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ =13th Stolberg 8/19 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 1 1 ½ * 1 ½ 1 ½ 17th Gerstenfeld 7/19 ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 0 * ½ 0 1 =18th Levenfish 6½/19 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ =18th Kotov 6½/19 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 * ½ 20th Rudakovsky 5½/19 0 0 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * *This collection would not have been possible without the efforts of <Phony Benoni>.
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189 games, 1940 - USSR Championship 1944
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The 13th Soviet Chess Championship was held in the capital of Moscow from May 21st to June 17th, 1944. Twelve of the Soviet Union's best chess masters qualified for the round robin event from three semi-final tournaments played earlier in the year. Andre Lilienthal, Vladimir Makogonov, Vladas Mikenas, and David Bronstein qualified from Baku. Alexander Kotov, Salomon Flohr, Gavriil Veresov, and Vladimir Alatortsev qualified from Moscow. And Alexey Sokolsky, Abram Khavin, Isaac Boleslavsky, and Alexander Tolush qualified from Omsk. The five remaining seats went as invitations to Mikhail Botvinnik, Vasily Smyslov, Viacheslav Ragozin, Georgy Lisitsin, and Grigory Ravinsky. It was the first USSR championship since the absolute championship in 1941. The second world war had effectively shut down professional chess competition, but with the end of the war looming on the horizon and Soviet belief in the triumph against the Axis betrayers, the return of professional chess in the Soviet Union was a move to rebuild the school and the mastery to a dominance greater than before the war. The interrim during the war had done nothing to dull the skills of Botvinnik who finished the event with eleven wins and twelve and a half points out of sixteen at the final. It was his second consecutive win, counting the absolute championship, and his fourth Soviet crown (out of a later six total). The war had interrupted Botvinnik's right to a world championship with Alekhine, so he was competing to regain his chance, and his performance in this and the following Soviet championship were attempts to prove himself the rightful challenger. The final standings and crosstable:
1st Botvinnik 12½/16 * 1 1 1 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 0 1 1 2nd Smyslov 10½/16 0 * 0 ½ 1 1 1 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 3rd Boleslavsky 10/16 0 1 * ½ ½ ½ 1 1 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 4th Flohr 9½/16 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 =5th Mikenas 9/16 0 0 ½ ½ * ½ 1 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 0 1 0 1 =5th Makogonov 9/16 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * 0 0 1 0 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 7th Tolush 8½/16 1 0 0 0 0 1 * ½ 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 =8th Lilienthal 7½/16 0 1 0 ½ 1 1 ½ * ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ =8th Sokolsky 7½/16 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 0 0 ½ * 0 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 0 =8th Veresov 7½/16 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 * 1 0 0 0 1 1 ½ =11th Ragozin 7/16 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 * 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 =11th Kotov 7/16 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 1 * 0 ½ 1 1 0 =11th Khavin 7/16 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 * 1 1 1 ½ =11th Lisitsin 7/16 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 0 * ½ 1 1 15th Bronstein 6½/16 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 ½ * 0 ½ 16th Alatortsev 5½/16 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 * 1 17th Ravinsky 4½/16 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 * *This collection would not have been possible without the efforts of <Phony Benoni>.
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136 games, 1944 - USSR Championship 1945
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The 14th Soviet Chess Championship was held in the capitol of Moscow from June 1st to July 1st, 1945. Nineteen of the Soviet Union's best grandmasters and masters qualified for or were invited to participate in the round robin event. Twelve players qualified from semi-final tournaments played earlier in the year: Alexander Konstantinopolsky, Alexander Kotov, Iosif Rudakovsky, and Vitaly Chekhover qualified from Baku; David Bronstein, Ilia Kan, Vladimir Alatortsev, and Peter Romanovsky qualified from Moscow; and Isaac Boleslavsky, Alexander Tolush, Grigory Goldberg, and Mark Taimanov qualified from Leningrad. Taimanov was unable to participate and he was not replaced. The eight remaining seats went to the following players: defending Soviet champion Mikhail Botvinnik, defending Soviet vice-champion Vasily Smyslov, Igor Bondarevsky, Salomon Flohr, Alexander Koblents, Andre Lilienthal, Viacheslav Ragozin, and Boris Ratner. Although the second World War was still under way, the Soviet championship had been resurrected the previous year and continued on in spite of the ongoing fighting. Flohr fell ill after the third round and was forced to withdraw from the tournament. His record of participation and the games played were expunged from the final score, but his three games are included here for completeness and historical accuracy. The championship was won by Botvinnik, his fifth of sixth eventual Soviet crowns, and his second consecutive title. It was also Botvinnik's greatest ever USSR championship performance: he obliterated the field, winning 13 of his 17 games, and finishing undefeated a full three points ahead of clear second Boleslavsky. It was a result that significantly bolstered Botvinnik's bid for a world championship match against Alekhine, and cemented his place as one of the best players in the world as well as the greatest Soviet grandmaster of his time. The final standings and crosstable:
1st Botvinnik 15/17 * 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 2nd Boleslavsky 12/17 0 * ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 3rd Bronstein 10/17 ½ ½ * 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 =4th Kotov 9½/17 ½ 0 1 * 1 ½ 0 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 =4th Bondarevsky 9½/17 0 0 1 0 * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ =4th Konstantinopolsky 9½/17 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 =7th Lilienthal 9/17 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 * 1 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 0 ½ =7th Ragozin 9/17 ½ 1 1 0 0 ½ 0 * 0 ½ 1 1 0 0 1 ½ 1 1 =7th Rudakovsky 9/17 0 0 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 * ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ 0 1 1 =10th Chekhover 8½/17 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ * 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 =10th Smyslov 8½/17 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 0 * ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 =12th Alatortsev 7½/17 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ * 1 0 0 1 ½ ½ =12th Tolush 7½/17 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 * 1 ½ 1 0 1 14th Koblencs 7/17 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 0 * 0 ½ ½ 0 15th Romanovsky 6½/17 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 1 ½ 1 * 1 1 ½ 16th Ratner 6/17 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 * 1 1 17th Kan 5/17 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 * 1 18th Goldberg 4/17 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 1 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 0 * *This collection would not have been possible without the efforts of <Phony Benoni>.
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156 games, 1945 - USSR Championship 1947
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The 15th Soviet Chess Championship took place in Leningrad from February 2nd to March 8th, 1947. Among those invited to participate were Mikhail Botvinnik, Isaac Boleslavsky, Vasily Smyslov, Salomon Flohr, and Viacheslav Ragozin. Paul Keres, who had returned to his native Estonia after World War II was also extended an invitation. This was after he had been punished for participating in Nazi tournaments during the war by being denied an invitation to Groningen in 1946. Participants for the championship also qualified from various semi-finals held in major Soviet cities. Alexander Tolush, David Bronstein, Grigory Levenfish, and Peter Dubinin qualified from the Leningrad semi-final. Igor Bondarevsky, Andre Lilienthal, Ilia Kan, Mikhail Yudovich Sr., and Vladimir Alatortsev qualified from Moscow. Genrikh Kasparian, Vladimir Makogonov, Anatoly Ufimtsev, Lev Aronin, and Konstantin Klaman qualified from Tiflis. Upon learning that the world championship would not be held in 1947, Botvinnik furiously withdrew from the championship, allowing Boris Goldenov to replace him. Games were reported in Shakhmaty v SSSR. For Keres, the championship would herald his return to the elite, both in his "rehabilition" to the Soviet School, and in his superior performance over the best Soviet grandmasters of the day (excepting Botvinnik). Keres scored an impressive 14/19 to take home the Soviet chess crown. The final standings and crosstable:
1st Keres 14/19 * ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 0 1 2nd Boleslavsky 13/19 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ =3rd Smyslov 12/19 0 ½ * ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ =3rd Bondarevsky 12/19 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 1 5th Tolush 11½/19 0 0 0 ½ * ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 6th Bronstein 11/19 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ 1 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 =7th Lilienthal 10½/19 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 * ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ =7th Flohr 10½/19 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 9th Ragozin 10/19 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 =10th Makogonov 9/19 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ =10th Levenfish 9/19 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 0 1 =10th Kasparian 9/19 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 * 1 0 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 =13th Yudovich 8/19 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 0 * ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 ½ =13th Kan 8/19 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ * 0 0 1 ½ ½ 0 =13th Ufimtsev 8/19 0 0 1 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 * 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 16th Alatortsev 7½/19 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 1 1 1 * 1 ½ ½ 0 =17th Aronin 7/19 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 ½ 0 * ½ 1 0 =17th Goldenov 7/19 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 1 =19th Klaman 6½/19 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 * ½ =19th Dubinin 6½/19 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 0 ½ *
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190 games, 1947 - USSR Championship 1948
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The 16th Chess Championship of the USSR was held in the capital of Moscow from November 10th to December 13th, 1948. Nineteen of the Soviet Union's top grandmasters were assembled to participate. Among them were the participants of the recent world championship interzonal competition that had been held in Saltsjobaden, Sweden, including the winner of the interzonal David Bronstein, as well as Alexander Kotov, Andor Lilienthal, Igor Bondarevsky, Salomon Flohr, Viacheslav Ragozin, and the previous year's champion, Paul Keres. Bronstein and Kotov shared first place, each with 12/18. The final standings and crosstable:
=1st Bronstein 12/18 * ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 =1st Kotov 12/18 ½ * ½ ½ 0 1 1 0 1 ½ 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 3rd Furman 11/18 0 ½ * 0 0 ½ 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 4th Flohr 10½/18 ½ ½ 1 * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 5th Tolush 10/18 0 1 1 ½ * ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ 0 1 0 ½ 1 0 1 ½ =6th Bondarevsky 9½/18 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 0 1 ½ =6th Keres 9½/18 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ * 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 1 ½ =6th Konstantinopolsky 9½/18 ½ 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 * ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ =6th Lisitsin 9½/18 ½ 0 1 0 1 ½ 0 ½ * 0 1 0 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ =10th Ilivitsky 9/18 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 1 * 0 1 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ =10th Lilienthal 9/18 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 * ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 12th Kholmov 8½/18 ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ * 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ =13th Averbakh 8/18 0 1 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 * ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1 =13th Levenfish 8/18 ½ 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 ½ 1 1 0 ½ * ½ 1 0 0 0 =13th Ragozin 8/18 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ =16th Alatortsev 7½/18 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 =16th Panov 7½/18 0 0 0 ½ 1 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * ½ ½ =18th Aronin 6/18 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ * 1 =18th Taimanov 6/18 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 *
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171 games, 1948 - USSR Championship 1949
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The 17th USSR chess championship took place in the Soviet capitol of Moscow from October 16th to November 20th, 1949. Twenty of the Soviet Union's best grandmasters and masters qualified or received invitations to participate in the round robin event. Twelve players qualified from semi-final tournaments held earlier in the year: Igor Bondarevsky, Mark Taimanov, and Grigory Levenfish qualified from Leningrad; Vladas Mikenas, Alexey Sokolsky, and Semyon Furman qualified from Vilnius; Lev Aronin, Grigory Goldberg, and Victor Liublinsky qualified from Moscow; and Efim Geller, Tigran Petrosian, and Ratmir Kholmov qualified from Tbilisi. Bondarevsky could not attend the final, so he was replaced by Leningrad fourth place Nikolai Kopilov. The eight remaining players were invited to fill out the field were: David Bronstein and Alexander Kotov as returning champions from the 16th championship; previous Soviet champions Andre Lilienthal and Paul Keres; and four previous final participants Isaac Boleslavsky, Salomon Flohr, Viacheslav Ragozin, and Vasily Smyslov. This tournament saw two of Mikhail Botvinnik's greatest rivals finish shared first with thirteen points won out of nineteen rounds. It was Bronstein's second consecutive Soviet crown, and his last. He would face Botvinnik two years later for the world crown, coming closer than anyone else to being world champion without succeeding. While this championship was Smyslov's first and last Soviet crown, he too would go on to face Botvinnik, but unlike his fellow shared first, he would defeat Botvinnik in their second of three encounters, earning the highest of all chess honors: the champion of the world. The final standings and crosstable:
=1st Smyslov 13/19 * 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 0 1 1 =1st Bronstein 13/19 0 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 =3rd Geller 12½/19 ½ ½ * ½ 1 1 1 0 ½ 0 1 0 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 =3rd Taimanov 12½/19 ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =5th Furman 11½/19 1 ½ 0 1 * 1 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 1 =5th Boleslavsky 11½/19 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 * ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ =5th Kotov 11½/19 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ * ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 8th Keres 11/19 ½ 0 1 0 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 0 ½ =9th Aronin 10/19 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ =9th Kholmov 10/19 0 0 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ 0 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 11th Flohr 9/19 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 ½ 12th Sokolsky 8½/19 ½ 0 1 0 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 ½ * ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ =13th Lilienthal 8/19 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ * ½ 1 0 1 ½ ½ ½ =13th Mikenas 8/19 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 0 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 0 1 ½ ½ 1 =13th Kopilov 8/19 ½ 0 0 0 1 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 0 1 * ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 16th Petrosian 7½/19 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ * 0 1 1 0 17th Ragozin 6½/19 0 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 1 * ½ ½ 1 =18th Levenfish 6/19 1 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * 1 0 =18th Liublinsky 6/19 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 1 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 * ½ =18th Goldberg 6/19 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 1 ½ * *This collection would not have been possible without the efforts of <Phony Benoni>.
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190 games, 1949 - USSR Championship 1950
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The 18th Soviet Chess Championship took place in the capital of Moscow from November 10th to December 12th, 1950. Fifteen of the Soviet Union's best masters and grandmasters qualified from five semi-final tournaments held earlier in the year. Lev Aronin, Victor Liublinsky, and Tigran Petrosian qualified from Gorky; Isaac Lipnitsky, Alexey Sokolsky, and Efim Geller qualified from Kiev; Vladimir Alatortsev, Alexander Tolush, and Igor Bondarevsky qualified from Leningrad; Salomon Flohr, Alexander Konstantinopolsky, and Vladas Mikenas qualified from Tartu; and Yuri Averbakh, Georgy Borisenko, and Alexey Suetin qualified from Tula. Vasily Smyslov was invited as returning Soviet champion, and since both Mikhail Botvinnik and David Bronstein were preparing for their upcoming world championship match in several months, their invitations went to 1947 USSR championship winner Paul Keres and world candidate semi-finalist Isaac Boleslavsky. The round robin event was dedicated as in memoriam to Mikhail Chigorin's 100th birthday. Whereas the field was exceptionally strong (minus Botvinnik and Bronstein) it was surprising that players like Smyslov, Boleslavsky, and Flohr were not as dominant as usual. Long time Soviet players Aronin, Lipnitsky, and Tolush surprised everyone by keeping pace with both Smyslov and Keres. Eventually, Keres and Tolush rose in the second half until they were even in the final round. While Tolush misplayed into the adjournment and had to accept the draw, Keres managed an excellent position and won his resumed game to finish half a point ahead of the three shared seconds, taking the Soviet crown with eleven and a half points out of seventeen for the final. It was the second of what would be three title for Keres, and some small comfort for being denied a rematch with Botvinnik for the world crown. The final standings and crosstable:
1st Keres 11½/17 * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 =2nd Lipnitsky 11/17 ½ * ½ 1 1 0 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 1 =2nd Tolush 11/17 ½ ½ * 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 =2nd Aronin 11/17 0 0 1 * 0 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 =5th Smyslov 10/17 ½ 0 ½ 1 * ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 =5th Konstantinopolsky 10/17 ½ 1 0 0 ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ =7th Alatortsev 9/17 1 1 0 ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 0 1 =7th Boleslavsky 9/17 0 ½ ½ 0 1 0 1 * 1 1 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ =7th Geller 9/17 0 0 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 * 0 ½ 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 =7th Flohr 9/17 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 * 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 11th Mikenas 8½/17 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 * 1 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 =12th Petrosian 8/17 1 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 * 1 0 0 1 ½ 1 =12th Bondarevsky 8/17 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 0 0 1 0 * 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 14th Averbakh 7/17 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 * 1 ½ 1 1 =15th Suetin 6½/17 ½ 1 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 0 1 0 0 * 1 1 0 =15th Borisenko 6½/17 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 * 1 ½ =17th Sokolsky 4/17 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 * ½ =17th Liublinsky 4/17 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * *This collection would not have been possible without the efforts of <Phony Benoni>.
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153 games, 1950 - USSR Championship 1951
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The 19th Soviet Chess Championship took place in the capital city of Moscow from November 11th to December 14th, 1951. Eighteen of the Soviet Union's best players, including the world champion, participated in the round robin event. Fourteen of the players qualified from the semi-final tournaments played earlier in the year. Nikolai Novotelnov, Isaac Lipnitsky, and Mark Taimanov qualified from Baku; Vasily Smyslov, Evgeny Terpugov, Oleg Moiseev, and Nikolai Kopilov qualified from Leningrad; Lev Aronin, Vladimir Simagin, and Salomon Flohr qualified from Lvov; and Tigran Petrosian, Efim Geller, Yuri Averbakh, and Isaac Boleslavsky qualified from Sverdlovsk. Unfortunately, Boleslavsky fell ill before the final and was therefore replaced by Igor Bondarevsky who had placed fifth in the Leningrad semi-final. Four invitations were also sent to Paul Keres as returning Soviet Champion, Mikhail Botvinnik as world champion, David Bronstein as world vice-champion, and Alexander Kotov. The assembled field was the strongest in the history of the USSR championship at that time, which makes it an especially impressive victory for Keres. It was his second consecutive Soviet crown and his third overall. He edged out shared seconds Petrosian and Geller by half a point, and finished two full points ahead of world champion Botvinnik who only managed to finish in fifth place. The final standings and crosstable:
1st Keres 12/17 * ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 =2nd Petrosian 11½/17 ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 =2nd Geller 11½/17 0 ½ * 0 1 ½ 0 1 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 4th Smyslov 11/17 0 0 1 * 1 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 1 5th Botvinnik 10/17 ½ ½ 0 0 * ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 =6th Averbakh 9½/17 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ * 0 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 1 1 =6th Bronstein 9½/17 ½ ½ 1 0 0 1 * 1 ½ 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =6th Taimanov 9½/17 0 0 0 0 ½ 1 0 * ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 =9th Flohr 9/17 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 =9th Aronin 9/17 0 1 0 ½ 0 0 1 ½ 1 * 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 11th Kopilov 8½/17 1 1 0 0 1 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 * 0 1 1 0 1 1 ½ =12th Kotov 8/17 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 * ½ ½ ½ 0 1 0 =12th Bondarevsky 8/17 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ * ½ 1 0 1 1 14th Simagin 7½/17 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * 1 ½ 1 1 =15th Moisieev 6½/17 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 * ½ 1 1 =15th Lipnitsky 6½/17 0 0 0 0 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 1 1 ½ ½ * ½ 1 17th Novotelnov 3/17 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ * ½ 18th Terpugov 2½/17 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 0 0 0 ½ *
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153 games, 1951
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Kibitzing
