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USSR Championship 1952 The 20th Soviet chess championship took place in Moscow from November 29th to December 29th in 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-finals 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. His lead was unbroken until the final round when Geller defeated him, allowing Botvinnik his chance to tie by defeating Alexey Suetin. It was determined that a playoff match was necessary to determine the true winner, so a concert hall was scheduled for the six game encounter, held from January 25th to February 5th, 1953. Botvinnik took an early lead in the first game and had the match all but wrapped up but for Taimanov's win in the fifth game, where he threatened to draw the match. Alas, the world champion held his rival to a draw in the final game and won his seventh and last Soviet Championship. The final standings and crosstable: =1st Botvinnik 13½/19 * 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 =1st Taimanov 13½/19 1 * 0 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 3rd Geller 12/19 0 1 * 1 1 ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ =4th Boleslavsky 11½/19 ½ 1 0 * 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 =4th Tolush 11½/19 ½ ½ 0 1 * ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 1 6th Korchnoi 11/19 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ 1 0 0 1 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 1 1 =7th Bronstein 10½/19 0 0 ½ ½ 1 1 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ =7th Moiseev 10½/19 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 * ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ =7th Smyslov 10½/19 ½ ½ 1 0 0 0 ½ ½ * 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 =10th Keres 9½/19 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 * 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ 1 =10th Suetin 9½/19 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 0 * ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 0 1 1 ½ =12th Aronin 9/19 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ =12th Byvshev 9/19 ½ 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 ½ * 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 =14th Ilivitsky 8½/19 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 * 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ =14th Simagin 8½/19 ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 16th Konstantinopolsky 7½/19 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 0 1 0 0 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 17th Lipnitsky 7/19 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 * 1 ½ 0 18th Kan 6½/19 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 * 1 1 19th Kasparian 5½/19 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 * ½ 20th Goldenov 5/19 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ * 1st Place Playoff: 1st Botvinnik 3½/6 1 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 2nd Taimanov 2½/6 0 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 196 games, 1952-1953 USSR Championship 1954 The 21st Soviet Chess Championshp was held in the city of Kiev from January 7th to February 7th in 1954. Twenty of the Soviet Union's best chess masters qualified or were invited to participate in the final tournament of the chess championship. Georgy Ilivitsky, Vasily Byvshev, Georgy Lisitsin, and Georgy Borisenko qualified from the semi-final in Leningrad. Ratmir Kholmov, Alexei Suetin, Viktor Korchnoi, and Leonid Shamkovich qualified from the semi-final in Vilnius. Iosif Livshin, Semyon Furman, Anatolij Bannik, and Rashid Nezhmetdinov qualified from the semi-final in Rostov-on-Don. Viacheslav Ragozin, Vladimir Simagin, Alexey Sokolsky, and Andor Lilienthal qualified from qualified from the semi-final in Moscow. Simagin couldn't attend, however, and so his seat was given to 5th place Moscow finisher Salo Flohr. The remaining four seats of the championship were given to Yuri Averbakh, Efim Geller, Tigran Petrosian, and Mark Taimanov. Taimanov and Geller were probably invited because of their superior performances of equal first and third (respectively) at the 20th championship in '52. Who knows why Averbakh and Petrosian were invited? But it turned out to be good timing for Averbakh. He had an astounding tournament performance, finishing undefeated with ten wins. He beat half the field over the board. Taimanov also finished undefeated in second, but only managed +7. Korchnoi also won 10 games, but three losses put him tied for second with Taimanov. table[ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 Pts. 01 Averbakh * = = = = = 1 1 = 1 1 = = 1 1 1 = 1 1 1 14.5 02 Taimanov = * = = = = 1 = = 1 1 = = 1 = = = 1 1 1 13.0 115.75 03 Korchnoi = = * 0 = = 0 = 1 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 = 1 1 13.0 113.00 04 Lisitsin = = 1 * = 1 1 = 1 0 = = 0 = = 1 1 1 = 1 12.5 114.50 05 Petrosian = = = = * = = = 1 = 1 = 1 1 = 1 = = = 1 12.5 113.25 06 Kholmov = = = 0 = * = 0 1 1 1 = 1 = = = = 0 1 = 10.5 07 Suetin 0 0 1 0 = = * 1 = 1 = = 1 = 1 0 1 = 0 = 10.0 90.75 08 Furman 0 = = = = 1 0 * 1 0 0 = = = = 0 1 1 1 1 10.0 86.50 09 Nezhmetdinov = = 0 0 0 0 = 0 * = 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 = 1 = 10.0 84.25 10 Byvshev 0 0 0 1 = 0 0 1 = * 0 1 = = 0 1 = 1 1 1 9.5 79.25 11 Geller 0 0 0 = 0 0 = 1 0 1 * 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 = 9.5 78.25 12 Flohr = = 0 = = = = = 0 0 0 * = 1 = = = = 1 = 8.5 76.75 13 Borisenko = = 0 1 0 0 0 = 0 = 1 = * = = = 1 = 0 1 8.5 76.50 14 Bannik 0 0 1 = 0 = = = 1 = 0 0 = * 1 = 0 0 = 1 8.0 73.50 15 Ilivitsky 0 = 0 = = = 0 = 0 1 0 = = 0 * = 1 = = 1 8.0 69.00 16 Lilienthal 0 = 0 0 0 = 1 1 0 0 0 = = = = * 1 = 1 = 8.0 66.50 17 Shamkovich = = 0 0 = = 0 0 0 = 1 = 0 1 0 0 * 1 0 = 6.5 60.75 18 Ragozin 0 0 = 0 = 1 = 0 = 0 0 = = 1 = = 0 * 0 = 6.5 60.25 19 Livshin 0 0 0 = = 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 = = 0 1 1 * 0 6.0 20 Sokolsky 0 0 0 0 0 = = 0 = 0 = = 0 0 0 = = = 1 * 5.0]table 190 games, 1954 USSR Championship 1957 The 24th Soviet Chess Championship took place in Moscow from January 20th to February 22nd, 1957. The championship was held in a theater attended by hundreds, and followed by radio. The championship was significant due in large part to the debut of Mikhail Tal to international chess attention. His "sacrificial style" made a strong impression not only on the grandmasters at the event but around the world as well. The success of his style of play earned him first place among the very best in the Soviet Union with 14/21 at the final. The final standings and crosstable: 1st Tal 14/21 * 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 =2nd Keres 13½/21 0 * ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 =2nd Bronstein 13½/21 0 ½ * ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 =4th Spassky 13/21 ½ 1 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 =4th Tolush 13/21 0 0 1 ½ * 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 6th Kholmov 12½/21 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 * ½ 1 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 =7th Korchnoi 12/21 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 1 0 1 1 1 ½ =7th Petrosian 12/21 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 9th Boleslavsky 11½/21 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ =10th Aronin 11/21 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 0 1 =10th Taimanov 11/21 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 0 ½ 12th Furman 10/21 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 ½ 1 1 0 0 1 ½ ½ =13th Nezhmetdinov 9½/21 1 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ 0 1 1 0 1 0 ½ 0 =13th Bannik 9½/21 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ =13th Klaman 9½/21 0 ½ 0 1 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ 1 0 * 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 16th Antoshin 9/21 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ 1 * 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 17th Stoliar 8½/21 ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 18th Mikenas 8/21 ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 1 1 0 0 ½ * 1 0 0 0 =19th Gurgenidze 7½/21 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 ½ 0 * 1 1 0 =19th Khasin 7½/21 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 0 * 1 0 =19th Tarasov 7½/21 ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 0 * ½ =19th Aronson 7½/21 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ * 231 games, 1957 USSR Championship 1958 The 25th Soviet Chess Championship was played in the city of Riga from January 12th to February 14th, 1958. Nineteen of the Soviet Union's best masters and grandmasters were invited to and qualified for the round robin event. At stake were four seats at the Interzonal tournament later that year to be held at Portoroz. While the race for the top four places was heatedly contested, it would eventually be Mikhail Tal who emerged as the sole winner. It was his second consecutive Soviet crown, and the second time he won clear first, a feat which had only been accomplished before by Efim Bogoljubov, Mikhail Botvinnik, and Paul Keres. The other three interzonal seats went to second place Tigran Petrosian, third place David Bronstein, and fourth place Yuri Averbakh. The results were a major disappointment for young Boris Spassky who had been one of the top contenders to place until he lost his last two games. Georgy Borisenko dropped out of the tournament after the tenth round and subsequently forfeited his remaining games, these games have been omitted from this collection. Tal's momentum from this championship victory propelled him on to win clear first at Portoroz where he would eventually go on to face Botvinnik for the world crown and win. The final standings and crosstable: 1st Tal 12½/18 * ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 0 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 1 2nd Petrosian 12/18 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 3rd Bronstein 11½/18 ½ ½ * ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ 1 1 4th Averbakh 11/18 0 ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 =5th Spassky 10½/18 0 ½ 1 ½ * 1 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 =5th Polugaevsky 10½/18 ½ ½ 0 0 0 * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 =7th Geller 10/18 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 * ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 =7th Gurgenidze 10/18 0 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 1 =9th Korchnoi 9½/18 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 * 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 =9th Boleslavsky 9½/18 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 * 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ =9th Krogius 9½/18 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 * 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ =12th Taimanov 9/18 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 0 * 1 0 1 1 0 0 1 =12th Kotov 9/18 0 ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 * 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 14th Suetin 8/18 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 * 1 ½ 1 1 0 15th Gipslis 7½/18 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 * 1 0 1 ½ 16th Bannik 7/18 1 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 * 1 ½ 1 17th Furman 6/18 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 0 1 0 * 0 ½ =18th Tolush 4/18 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 ½ 1 * 0 =18th Borisenko 4/18 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 * 162 games, 1958 USSR Championship 1959 The 26th Soviet Chess Championship took place in the city of Tbilisi from January 9th to February 11th, 1959. Twenty of the Soviet Union's best masters and grandmasters were invited to and qualified for the round robin tournament. Tigran Petrosian won his first of four USSR Championships here, undefeated against a field that included over 10 past and future winners of the Soviet crown. The final standings and crosstable: 1st Petrosian 13½/19 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ =2nd Spassky 12½/19 ½ * ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 =2nd Tal 12½/19 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 0 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 =4th Taimanov 12/19 ½ 1 ½ * 0 0 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ =4th Kholmov 12/19 ½ ½ ½ 1 * ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 0 0 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 6th Polugaevsky 11/19 ½ 1 0 1 ½ * ½ 0 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 =7th Averbakh 10½/19 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ =7th Keres 10½/19 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ * 1 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 9th Korchnoi 10/19 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 0 0 0 * 1 1 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ =10th Geller 9½/19 ½ 0 0 0 0 1 ½ 1 0 * 0 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =10th Lutikov 9½/19 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 * ½ 1 ½ 1 1 0 ½ 1 ½ =12th Bronstein 9/19 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 0 0 ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 1 =12th Gufeld 9/19 0 0 1 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 14th Yuchtman 8½/19 0 ½ 1 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 1 15th Furman 8/19 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ 1 1 =16th Vasiukov 7/19 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 1 * ½ ½ 1 ½ =16th Gurgenidze 7/19 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ * ½ 0 ½ 18th Krogius 6½/19 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 19th Nezhmetdinov 6/19 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ * 1 20th Nikitin 5½/19 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 * 190 games, 1959 USSR Championship 1960 The 27th USSR Championship was held at the Chigorin Chess Club in Leningrad from January 26th to February 26th, 1960. Twenty of the Soviet Union's best grandmasters and masters participated in the event. Mikhail Tal was absent because of his preparation for the coming world championship match with Mikhail Botvinnik. Tigran Petrosian and Vasily Smyslov were exempted into the championship, but the remaining eighteen competitors all qualified from semi-finals. The tournament was the first of what would be several championship wins for Viktor Korchnoi. Here he dominated with 14/19, earning wins against over half the field. However, he only edged out Efim Geller and Petrosian by half a point at the end with a stellar three win streak in the final rounds. This tournament also saw the famous King's Gambit game between Boris Spassky and David Bronstein in the sixteenth round that would later be featured in the James Bond film, "From Russia With Love." The final standings and crosstable: 1st Korchnoi 14/19 * 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 0 ½ 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 =2nd Geller 13½/19 0 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 =2nd Petrosian 13½/19 ½ ½ * ½ 0 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 4th Bagirov 12/19 1 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 0 ½ 5th Polugaevsky 11½/19 0 ½ 1 ½ * 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 6th Averbakh 11/19 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ =7th Smyslov 10½/19 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ =7th Taimanov 10½/19 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 0 1 1 1 =9th Krogius 10/19 0 1 0 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ =9th Spassky 10/19 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 11th Simagin 9½/19 1 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ * ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 =12th Bronstein 9/19 ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * 1 1 1 1 0 1 ½ ½ =12th Lutikov 9/19 1 0 ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 * ½ ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ =14th Gufeld 7½/19 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 0 0 0 1 =14th Nei 7½/19 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ * 0 1 1 0 1 =16th Liberzon 6½/19 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 1 * 1 0 1 0 =16th Shamkovich 6½/19 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 1 0 0 * 0 0 1 =18th Gurgenidze 6/19 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 * 0 ½ =18th Sakharov 6/19 0 ½ 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 0 1 1 * 0 =18th Suetin 6/19 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 ½ 1 * 190 games, 1960 USSR Championship 1961 b The 29th Soviet Chess Championship was the second of two championships held in the same year of 1961. This edition was held in the city of Baku from November 16th to December 20th. 21 of the Soviet Union's strongest masters and grandmasters participated, many of whom had participated in the previous championship earlier in the year, which had also been counted as a zonal tournament. In particular among them was Boris Spassky and Vasily Smyslov, who had both just barely lost seats to the Stockholm interzonal to be played in 1962. Spassky had had an amazing run until he was derailed by a loss to Lev Polugaevsky and then lost his last two games of the previous championship to finish sixth behind Smyslov. In this championship, with the absence of Tigran Petrosian, Viktor Korchnoi, Leonid Stein, and Efim Geller (who had all respectively finished in the top four, securing their participation at Stockholm), Spassky and Smyslov dominated from the start by leading 3½/4 after the first four rounds. Spassky then defeated Smyslov in their head-to-head encounter in round five, securing his lead for the rest of the tournament. Another significant victory on his road to the crown was his rematch with Polugaevsky, who had put a stop to his previous run. This time Spassky defeated Polugaevsky, which ended up being the decisive game of the tournament, as Polugaevsky went 7/8 in the final rounds, but was not enough to overcome Spassky's superb play. The future world champion won his first of only two Soviet crowns with an impressive 14½/20, having scored wins against half the field. Spassky's success was credited in part to his taking on Igor Bondarevsky as his trainer after his disappointing result at the Moscow championship and missing his chance to go to Stockholm. Spassky would eventually triumph at the next Soviet zonal and begin his journey to becoming champion of the world. The final standings and crosstable: 1st Spassky 14½/20 * 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 2nd Polugaevsky 14/20 0 * ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 3rd Bronstein 12½/20 ½ ½ * 0 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ =4th Vasiukov 12/20 ½ 0 1 * ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 =4th Tal 12/20 0 ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 ½ 1 =6th Averbakh 11½/20 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ * ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 0 =6th Taimanov 11½/20 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 0 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1 =8th Gipslis 11/20 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ * ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 =8th Keres 11/20 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ =8th Smyslov 11/20 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ * 1 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ =8th Kholmov 11/20 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 * 0 1 1 0 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 12th Shamkovich 10½/20 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 1 * 0 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 13th Khasin 9½/20 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 1 * 0 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 =14th Vladimirov 8/20 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 0 0 1 * ½ ½ 1 1 1 0 1 =14th Kots 8/20 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 0 ½ * 1 0 0 0 1 1 =14th Shiyanovsky 8/20 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 * ½ ½ 1 1 0 =17th Lein 7½/20 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ * 0 1 ½ ½ =17th Savon 7½/20 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 1 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ 1 * ½ ½ ½ 19th Nezhmetdinov 7/20 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ 0 1 0 0 ½ * 1 0 =20th Bagirov 6/20 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ 0 * ½ =20th Gurgenidze 6/20 0 0 ½ 0 0 1 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ * 210 games, 1961 USSR Championship 1962 The 30th Soviet Chess Championship was held in the city of Yerevan from November 21st to December 20th, 1962. Twenty of the Soviet Union's best grandmasters and masters participated in the round robin event. Seven qualified from semi-final tournaments held earlier in the year: Igor Zaitsev and Vladislav Shiyanovsky qualified from Dnepropetrpvsk (with Shiyanovsky's seat incidently being won in a playoff among three masters who had finished tied for second); German Khodos and Yury Kots qualified from Novosibirsk; and Lev Aronin, Vladas Mikenas, and Leonid Stein qualified from Riga. The remaining thirteen seats went out as invitations, including to the previous year's Soviet champion Boris Spassky, recently deposed world champion and two time Soviet champion Mikhail Tal, winner of the 27th Soviet championship Viktor Korchnoi, winner of the 23rd Soviet championship Mark Taimanov, and perennial Soviet championship participant Ratmir Kholmov. While not as strong as some USSR championships of the past, due to the absence of grandmasters such as Mikhail Botvinnik, Tigran Petrosian, Efim Geller, David Bronstein, Paul Keres, and Lev Polugaevsky, the field assembled was a powerful mix of veterans and up and coming talents. Korchnoi, despite dominating the field with wins against half the participants, only managed to edge out Tal and Taimanov by half a point for first place. Korchnoi's fierce attacking style insured that this second Soviet crown would not be his last, as he would go on to win twice more at Kiev in 1964 and Riga in 1970 for a career total of four USSR championship victories. The final standings and crosstable: 1st Korchnoi 14/19 * 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =2nd Tal 13½/19 0 * 1 1 ½ ½ 0 1 1 0 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ =2nd Taimanov 13½/19 ½ 0 * ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 4th Kholmov 13/19 ½ 0 ½ * 0 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 =5th Spassky 11½/19 0 ½ 1 1 * 0 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 0 1 =5th Stein 11½/19 0 ½ ½ 0 1 * ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 =7th Aronin 10½/19 ½ 1 0 0 0 ½ * ½ 1 ½ 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ =7th Bannik 10½/19 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 ½ * 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 9th Kots 10/19 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 * ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 10th Mikenas 9/19 1 1 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ * 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 11th Krogius 8½/19 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ =12th Shiyanovsky 8/19 ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ 1 0 1 0 ½ * 0 1 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ =12th Zaitsev, A 8/19 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 * ½ 0 1 0 ½ ½ 1 =12th Suetin 8/19 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * 0 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ =12th Novopashin 8/19 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 16th Khodos 7/19 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ * 1 0 1 ½ =17th Mnatsakanian 6½/19 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 0 * 0 0 ½ =17th Korelov 6½/19 ½ 0 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 1 * ½ 0 =17th Savon 6½/19 0 0 ½ 0 1 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ * 1 20 Zaitsev, I 6/19 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 * 190 games, 1962 USSR Championship 1963 The 31st Soviet Chess Championship was played in the city of Leningrad from November 23rd to December 27th, 1963. Twenty of the Soviet Union's best grandmasters competed in the round robin event, with only two noticeable absences: the newly crowned world champion Tigran Petrosian and the newly deposed Mikhail Botvinnik. As usual, the field was composed of players who had qualified from the very strong Soviet semi-finals held earlier in the year: Viacheslav Osnos, Boris Spassky, Alexey Suetin, and Igor Bondarevsky qualified from Kharkov; Lev Polugaevsky, Iivo Nei, Arkady Novopashin, and Alexander Zakharov qualified from Moscow; Ratmir Kholmov, Leonid Stein, Eduard Gufeld, and Semyon Furman qualified from Sverdlovsk; and Aivars Gipslis, Vladimir Bagirov, David Bronstein, and Janis Klovans qualified from Alma-Ata. Four invitations were also granted to four former Soviet champions: Mark Taimanov, Viktor Korchnoi, Efim Geller, and Yuri Averbakh. The evenly matched field saw a three-way tie for first by the final, which was followed by two playoff rounds that saw Leonid Stein emerge as the champion. It was the first of what would be three Soviet crowns, and it signaled his arrival as one of the world's best players. The final standings and crosstable: =1st Kholmov 12/19 * ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ =1st Spassky 12/19 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 =1st Stein 12/19 1 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 =4th Suetin 11½/19 0 ½ ½ * ½ 1 0 1 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 1 =4th Geller 11½/19 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 =4th Bronstein 11½/19 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 =7th Gufeld 11/19 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 * ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ 1 ½ =7th Polugaevsky 11/19 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 9th Gipslis 10½/19 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ * 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 10th Korchnoi 10/19 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 * ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 11th Bagirov 9½/19 ½ 0 1 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 =12th Nei 9/19 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 * 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 =12th Averbakh 9/19 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 * ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ =14th Furman 8½/19 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 1 0 1 0 1 =14th Taimanov 8½/19 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 * 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 16th Klovans 7½/19 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 * 1 ½ 1 0 17th Zakharov 7/19 0 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 * ½ 0 0 =18th Bondarevsky 6½/19 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 1 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ * 1 ½ =18th Novopashin 6½/19 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 0 1 0 * 1 20th Osnos 5/19 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 0 * Playoff: 1st Stein 2½/4 ** 1½ ½½ 2nd Spassky 2/4 0½ ** ½1 3rd Kholmov 1½/4 ½½ ½0 ** *This collection would not have been possible without the work and time of <Phony Benoni>. He has my eternal gratitude. 196 games, 1963-1964 USSR Championship 1965 The 33rd Soviet Chess Championship was held in the city of Tallinn from November 21st to December 24th, 1965. Twenty of the Soviet Union's best masters and grandmasters competed in the round robin event. Six seats to the championship were won in USSR semi-final tournaments held earlier in the year: Evgeni Vasiukov and Gennadi Kuzmin qualified from Kaliningrad; Semyon Furman and Vladas Mikenas qualified from Leningrad; and Eduard Gufeld and Yuri Sakharov qualified from Omsk. As far as I can determine the remaining fourteen spots in the line up were invitations, which makes sense when you consider some of the participants invited were previous Soviet champion Viktor Korchnoi, four time Soviet champion Paul Keres, two time Soviet champion David Bronstein, the 1963 Soviet champion Leonid Stein, Mark Taimanov, and Lev Polugaevsky. But other participants included lesser known Soviets such as Eduard Bukhman, Anatoly Bykhovsky, Abram Khasin, Vladimir Lepeshkin, Vladimir Liavdansky, Viacheslav Osnos, Vladimir Simagin, and Alexey Suetin. The returning champion performed much lower than expected, as Korchnoi only finish in the middle of the standings. This was due in part to losing more games than he won, and he won six games! Stein, on the other hand, won his second of an eventual three Soviet championships here, largely by scoring wins against over half the field. The final standings and crosstable: 1st Stein 14/19 * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 2nd Polugaevsky 13½/19 0 * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 3rd Taimanov 13/19 ½ ½ * 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =4th Furman 11½/19 ½ 0 1 * 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 =4th Suetin 11½/19 ½ ½ ½ 1 * 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 6th Keres 11/19 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 7th Sakharov 10½/19 1 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * ½ 1 0 1 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 1 8th Osnos 10/19 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 9th Bronstein 9½/19 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =10th Simagin 9/19 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ * 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ =10th Bykhovsky 9/19 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 0 1 * ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 1 =10th Korchnoi 9/19 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 ½ * ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ 1 1 13th Khasin 8½/19 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 1 ½ * 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =14th Vasiukov 8/19 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 =14th Bukhman 8/19 0 ½ 0 0 1 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 0 * 1 0 ½ 0 1 =14th Liavdansky 8/19 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 * 0 ½ 1 ½ =14th Gufeld 8/19 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 * 0 ½ ½ 18th Kuzmin 7/19 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 * 1 1 19th Mikenas 6½/19 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 0 1 0 0 ½ 1 0 ½ 0 * ½ 20th Lepeshkin 4½/19 0 0 0 1 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ * 190 games, 1965 USSR Championship 1966/67 The 34th Soviet Chess Championship was held in the city of Tbilisi from December 28th, 1966 to February 2nd, 2967. 21 of the Soviet Union's best masters and grandmasters competed in the round robin event. 32 year old Leonid Stein won the championship, his second straight Soviet crown and his third and final overall. Even more remarkable was that all three of his Soviet championship victories came in just a three year period (of which four tournaments were held). Tragically, this brilliant Soviet grandmaster's career was cut short when he died only six years later. The final standings and crosstable: 1st Stein 13/20 * 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 2nd Geller 12½/20 1 * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =3rd Gipslis 12/20 ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 =3rd Korchnoi 12/20 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 =3rd Taimanov 12/20 0 ½ 0 ½ * ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 6th Lein 11½/20 0 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 0 ½ 7th Krogius 11/20 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 1 1 =8th Bronstein 10½/20 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ =8th Polugaevsky 10½/20 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 * ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 0 0 1 1 1 1 =10th Savon 10/20 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ =10th Smyslov 10/20 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 * 1 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 =10th Kholmov 10/20 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 13th Gufeld 9½/20 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 =14th Vasiukov 9/20 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 0 1 ½ 0 * 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 ½ =14th Gurgenidze 9/20 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 * 1 ½ ½ 0 1 1 =14th Osnos 9/20 ½ 1 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 * ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 17th Suetin 8½/20 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ ½ =18th Liberzon 8/20 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 * ½ 0 ½ =18th Nei 8/20 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ * 1 0 20th Nikolaevsky 7½/20 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ 1 0 * 0 21st Doroshkievich 6½/20 0 0 1 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 * 210 games, 1966-1967 USSR Championship 1968/69 The 36th USSR Championship was held in the city of Alma-Ata (located in present day Kazakhstan) from December 30th, 1968 to February 1st, 1969. Twenty of the Soviet Union's best grandmasters and masters were invited to, and qualified for, the event. The tournament was a second straight victory for Lev Polugaevsky, who had won the 126 player Swiss-style championship the year before alongside Mikhail Tal. Although Tal was present again, it was Alexander Zaitsev who tied with Polugaevsky after the initial event. A six game playoff to determine first place was held after the championship's completion, and Polugaevsky won clear first with 3½ points over Zaitsev's 2½ points. This win would be Polugaevsky's final Soviet championship title. The final standings and crosstable: =1st Zaitsev, A 12½/19 * ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 =1st Polugaevsky 12½/19 ½ * 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 3rd Lutikov 11½/19 0 0 * 0 0 0 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 =4th Liberzon 11/19 ½ 0 1 * 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ =4th Tseshkovsky 11/19 0 ½ 1 1 * 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 0 1 0 1 1 =6th Vasiukov 10½/19 ½ ½ 1 0 0 * 0 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 =6th Klovans 10½/19 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 * 0 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 0 1 1 1 =6th Podgaets 10½/19 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 * ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 =6th Tal 10½/19 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 0 0 ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 0 1 1 =6th Kholmov 10½/19 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ =11th Averbakh 10/19 0 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ =11th Lein 10/19 ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 * 0 1 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ =11th Osnos 10/19 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 * 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 14th Sakharov 9/19 ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 0 * 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 =15th Bagirov 8½/19 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 * 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 =15th Gurgenidze 8½/19 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 * ½ ½ 1 ½ =15th Zaitsev, I 8½/19 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * 1 ½ 1 18th Platanov 6½/19 0 ½ 0 0 1 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 * ½ 1 19th Cherepkov 4½/19 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ * 0 20th Nikitin 3½/19 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 1 * First Place Playoff standings and crosstable: 1st Polugaevsky 3½/6 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 2nd Zaitsev 2½/6 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 195 games, 1968-1969 USSR Championship 1969 The 37th Soviet Chess Championship was held in the capital city of Moscow from September 6th to October 12th, 1969. Twenty-three of the Soviet Union's best grandmasters and master competed in the round robin tournament. A number of players qualified from the four Soviet semi-final championships held earlier in the year, and the rest of the field was filled out by invitations sent to the very best of Soviet mastery. Among those invited was Tigran Petrosian, who had lost his match for the world championship to Boris Spassky just a few months earlier. Petrosian remarked it was a great relief to have been defeated and actually later remarked that his years as world champion were some of the worst and most difficult of his life. As it turned out, being relieved of the world championship made Petrosian more dangerous as a player, as seen here in the largest non-Swiss style Soviet Championship ever held. He finished tied for first with Lev Polugaevsky, each with 14/22. A playoff match of six games was scheduled and held from February 20th to the 28th, 1970 in order to determine a sole victor for the zonal standings, and Petrosian defeated Polugaevsky by two points having only played five of the six games. Though Petrosian would never again challenge a match for the world championship, his win here was the third of an eventual four Soviet crowns he would earn over his long and successful career as one of the best chess players in the world. The final standings and crosstable: =1st Polugaevsky 14/22 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ =1st Petrosian 14/22 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ =3rd Taimanov 13½/22 ½ ½ * ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ =3rd Smyslov 13½/22 ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ =3rd Geller 13½/22 ½ ½ 1 ½ * ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 6th Stein 13/22 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =7th Balashov 12½/22 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 0 1 1 1 ½ =7th Kholmov 12½/22 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ =7th Platonov 12½/22 0 ½ 0 1 1 ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 0 0 0 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 =10th Gipslis 12/22 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 0 ½ ½ ½ =10th Savon 12/22 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 1 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 12th Averkin 11½/22 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 13th Zhukhovitsky 11/22 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 =14th Liberzon 10½/22 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 * ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 =14th Tal 10½/22 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 0 1 16th Vasiukov 9½/22 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 * ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 0 1 =17th Zaitsev, I 9/22 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 =17th Zaitsev, A 9/22 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 0 ½ * 1 0 ½ 1 0 =17th Lutikov 9/22 ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 0 * ½ ½ 1 1 =17th Gufeld 9/22 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ * ½ ½ 1 21st Tukmakov 7½/22 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 22nd Furman 7/22 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 0 ½ 1 1 0 0 0 ½ ½ * 0 23rd Kupreichik 6½/22 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 * 1st Place Playoff standings and crosstable: 1st Petrosian 3½/5 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 2nd Polugaevsky 1½/5 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 258 games, 1969-1970 USSR Championship 1970 The 38th USSR Championship was played in the city of Riga (located in present day Latvia) from November 25th to December 28th, 1970. 22 of the Soviet Union's best masters and grandmasters were invited to, and qualified for, the main event. The tournament was a tremendous victory for Viktor Korchnoi. He won clear first, a full point and a half ahead of second place Vladimir Tukmakov, at 16 points out of 21 games, earning wins over half the field. It was Korchnoi's fourth and final Soviet championship victory, tying him with Tigran Petrosian and Alexander Beliavsky for Soviet titles, and being surpassed only by Mikhail Botvinnik and Mikhail Tal. The final standings and crosstable: 1st Korchnoi 16/21 * 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 2nd Tukmakov 14½/21 1 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 3rd Stein 14/21 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 0 ½ 1 4th Balashov 12½/21 0 ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 =5th Gipslis 12/21 0 ½ ½ 1 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1 =5th Karpov 12/21 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ =5th Savon 12/21 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ =8th Averbakh 11/21 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ =8th Podgaets 11/21 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 =10th Bagirov 10½/21 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 0 0 0 1 1 ½ =10th Dementiev 10½/21 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ 0 * ½ ½ 1 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ =10th Liberzon 10½/21 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ * 0 ½ 1 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ =13th Doroshkevich 10/21 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 1 ½ 1 * ½ 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 1 1 =13th Kholmov 10/21 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 0 0 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =15th Antoshin 9½/21 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 0 ½ * 0 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ =15th Zaitsev 9½/21 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 0 ½ 1 * ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 =17th Vaganian 9/21 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ * 1 0 ½ ½ 1 =17th Mikenas 9/21 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 0 * 1 0 0 1 19th Karasev 8½/21 ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 1 0 * ½ 1 1 20th Platanov 7½/21 0 0 1 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ * 1 1 21st Tseitlin 6/21 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 0 * 0 22nd Moiseev 5½/21 0 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 1 * 230 games, 1970 USSR Championship 1971 The 39th Soviet Chess Championship was a category XI event held in the city of Leningrad from September 15th to October 18th, 1971. Thirteen of the USSR's best masters and grandmasters qualified for the round robin tournament from the four Soviet semi-finals held earlier in the year. The qualifiers were (with ELO): Anatoly Lein (2510), Vladimir Savon (2570), and Leonid Shamkovich (2520) from Ivano-Frankovsk; Nikolai Krogius (2575), Karen Grigorian (2430), and Albert Kapengut (2450) from Perm; Anatoli Karpov (2540), Rafael Vaganian (2510), Roman Dzindzichashvili (2480), and Vladimir Karasev from Daugavpils; and Yuri Nikolaevsky (2490), Igor Platonov (2470), and Mark Tseitlin from Novosibirsk. Nine of the Soviet Union's very best players were also invited to complete the field, including (in order of ELO): Lev Polugaevsky (2640), Vasily Smyslov (2620), Mikhail Tal (2620), Efim Geller (2615), Leonid Stein (2605), Mark Taimanov (2600), David Bronstein (2590), Yuri Balashov (2570), and Vladimir Tukmakov (2565). This edition of the championship was witness to an enormous upset as International master Vladimir Savon, who was not even among the top rated grandmasters present, won clear first in a field that included two former world champions and five former Soviet champions. Savon went undefeated and earned his crown with an impressive score of 15/21. The final standings and crosstable: 1st Savon 15/21 * ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =2nd Smyslov 13½/21 ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 =2nd Tal 13½/21 ½ ½ * ½ 0 1 1 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 4th Karpov 13/21 ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 =5th Stein 12/21 0 ½ 1 0 * 0 ½ 1 1 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 0 1 1 =5th Balashov 12/21 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 * 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 =7th Bronstein 11½/21 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 * 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 0 1 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 =7th Polugaevsky 11½/21 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 * 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 9th Taimanov 11/21 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 * 1 1 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 =10th Kapengut 10½/21 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 0 0 0 * ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 1 1 1 =10th Krogius 10½/21 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ * 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ =12th Platonov 10/21 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 * ½ ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ 1 1 0 =12th Lein 10/21 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 0 1 1 ½ ½ * 0 1 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 1 14th Geller 9½/21 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 0 ½ 1 * 1 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 =15th Karasev 9/21 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 0 0 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 0 =15th Shamkovich 9/21 0 ½ 1 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 0 * 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 =17th Vaganian 8½/21 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 * 0 0 ½ 1 0 =17th Tukmakov 8½/21 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 * 0 ½ 0 ½ =17th Nikolaevsky 8½/21 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 1 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 * 0 ½ 0 =20th Grigorian 8/21 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 1 * 0 ½ =20th Dzindzichashvili 8/21 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 * ½ =20th Tseitlin 8/21 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ * 231 games, 1971 USSR Championship 1972 The 40th Soviet Chess Championship was a category XI event played in the city of Baku from November 16th to December 25th, 1972. Nineteen of the USSR's best masters and grandmasters qualified for the round robin tournament, which also counted as a zonal event for the world championship cycle, from the four Soviet semi-finals held earlier in the year. The qualifiers were (with ELO at time of championship): Semyon Furman (2520), Evgeni Vasiukov (2575), Mikhail Mukhin (2420), and Ratmir Kholmov (2550) qualified from Uzhgorod; Nukhim Rashkovsky (2430), Eduard Gufeld (2525), Anatoly Lein (2530), Yuri Razuvaev (2490), and Karen Grigorian (2470) qualified from Cheliabinsk; Valery Zhidkov (2490), Roman Dzindzichashvili (2500), Leonid Shamkovich (2535), Yuri Balashov (2560), and Vitaly Tseshkovsky qualified from Kaliningrad; and Lev Alburt (2450), Gennadi Kuzmin (2520), Valery Zilberstein (2445), Albert Kapengut (2485), and Vladimir Tukmakov (2560) qualified from Odessa. Vitaly Tseshkovsky was unable to attend so he was replaced with Vladimir Bagirov (2515). The field was completed by the attendance of David Bronstein (2585) and Mikhail Tal (2625), both previous Soviet champions, and by the attendance of last year's Soviet champion Vladimir Savon (2595). Although not as strong as some of the top championships in the past, Tal dominated with his usual flair, finishing undefeated and clear first with 15/21, two points ahead of sole second place, Tukmakov. This Soviet crown was Tal's fourth of an eventual six he would win in his longer career as one of the world's very best chess players. The final standings and crosstable: 1st Tal 15/21 * ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 2nd Tukmakov 13/21 ½ * ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 =3rd Kuzmin 12½/21 ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ =3rd Savon 12½/21 0 1 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 =3rd Mukhin 12½/21 0 ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ =6th Vasiukov 11½/21 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 * 1 1 ½ 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 =6th Balashov 11½/21 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 * 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 ½ =8th Bagirov 11/21 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 0 =8th Furman 11/21 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 * 1 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ =10th Kholmov 10½/21 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ 0 * 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ =10th Lein 10½/21 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 0 * ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 12th Razuvaev 10/21 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 =13th Kapengut 9½/21 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ * ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ =13th Dzindzichashvili 9½/21 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ * 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 =13th Shamkovich 9½/21 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 0 0 * ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ =13th Bronstein 9½/21 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 1 1 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =17th Gufeld 9/21 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 =17th Grigorian 9/21 ½ 0 0 1 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 0 * 0 ½ ½ 1 =17th Zilberstein 9/21 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 * ½ 0 0 =17th Rashkovsky 9/21 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 1 1 21st Zhidkov 8½/21 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 * ½ 22nd Alburt 7/21 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 0 1 0 ½ * Third and fourth place playoff (Interzonal qualification): =1st Kuzmin 2/4 ** ½½ ½½ =1st Savon 2/4 ½½ ** 01 =1st Mukhin 2/4 ½½ 10 ** 237 games, 1972-1973 USSR Championship 1973 In the aftermath of Bobby Fischer's victory over Boris Spassky in the 1972 World Championship, the Soviet Union had been humiliated and humbled by an American, and the 35+ year rule of the Soviet chess machine over the international chess world had finally been put to an end. The consequences of this result was felt in Soviet chess for months after. Mark Taimanov, Tigran Petrosian, and Boris 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 2nd to the 26th in 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 crown winners, and the very highest rated and deeply experienced of the Soviet school, including: Boris Spassky, Tigran Petrosian, Mikhail Tal, Vasily Smyslov, Anatoli Karpov, Viktor Korchnoi, Efim Geller, Paul Keres, Lev Polugaevsky, Mark Taimanov, Leonid Stein, Vladimir Tukmakov, Vladimir Savon, and Gennadi Kuzmin. Victor Baturinsky, the vice-president of the USSR chess federation, and a KGB Colonel, 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 chess masters was arduous. Ironically, it was Spassky, after failing in Reykjavik, who emerged victorious as the clear and sole winner. Although his wins were often quick and decisive, the effort they required put a great strain on Spassky, and he would never successfully challenge for the world championship or win a Soviet championship again. This edition did have the desired effect of revealing future world crown candidates, as both Karpov and Korchnoi tied for second and would face each other the following year for what would end up being the world championship. The final standings and crosstable: 1st Spassky 11½/17 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 =2nd Karpov 10½/17 ½ * 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 =2nd Petrosian 10½/17 ½ 1 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =2nd Polugaevsky 10½/17 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 =2nd Korchnoi 10½/17 ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ =2nd Kuzmin 10½/17 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ =7th Geller 8½/17 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 0 =7th Grigorian 8½/17 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ =9th Keres 8/17 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 =9th Taimanov 8/17 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ =9th Savon 8/17 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 =9th Tal 8/17 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 =13th Tukmakov 7½/17 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 =13th Rashkovsky 7½/17 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 =15th Averkin 7/17 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ 0 1 =15th Smyslov 7/17 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 17th Sveshnikov 6½/17 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ * 0 18th Beliavsky 4½/17 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 1 * 153 games, 1973 USSR Championship 1974 The 42nd Soviet Chess Championship was a category XII event played in Leningrad from November 30th to December 23rd, 1974. Sixteen of the Soviet Union's best grandmasters and masters competed, including (in order of ELO): Mikhail Tal (2635), Lev Polugaevsky (2630), Gennadi Kuzmin (2600), Mark Taimanov (2580), Vladimir Savon (2575), Evgeni Vasiukov (2560), Vitaly Tseshkovsky (2545), Yuri Balashov (2540), Rafael Vaganian (2540), Karen Grigorian (2520), Mark Dvoretsky (2495), Oleg Romanishin (2470), Alexander Beliavsky (2460), Viktor Kupreichik (2460), Boris Gulko (2435), and Lev Alburt (2420). 21 year old Beliavsky won his first Soviet crown and Tal won his fifth as they tied for first place at 9.5/15. The final standings and crosstable: =1st Beliavsky 9.5/15 * 1 0 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 =1st Tal 9.5/15 0 * 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 =3rd Polugaevsky 9/15 1 1 * ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1 =3rd Vaganian 9/15 0 ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 =5th Romanishin 8.5/15 ½ ½ 1 1 * ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 1 1 =5th Dvoretzky 8.5/15 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =5th Alburt 8.5/15 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 8th Balashov 8/15 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 9th Kuzmin 7.5/15 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =10th Vasiukov 7/15 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ * 1 1 ½ ½ 0 0 =10th Tseshkovsky 7/15 0 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 * ½ 1 ½ 0 1 12th Savon 6.5/15 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 ½ 0 =13th Grigorian 6/15 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ 0 =13th Taimanov 6/15 ½ 0 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 * 1 ½ =13th Gulko 6/15 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 0 * 1 16th Kupreichik 3.5/15 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 1 ½ 0 * 120 games, 1974 USSR Championship 1976 The 44th Soviet Chess Championship was a category XII event played in the capital of Moscow from November 26th to December 24th 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. The final standings and crosstable: 1st Karpov 12/17 * 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 2nd Balashov 11/17 0 * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =3rd Petrosian 10.5/17 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 1 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 =3rd Polugaevsky 10.5/17 ½ 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 5th Dorfman 9.5/17 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 0 0 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 0 1 =6th Tal 9/17 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 =6th Smyslov 9/17 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 0 =8th Geller 8.5/17 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ * 0 0 ½ 1 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 =8th Sveshnikov 8.5/17 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 * 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 =8th Romanishin 8.5/17 ½ 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 * 0 ½ 1 0 ½ 1 0 1 11th Gulko 8/17 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 * ½ 0 1 ½ 1 1 1 =12th Vaganian 7.5/17 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ =12th Grigorian 7.5/17 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 0 1 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 =14th Taimanov 7/17 ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 0 ½ * 0 1 ½ 0 =14th Rashkovsky 7/17 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 * 0 ½ ½ =16th Zakharov 6.5/17 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 0 1 * 0 1 =16th Tseshkovsky 6.5/17 0 0 0 ½ 1 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 * 0 18th Kupreichik 6/17 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 ½ 0 1 ½ 0 1 * 153 games, 1976 USSR Championship 1978 The 46th Soviet Chess Championship was a category XII event played in the city of Tbilisi from December 1st to the 28th in 1978. Eighteen of the USSR's best grandmasters and masters participated in the tournament, including (in order of ELO): Mikhail Tal (2625), Lev Polugaevsky (2620), Oleg Romanishin (2610), Efim Geller (2590), Vladimir Tukmakov (2570), Boris Gulko (2565), Evgeni Sveshnikov (2565), Gennadi Kuzmin (2560), Josif Dorfman (2550), Vitaly Tseshkovsky (2550), Tamas Georgadze (2535), Alexander Beliavsky (2530), Gennadi Timoshchenko (2530), Vladimir Bagirov (2505), Sergey Makarichev (2495), Yuri Razuvaev (2465), Adrian Mikhalchishin (2460), and unrated Junior player Garry Kasparov. The former world champion Mikhail Tal won his sixth and final Soviet crown, sharing first with Vitaly Tseshkovsky at a final score of 11/17 each. Young Kasparov had qualified for his first ever Soviet Championship and managed a plus score at the end. The final standings and crosstable are as follows: 01 Tal 11/17 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 02 Tseshkovsky 11/17 ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 03 Polugaevsky 10/17 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 04 Georgadze 9.5/17 ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 05 Sveshnikov 9/17 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 1 ½ 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 06 Kasparov 9/17 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 1 1 07 Geller 9/17 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 08 Romanishin 9/17 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 * 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 0 09 Beliavsky 9/17 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 * 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 0 ½ 1 10 Gulko 8/17 ½ 1 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 0 0 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 11 Bagirov 8/17 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 12 Makarichev 8/17 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 13 Razuvaev 7.5/17 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 14 Timoshchenko 7.5/17 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 1 0 ½ ½ 15 Tukmakov 7.5/17 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 * 1 ½ ½ 16 Mikhalchishin 7.5/17 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 0 * ½ ½ 17 Dorfman 6.5/17 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * 1 18 Kuzmin 6/17 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 0 * 153 games, 1978

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