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  1. Mannheim 1914 ARCHIVE
    19th DSB Congress, Mannheim (1914)

    The 19th Congress of The German Chess Federation in Mannheim, July and August 1914, did not finish due to the outbreak of World War I. The master tournament was discontinued after round 11, and part of the prize money was awarded according to the scores after that round.

    table[
    1. Alekhine 9,5/11 * - - 1 - - 0 1 1 1 - - 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 2. Vidmar 8,5/11 - * ½ ½ ½ 1 1 - - ½ 1 1 - 1 1 1 - - 3. Spielmann 8/11 - ½ * - 1 ½ 0 - 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 - - - 1 1 =4 Breyer 7/11 0 ½ - * - ½ ½ 0 1 - - - 1 ½ 1 - 1 1 =4 Marshall 7/11 - ½ 0 - * 1 1 ½ ½ - 1 ½ 1 - - - ½ ½ =4 Réti 7/11 - 0 ½ ½ 0 * ½ - - 1 1 1 1 ½ - 1 - - 7. Janowski 6,5/11 1 0 1 ½ 0 ½ * 1 - - 0 1 - - ½ - 1 - =8 Bogoljubov 5,5/11 0 - - 1 ½ - 0 * ½ 0 - - - 1 1 ½ 0 1 =8 Tarrasch 5,5/11 0 - 0 0 ½ - - ½ * 1 0 - - 1 1 1 ½ - =10 Duras 5/11 0 ½ ½ - - 0 - 1 0 * 1 0 0 - - - 1 1 =10 John 5/11 - 0 0 - 0 0 1 - 1 0 * 1 1 - - 1 - 0 12 Tartakower 4,5/11 - ½ ½ - ½ 0 0 - - 1 0 * ½ 0 - ½ - 1 =13 Fahrni 4/11 0 - 0 0 0 0 - - - 1 0 ½ * 1 1 ½ - - =13 Post 4/11 0 0 - ½ - ½ - 0 0 - - 1 0 * 0 - 1 1 = 15 Carls 3,5/11 0 0 - 0 - - ½ 0 0 - - - 0 1 * ½ ½ 1 = 15 Krüger 3,5/11 ½ 0 - - - 0 - ½ 0 - 0 ½ ½ - ½ * ½ ½ 17 Flamberg 3/11 0 - 0 0 ½ - 0 1 ½ 0 - - - 0 ½ ½ * - 18 Mieses 2/11 0 - 0 0 ½ - - 0 - 0 1 0 - 0 0 ½ - * ]table

    No tournament book appeared at the time. In 1964, 50 years after the event, the librarian of the Mannheimer Schachklub 1865 Werner Lauterbach edited one with all the games he could find in available games collections, newspapers and magazines. Some games, unfortunately, seem to have been lost forever.

    The missing games are (R.1) Vidmar vs Janowski 1-0; (R.2) Fahrni vs Tartakower 1/2-1/2; (R.6) Reti vs Spielmann 1/2-1/2 ; (R.7) Krüger vs Fahrni 1/2-1/2 and (R.11) Breyer vs Reti 1/2-1/2.

    Ken Whyld about the legend and the facts of Mannheim 1914 in the British Chess Magazine, May 1991: http://www.chesscafe.com/text/mannh...

    [ Original collection: Game Collection: Mannheim 1914 - the unfinished tournament, by User: sneaky pete ]

    #############################

    International Chess Congress in Mannheim, July 18 to August 2, 1914 (XIX. Congress of the German Chess Federation). Prize money (in <Mk.>): Alekhine 1100, Vidmar 850, Spielmann 600, Breyer 375, Marshall 375, Reti 375, Bogoljubov 180, Tarrasch 180 and 100 for each of the other players.

    <Hauptturnier A>

    1. Hallégua 8.0
    2. Rabinowitsch 7.5
    3. Tenner 7.5
    4. Ahues 6.5
    5. Asztalos 6.0
    6. Bogartyrtschuk 5.5
    7. Herland 5.5
    8. Schelfhout 5.5
    9. Studt 5.5
    10. Szelesniew 5.5
    11. Opocensky 5.0
    12. Maljutin 4.5
    13. Hilse 4.0
    14. Henneberger 3.5
    15. Schönmann 3.0
    16. Duhm 2.5
    17. Gundersen 2.5

    There were actually 18 participants, but J Hrdina had to withdraw after the outbreak of the Austrian-Serbian war.

    Prize money (in <Mk.>): Hallegna from Turkey and Rabinowitsch received 500 together, Tenner 175, Ahues 125, Dr. Asztalos 100, Bogartytschuk 70, Herland 70, Schelfhout 70, Studt 70 and the other players received 26 each.

    Hallégua had 8 points from 11 games and I. Rabinowitsch 7,5 from 10, so the prize money for 1st and 2nd place was split between them. Tenner scored 7,5 points from 11 games.

    <Hauptturnier B>

    50 participants in 5 groups with 10 players. Two winner groups were then formed with 9 players each.

    Siegergruppe A:

    1. Brach 6.0
    2. Jordansky 5.0
    3. Romanowsky 5.0
    4. Schubert 5.0
    5. van Gelder 4.5
    6. Dr. Thönes 3.5
    7. Schapiro 3.0
    8. Thelen 3.0
    9. Müller 1.0

    Siegergruppe B

    1. Rudniew 7.0
    2. Dominik 6.0
    3. Dr. Lange 5.0
    4. Asch 4.5
    5. Gargulak 4.0
    6. Heinrich Wagner 4.0
    7. Hallgarten 3.0
    8. Kurt Pahl 2.0
    9. Olsson 0.5

    In Hauptturnier B, Siegergruppe B, "Jürgens" is Heinrich Wagner and "Behrend" is Kurt Pahl. Information from Lauterbach's 1964 tournament book.

    There should have been a play-off between the winner of A and B, but there was no time for it. Both were awarded the Master title. Nikolay Nikolajewitsch Rudniew is 24 years old and from Charkow.

    Source: Pages 100-102 of the May-June 1915 'Wiener Schachzeitung'

    <Nebenturnier A> Group I (10 participants): 1st Plöthner, 2nd Janowski, 3rd Michel

    Group II (10 participants): 1st Sprecher, 2nd Redeleit, 3rd Weinstein

    Group III (9 participants): 1-2nd Weltverde and Rothballer, 3rd Weissinger

    <Nebenturnier B> (10 participants)

    1-2. Weisser
    1-2. Antze
    3. Cohn
    4-5. Smuss
    4-5. Dobrzynski

    Source: Page 102 of the May-June 1915 'Wiener Schachzeitung'.

    ########################

    1 game, 1914

  2. Moscow 50th Jubilee International 1967
    1 game, 1967

  3. Moscow Interzonal 1982
    <suenteus po>

    In September of 1982, the third of three interzonal tournaments was held in the Soviet capital of Moscow to determine the final two qualifiers for the FIDE world championship candidates matches to be held the following year. Fourteen grandmasters had qualified for the interzonal through various zonal tournaments held previously in 1982-1984 world championship cycle. The participants of the Moscow interzonal included (in order of ELO): Garry Kasparov (2675), Alexander Beliavsky (2620), Ulf Andersson (2610), Mikhail Tal (2610), Efim Geller (2565), Gyula Sax (2560), Florin Gheorghiu (2535), Miguel Quinteros (2520), John Van der Wiel (2520), Larry Christiansen (2505), Yacov Murey (2500), Guillermo Garcia Gonzales (2500), Dragoljub Velimirovic (2495), and Ruben Rodriguez (2415). The average of the combined ratings of players qualified the interzonal as a category XII event. Kasparov, who was on fire at this point in his career, finished clear first, undefeated. He blazed a trail across the field, scoring wins against half the participants, and finishing one and half points against second place and fellow candidates qualifier Beliavsky. For this edition of the cycle, third place was kept as a reserve candidate in case one of the top qualifiers dropped out, so Tal and Andersson had to play the Malmo Candidates Reserve Playoff (1983) the following year to break the tie. That match would end up being tied 3 to 3. Of course now looking back Kasparov's destiny was clear, but at the time it must have been amazing to watch this young man stop the show with each phase of the world championship cycle that he participated in. The final standings and crosstable are as follows:

    ############################

    <Tabanus>

    In order to select a challenger for the World Champion Anatoly Karpov, FIDE needed 8 players for the Candidates matches that would take place in 1983. Two players, Viktor Korchnoi and Robert Huebner, were already qualified, by having reached the Korchnoi - Huebner Candidates Final (1980/81). The other six would qualify from three tournaments: the Las Palmas Interzonal (1982), the Moscow Interzonal, and the Toluca Interzonal (1982). This was the first time the interzonal stage was split into three parts, instead of two as in 1973, 1976 and 1979. (1) Qualifying from the zonal tournaments were van der Wiel from Marbella Final (1982) and the Leiden Zonal Playoff (1982), Christiansen from the US Championship (1981), Murey from Randers B (1982) and the Randers Final (1982), Geller from Yerevan (1982) and the Jacksonville Zonal Playoff (1981), Gheorghiu from the Budapest Zonal Playoff (1982) and Sax from Baile Herculane (1982), Rodriguez from Hong Kong (1982), Garcia from Bayamo (1981), Quinteros from Morón (1982), and Velimirovic from Budva (1981). (2) Tal qualified by having reached the Candidates matches in the previous candidates cycle. Kasparov, Beliavsky and Andersson were selected on the basis of their rating at the FIDE congress in Atlanta, USA in 1981. (3) The players --

    It was in September 1982 that Keene travelled to Moscow to act as a second for Larry Christiansen (http://streathambrixtonchess.blogsp...)

    After 8 rounds Garcia was leading by 1 point, and a sensation? But behind was a quintet of Andersson, Beliavsky, Geller, Kasparov and Tal, and one of these 6 was favorite. In Round 9 was 2 games important for the outcome: Beliavsky defeated Garcia with Black, and Kasparov was almost losing vs Anderrson when the latter offered a draw. K had a difficult start but after this game, K played brilliantly. Before last round, Andersson, Beliavsky, Geller, Garcia and Tal were in 2nd place. Garcia and Geller had the "easiest" opponents (Rodriguez & Sax) but they both lost! Andersson-Tal was a draw, but Beliavsky won vs Gheorghiu and took 2nd place. And the Soviets got revenge for their defeat in Toluca (Tidskrift för Schack vol. 88 (October 1982) p. 233)

    Kasparov watching A Beliavsky vs Tal, 1982 in Round 5: http://visualrian.ru/en/images/zoom...

    Interzonal Moscow 1982 by Robert Wade (1982), 20 pp.

    Hotel Sport, Moscow, USSR 7-24 September 1982

    table[
    Elo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 Pts SonBe* 1 GM Kasparov 2675 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ½ 10 2 GM Beliavsky 2620 ½ * 1 ½ 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 ½ 1 8½ =3 GM Tal 2610 ½ 0 * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 8 48.00 =3 GM Andersson 2610 ½ ½ ½ * 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 8 47.50 =5 GM Geller 2565 ½ 0 ½ 1 * ½ ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 7½ 46.50 =5 GM Garcia 2500 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * 1 1 0 1 1 ½ 0 1 7½ 45.25 7 IM Murey 2500 0 1 0 0 ½ 0 * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 6½ =8 GM Sax 2560 0 1 ½ ½ 1 0 0 * ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 6 37.50 =8 GM Christiansen 2505 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ 1 1 6 34.25 10 GM Velimirovic 2495 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 1 * ½ 1 1 ½ 5½ =11 IM van der Wiel 2520 0 1 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 ½ ½ * ½ 0 ½ 5 31.25 =11 GM Gheorghiu 2535 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * 1 ½ 5 29.25 13 IM Rodriguez 2415 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 0 ½ 0 0 1 0 * 1 4½ 14 GM Quinteros 2520 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 * 3 ]table

    ######################

    <New Research>

    From CHESS … (verbatim):

    <Moscow started with a demonstration by Boris Gulko, who has for years agitated to leave the USSR. He and his wife were arrested. Tal and Guillermo Garcia set the pace, closely followed by Kasparov and Andersson. Kasparov’s extra class against the weaker players soon took him into a clear lead, and Beliavsky beat Tal in a crucial round 7 game. Kasparov had already qualified when the last round startedbut Beliavsky, after salvaging an apprently lost game against Andersson, had drawn level with the Swede as well as Tal, Garcia and Geller. Last round nerves saw Garcia lose to Rodriguez and Geller to Sax. Beliavsky had tired after saving a game with Andersson, quite lost on adjournment, after 14 hours’ play. He nearly lost a won game against Rodriguez. He was again lucky when Gheorghiu, in a position full of life, sealed a losing move on adjournment. Meanwhile, Andersson and Tal had played a “short, colourless draw” reports Keene. Why??>

    NB. Sonneborn-Berger scores given as tie-splitters in the table agree with those already in the draft.

    - CHESS, Oct. 1982, p.141

    From BCM … (paraphrased except in quotation marks):

    Dates given as 7-25 September, Category 12, GM norm =8, IM norm =5.5

    “The third and final Interzonal of the 1981-84 World Championship qualifying cycle was the most exciting and the most productive of dynamic chess.”

    In his early games, Kasparov, the nineteen year old from Baku, played in a risky style and this might have backfired, but for the time shortages faced by his opponents.

    The tournament conditions favoured the youngsters – there was only one rest day.

    Kasparov predicted that himself and Beliavsky would qualify, but he had been totally wrong with his forecasts of the other Interzonals.

    Garcia, at one point on 6/7, looked like creating a sensation until he was halted by Beliavsky and Christiansen with successive defeats.

    “Murey enhanced his reputation while playing in difficult circumstances.”

    “Tal was steady, but rarely his dynamic self.”

    Kasparov’s impressive win against Murey was shunned by the Soviet press, due to Murey’s name being largely censored (along with those of Ivanov and Alburt). Murey used to live in Moscow.

    Ray Keene (from his Spectator column) reported that he and Christiansen “had been subjected to intensive luggage searches at Moscow airport on the way home. Christiansen had been carrying a long article in Russian from Gulko which was to be published in a US chess magazine. This was confiscated.” Keene had also been carrying a letter from Gulko to FIDE, but anticipating that the border guards would intercept it, he had memorised and destroyed it.

    - BCM, Sept. 1982, pp.466-469

    Moscow izt 1982. Part 2/2.
    “I believe that the Las Palmas Interzonal boasted the highest average ELO rating, but I also believe that Moscow was the most difficult tournament from which to qualify. I base my assertion on the strength at the top, where there were four players (Kasparov, Beliavsky, Andersson and Tal) who clearly deserved to qualify.”

    “Only by defeating Gheorghiu in the last round did Beliavsky squeeze through, and if one or more of Tal, Andersson, Garcia or Geller could have won, he would still have faced a play-off for the coveted place in the Candidates.”

    “I attended Moscow as Christiansen’s second. Larry has not been in great form since he won the US Championship last year, but at Moscow he performed to his rating, won some attractive games and played a part in the decision making process at the top, by demolishing Garcia in a late round.”

    Note at the end of the crazy game Beliavsky-Van der Wiel: “ … 41. Rc2 d5 (sealed) 0-1 … The boot is now on the other foot – the king that was on d8 is now safely tucked up in the corner, while White’s monarch is hopelessly exposed.”

    - Keene in BCM, Dec. 1982, pp. 519-521

    NB. More about the Murey and Gulko sagas in Soltis’ Soviet Chess 1917-1991 (p. 371). Soltis also names the original venue as the 13 storey ‘Central House of Tourism’. It seems the venue was hurriedly changed to the Hotel Sport after the Gulko demonstration had blighted the start of the event.

    ##########################

    Kasparov and Beliavsky advanced to the Candidates matches: Ribli - Torre Candidates Quarterfinal (1983)
    Korchnoi - Portisch Candidates Quarterfinal (1983) Smyslov - Hübner Candidates Quarterfinal (1983) Kasparov - Beliavsky Candidates Quarterfinal (1983)

    Kasparov interview after event: Goal was to be no 1 or 2. Before the event he had considered Beliavsky and Andersson as other favorites, but Andersson was more concerned about not to lose than to win. The compromiseless play by Beliavsky deserved a place. Before the Candidates matches, the young grandmasters will now take over, "it's about time for a generation shift even in the chess world". Even he had to confess he'd never played any official match before (Tidskrift för Schack vol. 88 (October 1982) pp. 251-252)

    Kasparov next played in the Luzern olympiad in November (incl. an 1-0 vs Korchnoi)

    Candidates matches drawing of lots 10 November (TfS vol. 88 (December 1982) p. 317)

    *Sonneborn-Berger scores (from Mark Weeks at http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/828...) applied in the event of a tied playoff. A tied playoff for third place took place in Sweden in January between Tal and Andersson, see the Malmö Candidates Reserve Playoff (1983).

    NOTES
    1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interz...

    2) Mainly based on Mark Weeks at http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/zon...

    3) Tidskrift för Schack, vol. 87 (November 1981), p. 287.

    My Story; Garry Kasparov, moderated by James Plaskett; a 5-tape video series (VHS); GMVideo 2000

    Original collections: Game Collection: Moscow Interzonal 1982 by User: suenteus po 147 and Game Collection: 0 by User: Tabanus.

    91 games, 1982

  4. Ostend 1906
    1 game, 1906

  5. Smyslov Biography Edit
    <Previous Smyslov bio>:

    Vasily Vasiliyevich Smyslov was born in Moscow. A talented singer, Smyslov narrowly missed joining the Bolshoi Opera. Opera's loss was the chess world's gain. He was awarded the Grandmaster title in 1941. Moscow champion of 1942. He took his his first win over Botvinnik at Moscow championship of 1943. Moscow champion of 1944/5. Sub-champion of the World in 1948. Shared the first place with David Bronstein in the 1949 Soviet Championship. Winner of Chigorin Memorial 1951. After his success at Zurich 1953, he became the challenger in 1954, but tied the match with Botvinnik. Soviet champion in 1955 sharing the first place with Efim Geller. Again winner of the Candidates Tournaments at Amsterdam 1956 and after winner of Alekhine memorial (drawing Botvinnik) the way was paved for Smyslov to become the 7th World Champion when he defeated Mikhail Botvinnik in 1957. His reign was short-lived as Botvinnik regained the title a year later. Smyslov would go on to many tournament victories such as Amsterdam 1964 (jointly), Havana 1965 in front of [unknown player], and Monte Carlo 1969. In 1982 at the Las Palmas Interzonal Tournament, Smyslov finished second and qualified for the Candidates Matches, and at age 61 advanced past Robert Huebner in the quarter-finals (winning the spin of a roulette wheel to decide the tied match), then defeating Zoltan Ribli in the semi-final, before losing to young challenger Garry Kasparov in the final. Vasily Smyslov crowned a remarkable career by becoming the first Senior World Champion at Bad Worishofen in 1991. His father Vasily Osipovich Smyslov also played and was a strong amateur player.

    [ Crosstables and other info can be found here:
    http://al20102007.narod.ru/ch_repub... http://al20102007.narod.ru/ch_repub... http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/48$...
    http://al20102007.narod.ru/ch_urs/1... http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/525...
    http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/525...
    http://al20102007.narod.ru/nat_tour... http://al20102007.narod.ru/ch_urs/1... http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/555...
    http://al20102007.narod.ru/it/1956/... http://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/646...
    ]

    [Smyslov Videos:
    Singing, playing piano, beating Botvinnik (1957) http://www.britishpathe.com/record.... Receiving World Championship Laurels (1957) http://www.britishpathe.com/record.... Walking with Keres in the Netherlands (1948) http://www.britishpathe.com/record.... ]

    [ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasily... ]

    ###################################

    Game Collection: Smyslov's Tournaments and Matches 1935-1979

    Vasily Smyslov

    <Beginnings>

    Father Vasily Osipovich Smyslov taught him to play chess at age 7. <125 Games, 1>

    His father was a 1st category player who defeated <Alekhine> at the <St Petersburg Chess Society Tournament 1912> Alekhine vs V O Smyslov, 1912 <Soltis p.124>

    After winning a rook odds match against his Uncle Kirill, he was given Alekhine's "Best Games" as a prize. Inscription: 'To the winner of the match, to future champion Vasya Smyslov' <125 Games, 1> His Uncle Kirill was an aviation factory engineer and 2d Category player. <Soltis, 124>

    His father was an "Economic Engineer" working in the "Department for the Preparation of Securities" <125 Games, 1>

    His father was an "engineering technologist" <Romanovsky xi>

    Lived in a small flat in an old house on the outskirts of Moscow. Highlight of our life was a 'Schroeder' piano, on which my father used to play. He began teaching me piano and chess <125 Games, 2>

    "Starting in 1948, I seriously studied singing under Professor Konstantin Zlobin, whom I met by chance in Leningrad in 1947, when I was playing in the 15th USSR Championship. For many years I took lessons from him, and even appeared in a singing competition in the Bolshoi Theatre. But, as in the life of my father, singing remained something for my own satisfaction." <125 Games, 17>

    Up to the age of 14 I studied chess only at home, and did not think of playing in tournaments. But I passionately read chess books. First book I read was Dufresne's self-tutor, published as an appendix in Lasker's <Common Sense in Chess>. From it I became acquainted with the romantic games of the old masters... the impression made by them was stunning. <125 Games, 3>

    Favorite books Capablanca's <Chess Fundamentals>, Tarrasch's <Die Monderne Schachpartie>, Nimzo's <My System> <125 Games, 4

    The historic Alekhine-Capablanca match- I pondered over their games, trying to penetrate into the deep ideas of these great masters. <125 Games, 4>

    Attended <Moscow 1935 and 1936 International Tournaments> with his father, especially attracted by the play of Lasker and Capablanca. <125 Games, 4>

    ###############################

    <Soviet Grandmaster>

    Summer of 1935 participated in 1st chess event. Unrated players in chess club of Gorky Park. He won this and two more, by the end of the summer he was 3d Category. <125 Games, 4-5>

    Fall 1935, joins the Moskvoretsky House of Pioneers. <125 Games, 5>

    Had one of his first end game studies published in <64>, which described him as "the tall, fiery-red-haired, mopheaded, freckled young fellow." <Soltis, p.124

    "In 1936 he entered the second category, and in the autumn of the same year the first category." <Romanovsky, xi>

    In 1937- <Smyslov> on his "happiest moment": At the championship of the Young Pioneers Stadium, where I won all 11 games, didn't give away a single draw, and there were strong players there, almost all of them became masters, I kept the tournament table from that event." <Sosonko> pp.126-27

    My fascination for Chess problem studies assisted the development of my aesthetic understanding of chess, and improved my endgame play. <125 Games, 7>

    Finished Middle School in 1938, became "Youth Champion of USSR". Levenfish gave him 1st prize of an inscribed clock, which "continues to count out the time of my chess career.<125 Games, 9>

    Jan. 1938- Leningrad- Smyslov won the USSR under 18 Championship. <Averbakh p.34>

    "In 1938... Smyslov gained first place in the All-Union Schoolboy's Championship and that same summer competed in the All-Union tournament in Gorky for players of the first category...he shared first and second places in this tournament with Anatole Ufimtsev." (earning the Candidate Master title) <Romanovsky xi>

    -<National Tournament of 1 Category- Gorky August 1938(2 group)> Actually Smyslov shared 1-3 places with Ufimtsev and Stolberg. http://al20102007.narod.ru/nat_tour...

    Shared 1st with Sergey Belavenets, ahead of Grandmaster Andre Lilienthal at <18th Moscow Championship 1938>, awarded Master Title. <125 Games, 9>

    "Chess in the USSR" press report on Smyslov's victory: "the figure of Smyslov in many ways brings to mind M.M. Botvinnik at the beginning of his distinguished chess career." <Romanovsky xiii>

    Finished 3d in the <12th USSR Championship 1940>, Finished 3d in the <Absolute Championship 1941>- "in accordance with the norms in existence, for these two successes I was awarded the title of USSR grandmaster. <125 Games, 9-10>

    "...although... Smyslov achieved good results in the years immediately after the World Championship tournament of 1948, he did not quite live up to the high reputation he had earnt for himself. Indeed, at that time he was outshone by the genius of Bronstein and Keres, and he even had difficulty in keeping up with the rising Soviet stars, Geller, Petrosian and Taimanov.

    (his shared 3d at <Budapest 1950> ... was perhaps the beginning of Smyslov's second surge forward. In the International Team Tournament at Helsinki Smyslov played with Remarkable power and sureness; it was not without reason that grandmaster Bernstein was heard to remark on seeing Smyslov one day, 'There goes the best player in the tournament.'" <P.H. Clarke, xxix>

    ###############################

    <World Champion>

    Big influence was Chigorin's games and his ideas in the Ruy Lopez <125 Games, 10>

    1st International tournament Groningen 1946. "third place... behind Botvinnik and Euwe opened the way for my participation in the battle for the World Championship." <125 Games, 11>

    Smyslov's 2d in the <1948 WCC> seeded him into the <Budapest 1950 Candidates Tournament>. <SOURCE NEEDED> They were to be joined by the unsuccessful invitees to the 1948 Championship, but only Vasily Smyslov and Paul Keres took their places.<nescio>

    "A pre-ELO form of rankings, proposed by the Moscow master and mathematician A. Khachaturov, concluded that during the period of 1947-1949 the pecking order of Soviet players was: (No. 1) Botvinnik, (2)Smyslov, (3)Bronstein, (4)Boleslavsky, (5)Kotov, (6)Keres, (7)Flohr, (8)Lilienthal,(9)Bondarevsky, (10)Averbakh, (11)Tolush, and (12) Semyon Furman." <Soltis p.176>

    3d place in the <Budapest 1950 Candidates Tournament> gave me the automatic right to a place in the next Candidates Tournament. <125 Games, 12>

    Soltis: "In the 1950 Candidates he finished third, and was depressed with the recognition that he had lost ground since 1941, when he was recognized as the number two Soviet player. At that point Smyslov applied for a position as a singer for the Bolshoi but had second thoughts." <Soltis p.212> -

    "In preparing for the meeting with Botvinnik (1954), I studied his favourite schemes, as well as his methods of opening preparation" <125 Games, 13>

    Game Collection: WCC: Botvinnik-Smyslov 1954

    ===

    "Gennady Kuzmin, who suddenly developed an illness in 1976 so that Smyslov could replace him at the Biel Interzonal." <Soltis, 272>

    ===

    -<Game 13>

    Smyslov vs Botvinnik, 1954 (0-1)

    Soltis:

    "...Botvinnik revealed one of his new weapons, 5...b6, and it prompted Smyslov to launch an unsound attack (6.Nge2 d6 7.0-0 Bb7 8.f4 f5 9.g4?! fxg4 10.f5 Qd7) that lost in 41 moves."

    Position after <5...b6>


    click for larger view

    Position after <9.g4?!>


    click for larger view

    Position after <10...Qd7>


    click for larger view

    -Andrew Soltis, "Soviet Chess 1917-1991" (McFarland 1997),p.220

    ===

    -<Game 14>

    Botvinnik vs Smyslov, 1954 (0-1)

    Soltis:

    <"Smyslov later said the game that gave him the greatest esthetic pleasure in his entire career was the 14th of the match. But Botvinnik later saw treachery, since in the 14th game Smyslov quickly innovated in an opening Botvinnik had never tried before. <<<He accused his second, Kan, of disclosing his opening preparation to the enemy camp.>>>

    Even though Smyslov publicly denied this, Botvinnik never took back his accusation.">

    -Andrew Soltis, "Soviet Chess 1917-1991" (McFarland 1997),p.220

    ===

    ###############################

    <Candidate Cycling>

    3d place in the <Budapest 1950 Candidates Tournament> gave me the automatic right to a place in the next Candidates Tournament. <125 Games, 12>

    ===================

    USSR Championship (1955) 1st place

    This tournament wasone of the Zonal events to select players eligible to play in the upcoming Gothenburg Interzonal (1955). <Smyslov> was already seeded directly into the <Amsterdam 1956 Candidates> from being a WCC challenger in 1954.

    -<Amsterdam 1956 Candidates> Amsterdam Candidates (1956) 1st place

    "The battle became especially fierce in the second cycle, when three rounds from the finish Keres was level with me, with Geller and Bronstein half a point behind, and Spassky and Petrosian trailing by a further half point. In this sharp situation I won a very tense game against Bronstein, (Smyslov vs Bronstein, 1956) then drew with Spassky, and success in the final game with Pilnik gave me victory in the tournament." <125 Games, 13-14>

    On his loss in the <Smyslov-Botvinnik 1958> match: "During the match I went down with 'flu, and I finished the event with... pneumonia." <125 Games, 15>

    ===

    1961 Zonal - <28th USSR Championship> in Moscow: Game Collection: USSR Championship 1961a

    "The tournament also served as the Soviet Zonal, qualifying four players for the Interzonal held in Stockholm in 1962 (see Game Collection: Interzonals 1962: Stockholm)."

    -Smyslov finished 5th in the 1961 Zonal - <28th USSR Championship> and did not qualify for the Stockholm Interzonal.

    ===

    -<Amsterdam Interzonal 1964> Amsterdam Interzonal (1964)

    -<Geller-Smyslov Candidates Quarterfinal Match 1965> (1965)Geller - Smyslov Candidates Quarterfinal (1965)

    ===

    -<Palma de Mallorca Interzonal 1970>

    Keres was Smyslov's second. <Soltis, 295>

    Palma de Mallorca Interzonal (1970) (9 Nov - 12 Dec) Shared 7th with Portisch, behind Fischer, Larsen, Geller, Huebner, Taimanov and Uhlmann, with +7 -3 =13. [Winter, p.151, http://storiascacchi.altervista.org... ]

    1971 <Smyslov-Portisch Match (For Official Reserve, Candidates) 1971> In Potoroz ( ) +1 -1 =4. Portisch was declared the winner on previous tie breaks from their shared 7th place finish at the <Palma de Mallorca 1970 Interzonal>, but subsequently, no reserve was required in the cycle. [Winter, p.153, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lajos_..., ]

    DATING CLUE- <Fischer-Taimanov> played (16 May - 1 June)

    ===================

    1973
    <Petropolis Interzonal (1973)> Petropolis Interzonal (1973)

    (July 23 - August 17 1973) was an eighteen-player round robin with the top three qualifying for the Candidates matches. The concurrent Leningrad Interzonal (1973) cycle was much like this one. The winner here was Mecking with 12.5/17 (+7 =10 -0),and there was a three-way tie for second place with 11.5 -Polugaevsky, Portisch and Geller, with Smyslov just behind with 11. Since only three players could qualify for the Candidates matches, there was a play-off later in the year which resulted in Polugaevsky and Portisch joining Mecking in the next stage.

    ===

    1976

    -<Biel Interzonal> Biel Interzonal (1976) (11 July - 6 Aug) Shared 5th with Byrne and Huebner, behind Larsen, Petrosian, Portisch and Tal, ahead of Andersson, Csom, Geller and Smejkal with +5 -0 =13. [Winter p.152, http://www.worldchesslinks.net/ezdo... ]

    Smyslov:

    <My own experience shows that Devil fights God in chess as in real life, and the field of <<<the battle is not the chessboard but in people’s hearts.>>> I realized this after my match against Huebner that ended in a draw. Lots were cast for the winner, in a casino. It was the first time I had the feeling that I could not influence my own fate.>

    - <Smyslov Interview by Vladimir Anzikeev for "Shakhmatnaya Nedelia" (Chess Week). Translated by Zoya Vlassova. First appeared in "Chess Today" No. 1045.>

    ###############################

    <Style and Theoretical contributions>

    "In the concluding lines of a short essay on Tchigorin... found in... N. Grekov, "the Great Russian Chess Master, M.I. Tchigorin," Smyslov (said)... 'We, the Soviet chessplayers, follow the artistic legacy of Tchigorin and respect the memory of this Russian coryphaeus of chess thought." <Romanovsky xvi>

    "The play of a master must express the desire to combine a general strategic plan with a skilful use of tactics in the solution of the problem before him. A leaning to one side or another... disturbs the logical development of a game of chess." <Romanovsky xxi>

    ===

    -<Grunfeld, Smyslov Defence (D94)> Grunfeld (D94)

    1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 g6 3 Nc3 d5 4 Nf3 Bg7 5 e3

    Polugaevsky vs Smyslov, 1960

    ===

    -<Grunfeld Defense, Smyslov variation (D99)>

    <In preparation for <1948 World Championship> I worked out a <<<variation in the Gruenfeld that now bears my name>>>: 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.Nf3 Bg7 5.Qb3 dxc4 6.Qxc4 0-0 7.e4 Bg4 8.Be3 Nfd7

    "The point of the plan, involving the transfer of the king's knight to b6, and the development of the other knight at c6, lies in piece pressure on White's pawn centre."> <125 Games, 11>

    -<Kasparov> on the Gruenfeld Smyslov variation:

    "My Great Predecessors Vol.2," p.280

    ===

    -<Slav Defense: Smyslov Variation (D16)> (<D16: Queen's Gambit Declined Slav>) http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

    -Stem game <5...Na6> in our database- W Orbach vs W Von Holzhausen, 1928

    -<Smylsov> revived the idea against <Gligoric> in the Bled-Zagreb-Belgrade Candidates (1959) Gligoric vs Smyslov, 1959

    ===

    King's Indian Attack: Smyslov Variation Reti Opening (A05)

    Smyslov vs Matulovic, 1961

    ===

    -<Ruy Lopez, Closed, Smyslov Defense (C93)>

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 0-0 9.h3 <h6>

    http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

    ===

    -<Ruy Lopez Fianchetto Defense (C60)>

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 g6

    Smyslov revived this line at <Szolnok 1975>

    E Mednis vs Smyslov, 1975

    P Dely vs Smyslov, 1975

    Kasparov vs Smyslov, 1975

    W Hartston vs Smyslov, 1975

    Westerinen vs Smyslov, 1975

    G Rajna vs Smyslov, 1975

    Kupreichik vs Smyslov, 1976

    ===

    ###########################

    <Fischer> On the eve of the <Spassky-Fischer 1972> world championship, the Soviet Sports Committee asked all the Soviet top grandmasters to prepare a "dossier" on Fischer to help Spassky. In his dossier Smyslov suggested

    "If you find yourself in an unfavourable position, it is good to complicate matters, to divert Fischer from his planned actions. typical in this respect is my game with Fischer in Buenos Aires (1970), where in a difficult situation I successfully sacrificed a pawn by b3-b4." <Russians v. Fischer, p. 324>

    ######################################

    <EDWARD WINTER PRINT SOURCES>

    <1> Edward Winter, ed. "World Chess Champions." Pergamon Press, 1981

    ===

    <2> Edward Winter, "A Chess Omnibus" (Russell Enterprises 2003)

    "Vassily Smyslov is a student at the Moscow Aircraft Institute, and is 21 years old. Nevertheless he has earned a place among the six chess grandmasters of the Soviet Union... Great maturity, level headedness and confidence mark Smyslov's playing in spite of his youth, and many of his admirers predict that he will be a candidate for the world championship."

    -"British Chess Magazine" (Feb 1943), p. 32. <Chessnote 2474> p.144

    ===

    <3> Edward Winter, "Chess Explorations" Cadogan, 1996

    ===

    #########################################

    <Genna Sosonko>

    Genna Sosonko "The World Champions I Knew." New in Chess, 2013

    -<Tilburg 1992> "...I asked myself... when were you happiest in life? ...it was... At the house of pioneers in prewar Moscow... Abram Isaakovich Rabinovich is going through a game, and we, five or six little boys bunched around a table, are saying, it's better if Black goes here. And he says how's it better, what do you know, you little nitwits?" p.110

    ===============

    On Smyslov's wife <Nadia Smyslova> <nee Nadezhda Andreevna> : "...wherever he went... the first thing he did was to take a photograph of a smiling young Nadia Smyslova out of his suitcase and put it on his bedside table." p.111

    ===

    On Smyslov's various, and usually temporary, enthusiasms (paraphrase): "Spiritualism, raising the dead, sculptures and images of idols and gods, UFOs, surgery without anesthetic, and the prophecies of Nostradamus" p.113-14

    ===

    On religion: "He himself said that he had been a believer, albeit secretly, from a young age... He wore a cross on a gold chain, and during our walks, if there was an opportunity, he would go into a church, light a candle, and cross himself in front of the icons." p.114

    ===

    On shopping: "Smyslov would repeatedly exchange things he had just bought... in the mid-seventies it was... a chronic ailment that didn't respond to treatment." p.115

    ===

    On Smyslov's mild temperament: "I could literally count the number of times I saw him angry. I remember one case very well... I said that there had been an assassination attempt on the Pope in Rome... and they'd caught the shooter."

    Smyslov: "They caught him? That kind of villain should immediately be hanged in public in St. Peter's Square, to teach others a lesson. And not just hanged, but by the balls..." p.116

    ===

    On Lenin: "He always avoided saying the name Lenin, even in the Soviet era. He would even say 'When I was playing in the national championship in Petersburg in 1961', using the pre-Soviet name of Leningrad. He called Lenin 'the Antichrist', whose embalmed corpse should have been taken out of Red Square a long time ago." p.118

    ===

    On singing: "Singing was his passion, and in his youth he studied with the famous Professor Zlobin... Smyslov also considered a professional career. He was hread in the Bolshoi Theatre adn in ...the Kirov... Caruso was Smyslov's favorite singer, and he often described how the great Italian had appeared to him in a dreadm and given him... advice on questions of singing technique.

    September 19,1997. The Central Chess Club on Gogol Boulevard. He was very excited: his new CD had just come out... He talked non-stop about music, success, destiny, karma and his plans for the future: 'You now Genna, Stradivarius did his most fruitful work in the period from age 72 to 93. So everything's still ahead of me!'" p.120

    ===

    On chess computers:

    Smyslov: "I still remember going into the club to see Mikhail Moiseevich, to his laboratory, as Botvinnik was also trying to build a computer that could smash a human. I wished him success, but only after I'm no longer around..." p.122

    ===

    On being world chess champion:

    Smyslov: "...when I became World Champion, I got the feeling that the whole world had risen up against me. This didn't help me to have a peaceful life or a relaxed mindset. Perhaps that's why I lost the return match with Botvinnik, and not only because I was seriously ill during the match... Do I regret anything? Yes I do. It's a pity that I wasn't serious and academic, and if I had been, perhaps then I would have stayed World Champion for longer. And I have regrets about my singing." p.125

    ===

    On his biggest success:

    Smyslov: "Which success do I consider to be the biggest of my life? Winning the Candidates' tournaments, you say? The match with Botvinnik? Blunder again! I achieved my biggest success in 1937... At the championship of the YOung Pioneers Stadium, where I won all 11 games, didn't give away a single draw, and there were strong players there, almost all of them became masters, I kept the tournament table from that event." pp.126-27

    ===

    On Fischer:

    Smyslov: "...a friend of Nadezhda Andreevna..asked if it was true that Fischer was the most brilliant player in the whole history of chess. And I told her: it's true, of course, except that apart from him there were other most brilliant players." p.127

    #################################################

    <Yuri Averbakh>

    Yuri Averbakh "Centre-Stage and Behind the Scenes" Steve Giddins transl. New in Chess, 2011

    Jan. 1938- Leningrad- Smyslov won the USSR under 18 Championship. p.34

    ===

    1954 USSR-USA match in New York:

    "Smyslov was now leader, having recently drawn his match against Botvinnik" p.89

    ===

    1976 Korchnoi's defection in Holland. The Soviet Sports Committee drafted a letter Korchnoi, signed by Tal, Smyslov, Petrosian, Taimanov, Polugaevsky, Flohr, and Kotov... but not Botvinnik. p.178

    ===

    -<1982 Candidates Quarterfinal vs. Huebner>

    Averbakh helping Smyslov.

    Averbakh:

    "In his best years, Smyslov had never liked to spend a lot of time on deep study of opening variations. He was more interested in strategic ideas. However, times change and in order to fight on equal terms with young players, armed to the teeth with theoretical knowledge, he had to change his approach to opening preparation, and he started to spend more time on it...

    ...Vasya turned out to be deeply religious, trusting wholeheartedly in God, and accepting his won fate completely. This faith in his destiny helped him to withstand the blows to his pride, which inevitably affect every aging player who is fighting over the board with younger players..." pp.199-200

    WHY WAS SMYSLOV COMPETING IN THIS CYCLE AT SUCH AN ADVANCED AGE?

    "...it seems to me it was Smyslov's pride that was the reason. He hated the fact that he was regarded as a veteran, discounted because of his age. And he had the idea of showing the younger generation... that... he was not weaker than they were in practical strength." p.200

    -<Smyslov's wife> Nadezhda Andreevna p.200

    Paraphrase: Huebner match postponed because Smyslov contracted flu p.201

    Paraphrase: After game 7, Huebner stopped shaking hands with Smyslov, because Smyslov objected to the arbiter that Huebner's head massager, a blind man with a dog, was disturbing him. It was also against match regulations to have members of a player's delegation contact them during play.

    Averbakh: "Smyslov... believed in the existence of black magic and such forces." p.202

    "The ten main games failed to separate them, and the rules provided that four additional games should be played... However, these too failed to produce a result. Then, according to the rules, it had to be decided by lots. The director of the Velden casino, who sponsored the match, suggested using the roulette wheel for this... Huebner preferred not to be there and had already left Velden... The wheel bounced and bounced, and then stopped in a slot. Everyone groaned- it was on zero! The wheel had to be spun for a second time. This time, the ball landed on red, which meant that Smyslov had won the match." p.203

    Paraphrase: FIDE president wanted the Smyslov-Ribli semi final in Abu Dhabi. The Kasparov-Korchnoi semi final was slated for Pasadena, and the Soviets objected they could not guarantee Kasparov's security there, and refused. Smyslov at first agreed with the Soviets that this was unacceptable, but later supported the idea. The Soviets had tied the two matches together- if one was in an improper location, then neither semifinal could be played. p.204

    Smyslov: "I will do anything to play the match in Abu Dhabi, despite the inappropriateness of the FIDE President's decision (Campomanes). I am 62 years of age, and this is possibly my last chance to fight for the world title." p. 204

    Paraphrase: Camopanes then disqualified both Kasparov and Smyslov.

    AT the Manila FIDE Congress, Korchnoi agreed to abide by FIDE decision if the Soviets renounced their boycott of him. p.207

    Compromise:

    Both semi final matches were played in London, helped by Ray Keene. p.207-9

    Financing arranged by computer firm Acorn. p.209

    Averbakh on Smyslov-Ribli:

    "On the whole, he (Smyslov) conducted the match better and, especially more calmly than his younger opponent, who was noticeably nervous and often fell into time-trouble." p.212

    ===

    Candidates final- Kasparov vs. Smyslov in Vilnius:

    Averbakh:

    "In the first, and especially the second game, Smyslov exerted all his strength and nervous energy, and it seemed to me that he could not fully recover. Of course, his age was the main factor...

    The ex-world champion had nothing for which to reproach himself. He fought desperately and took great risks, but on this occasion, Ldy Luck was not on his side... p.214

    ###############################

    <Andrew Soltis>

    Andrew Soltis, "Soviet Chess 1917-1991" (McFarland 1997),p.220

    -<1952 Helsinki Chess Olympiad>

    "Botvinnik... was shocked when he discovered the other members of the team were trying to dump him... Botvinnik confronted Smyslov about being part of what he considered a conspiracy to keep him from the national team. Smyslov, in a June 1993 "New in Chess" interview, denied being part of a plot. He said he was the one who challenged Botvinnik, saying that as world champions- and 'as a member of the Communist Party'- he must have known about the intriguing that was going on. Only Boleslavsky spoke in defense of Botvinnik, the champion recalled, and Botvinnik was replaced on the team by Geller." p.209

    ===

    -<1953, Baptized Russian Orthodox Christian>

    "Even Botvinnik later acknowledged that from 1953 to 1958 Smyslov was 'indisputably the strongest tournament fighter. His talent was universal.' Smyslov was a unique figure. As a baptized Russian Orthodox Christian, he was one of few very strong chess players to be deeply religious. After glasnost, he said it was religion that led him to a feeling of 'harmony,' a key word in his vocabulary, and kept him from accepting invitations to join the Communist Party. Smyslov also believed in predestination ('I think that people who become world champions have been born world champions') and the predictions of Nostradamus, and even believed that Enrico Caruso, his idol, appeared to him in one of his dreams and corrected his singing style.

    Smyslov was one of the tallest of grandmasters, with glassed thicker than Botvinnik's and a slow-moving gait that exuded dignity and calm- a direct contrast with the excitable, combative previous challenger, Bronstein. But while Smyslov seemed to avoid political intrigues he cold not avoid their consequences. On the eve of the 1953 Candidates tournament he was abruptly told that the Sports Committee had ordered Simagin to replace Vladimir Alatortsev, his second since 1946. "It was so sudden I didn't know what to say,' the told the heartbroken Alatortsev. Simagin had been Kotov's trainer for years but they broke bitterly after the previous Candidates tournament. Kotov recalled how Simagin, 'with angry eyes through is thick glassed,' would often shout "I am not your servant!' p. 215

    -<1964 Moscow Zonal>

    "For the first time since the FIDE qualification system was created in 1947, a special non-Soviet Championship zonal tournament was held, running February 18- March 10, 1964, in Moscow, with four Interzonal spots up for grabs. Korchnoi later claimed Smyslov used 'his friends' with acces to the vlasti, possibly culture minister Pyotr Demichev, to get himsefl one of the four seeds without having to play in the zonal. The other seven zonal players were outraged and considered conducting a strike... But Spassky would not take part and the plot collapsed, Korchnoi said. Other accounts say merely that Smyslov declined his invitation on grounds that he would be invited to the Amsterdam Interzonal as a former world champion." p. 265

    ===

    -<1954 Match>

    "Botvinnik's second match began in March, 1954, with him winning the first, second and fourth games. But Smyslov regained his composure, sought double-edged positions and won the seventh, ninth, tenth and eleventh.

    Petrosian felt that Smyslov erred by failing to realize the crisis was over and he could return to his solid roots. 'But to the end of the match Smyslov aimed to sow the wind and he reaped the whirlwind,' Petrosian wrote. The initiative shifted back and forth. Smyslov later said the game that gave him the greatest esthetic pleasure in his entire career was the 14th of the match. But Botvinnik later saw treachery, since in the 14th game Smyslov quickly innovated in an opening Botvinnik had never tried before. He accused his second, Kan, of disclosing his opening preparation to the enemy camp. Even though Smyslov publicly denied this, Botvinnik never took back his accusation" pp.219-220

    "Botvinnik was quick to spot the flaws in his rivals: 'Vasily Vasileyevich (why hide it) was rather lazy.' But he conceded that the younger man had more staying power. Botvinnik had kept in shape by rowing a canoe... But eventually the age difference caught up with Botvinnik and in the last five games of the 1954 match, Smyslov won twice to tie the score." p.221

    ################################

    <Sources>

    Vasily Smyslov, "Smyslov's 125 Selected Games" Ken Neat transl. Cadogen, 1983

    P.A. Romanovsky, "Vassily Vassilievitch Smyslov." Published in Vasily Smyslov, "My Best Games of Chess (1935-1957)" P.H. Clarke ed., transl. (Routledge and Kegan Paul 1958), pp. xi-xxvii (First published as "Izbrannie partii" in Russian in 1952)

    P.H. Clarke, "V.V. Smyslov, 1952-57." Published in Vasily Smyslov, "My Best Games of Chess (1935-1957)" P.H. Clarke ed., transl. (Routledge and Kegan Paul 1958), pp. xxix-xxxi(First published as "Izbrannie partii" in Russian in 1952)

    Garry Kasparov, "My Great Predecessors Vol.2"

    #############################

    3 games, 1957

  6. Submitted Smyslov games
    Submitted Smyslov games for Game Collection: Smyslov's Tournaments and Matches 1935-1979

    Missing games submitted with Number order:

    ===

    <GAME IN DATABASE NOW> N Zanozdra vs Smyslov, 1938

    2 <3d USSR Junior Championship 1938>

    [Event "Ch URS (juniors)"]
    [Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
    [Date "1938.??.??"]
    [Round "?"]
    [White "Zanozdra N.(UKR)"]
    [Black "Smyslov Vassily (RUS)"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "B17"]
    [WhiteElo "0"]
    [BlackElo "0"]
    [Annotator ""]
    [Source ""]
    [Remark ""]

    1.e4 c6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 dxe4 4.Nxe4 Nd7 5.Nf3 Ngf6 6.Nc3 e6 7.Bd3 Be7 8.O-O c5 9.dxc5 O-O 10.c6 bxc6 11.b3 Qc7 12.Bb2 Rd8 13.Qc1 Bb7 14.Re1 Bd6 15.Qg5 h6 16.Qh4 Ne5 17.Ne4 Nfd7 18.Nxd6 Nxd3 19.Nxf7 Nxe1 20.Nxh6+ gxh6 21.Qg4+ Kf7 22.Qg7+ Ke8 23.Ne5 Nxe5 24.Qxc7 Nxc2 25.Rf1 1-0

    <sources>

    Edward Winter ed. "World Chess Champions" (Pergamon Press 1981), p.149

    Rusbase: http://al20102007.narod.ru/ch_urs/1...

    ===

    <GAME IN DATABASE NOW> Lilienthal vs Smyslov, 1940

    6. <19th Moscow Championship 1939-40>

    [Event "Ch Moscow"]
    [Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
    [Date "1939.12.??"]
    [Round "?"]
    [White "Lilienthal Andre (RUS)"]
    [Black "Smyslov Vassily (RUS)"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "E26"]
    [WhiteElo "0"]
    [BlackElo "0"]

    1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nc3 Bb4 4.a3 Bxc3+ 5.bxc3 c5 6.e3 d6 7.Bd3 Nc6 8.Ne2 e5 9.O-O O-O 10.e4 Nd7 11.Be3 b6 12.d5 Na5 13.Ng3 g6 14.Rb1 Ba6 15.Qe2 Qe7 16.Rfe1 Rfe8 17.f3 h5 18.Nf1 Kg7 19.Nd2 h4 20.g3 Rh8 21.f4 hxg3 22.hxg3 exf4 23.gxf4 Rh3 24.Qg2 Rah8 25.Bf1 Rh1+ 26.Qxh1 Rxh1+ 27.Kxh1 Nxc4 28.Bxc4 Bxc4 29.Bf2 Bd3 30.Rbc1 f5 31.exf5 Qf7 32.c4 Qxf5 33.Re7+ Kf8 34.Rce1 Ne5 35.fxe5 Kxe7 36.exd6+ Kd8 37.Bh4+ g5 38.Bg3 Bxc4 39.Nxc4 Qxd5+ 40.Kh2 Qxc4 41.Re7 Qa2+ 42.Kh3 Qxa3 43.Kg4 c4 44.Be5 Qc5 45.Kf5 b5 46.Ke6 Qc8+ 47.Kf7 Qf5+ 48.Kg7 g4 49.Bf6 Qd7 50.Rxd7+ Kxd7 51.Be5 b4 52.Kf6 c3 53.Kf5 c2 0-1

    <sources>

    Edward Winter ed. "World Chess Champions" (Pergamon Press 1981), p.149

    Rusbase: http://al20102007.narod.ru/ch_repub...

    ================

    <GAME IN DATABASE NOW> Smyslov vs I Rabinovich, 1941

    8. <Moscow-Leningrad Telephone Match 1941>

    [Event "Match \"Moscow-Leningrad Telephone Match\1947] [Site "URS"]
    [Date "1941.07.03"]
    [Round "?"]
    [White "Smyslov Vassily (RUS)"]
    [Black "Rabinovich Ilya L (RUS)"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "C91"]
    [WhiteElo "0"]
    [BlackElo "0"]

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5.O-O Be7 6.Re1 b5 7.Bb3 d6 8.c3 O-O 9.d4 Bg4 10.Be3 Re8 11.Nbd2 d5 12.h3 Bh5 13.g4 Bg6 14.dxe5 Nxe4 15.Nf1 Na5 16.Bxd5 c6 17.Bxe4 Bxe4 18.Qxd8 Bxd8 19.N3d2 Bd3 20.Bd4 Bg5 21.Ne4 Bf4 22.Nc5 Bg6 23.b3 Reb8 24.Ne3 Nb7 25.Nxb7 Bxe3 26.Rxe3 Rxb7 27.f4 h6 28.f5 Bh7 29.e6 fxe6 30.Rxe6 Rc8 31.b4 Kf7 32.Rae1 Rcc7 33.Kf2 a5 34.a3 axb4 35.axb4 Rc8 36.Kg3 Rd7 37.Kf4 Kf8 38.Bc5+ Kf7 39.Re7+ Rxe7 40.Rxe7+ Kf6 41.h4 Bxf5 42.gxf5 1-0

    <sources>

    Edward Winter ed. "World Chess Champions" (Pergamon Press 1981), p.152

    Rusbase: http://al20102007.narod.ru/matches/...

    ===

    <GAME IN DATABASE NOW> Smyslov vs Boleslavsky, 1945

    15 <6th Trade Unions Team Championship 1945>

    [Event "Ch \"Trade Unions\" (team)"]
    [Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
    [Date "1945.??.??"]
    [Round "?"]
    [White "Smyslov Vassily (RUS)"]
    [Black "Boleslavsky Isaak (BLA)"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B24"]
    [WhiteElo "0"]
    [BlackElo "0"]
    [Annotator ""]
    [Source ""]
    [Remark ""]

    1.e4 c5 2.Nc3 Nc6 3.g3 g6 4.Bg2 Bg7 5.d3 e6 6.Be3 Qa5 7.Nge2 Nd4 8.O-O Ne7 9.Kh1 O-O 10.a3 Nec6 11.Rb1 d6 12.b4 Qd8 13.Qd2 Rb8 14.Bg5 Qe8 15.Ng1 b5 16.Nd1 c4 17.c3 Nb3 18.Qe2 Ne5 19.d4 Nd7 20.Nf3 e5 21.Nd2 Nxd4 22.cxd4 exd4 23.Nxc4 bxc4 24.Qxc4 Ne5 25.Qxd4 Ba6 26.Rg1 Nf3 27.Qxd6 Rb6 28.Qe7 Nxg1 29.Kxg1 Bd3 30.Rc1 Qa4 31.Ne3 Re6 32.Qb7 Qxa3 33.Nd5 Kh8 34.Re1 Bc4 35.Be3 a6 36.h4 Qa4 37.Rc1 Qb5 38.Qa7 Bxd5 39.exd5 Rd6 40.Bc5 Rd7 41.Bf1 Qa4 42.Qxa6 Qxa6 43.Bxa6 Ra8 44.Bb5 Rxd5 45.Bc6 Rxc5 46.Rxc5 Ra1+ 47.Kg2 Bf8 48.Rc4 Rb1 49.b5 Rb2 50.Kf3 Kg7 51.Be8 Be7 52.Ke4 Rxf2 53.Kd5 Rd2+ 54.Kc6 Bd6 55.Rc3 Be5 56.Re3 f6 57.b6 Rc2+ 58.Kb7 Rc3 1/2-1/2

    <source>

    Rusbase: http://al20102007.narod.ru/nat_tour...

    ===

    No.64

    <GAME IN DATABASE NOW>

    <Leningrad-Moscow Match 1958> In Moscow (5-7 Dec)

    [Event "Match \"Moscow-Leningrad\""]
    [Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
    [Date "1958.??.??"]
    [Round "?"]
    [White "Spassky Boris V (RUS)"]
    [Black "Smyslov Vassily (RUS)"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "C73"]
    [WhiteElo "0"]
    [BlackElo "0"]
    [Annotator ""]
    [Source ""]
    [Remark ""]

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.Bxc6+ bxc6 6.d4 f6 7.c4 Ne7 8.Nc3 Ng6 9.Be3 Be7 10.Qa4 Bd7 11.c5 Qb8 12.O-O-O Qb7 13.Rd2 Rb8 14.dxe5 dxe5 15.g3 Nf8 16.Nh4 g6 17.Qc2 Be6 18.f4 Nd7 19.Nd5 cxd5 20.c6 Qb5 21.cxd7+ Bxd7 22.fxe5 Qc4 23.Qxc4 dxc4 24.exf6 Bxf6 25.Bd4 Bxh4 26.Bxh8 Bg5 27.Be5 Bxd2+ 28.Kxd2 Rb5 29.Bd4 Rg5 30.Ke3 Be6 31.Bc3 Rh5 32.Kf4 Ke7 33.Bb4+ Kf7 34.Rf1 Ke8 35.Rf2 Kd7 36.Ke3 g5 37.Kd4 g4 38.a4 Kc6 39.Rd2 Bf7 40.Ke3 Be6 41.Kf4 Kb7 42.Bc3 Kc6 43.a5 Kb7 44.Be5 Kc8 45.Rc2 Kd8 46.Rd2+ Kc8 47.Bc3 Kb7 48.Ke3 Kc6 49.Rf2 Kd6 50.Rf8 Kc6 51.Ra8 Kb7 52.Re8 Bd7 53.Re7 Kc6 54.e5 Bc8 55.Re8 Bd7 56.Ra8 Kb7 57.Rf8 Rxh2 58.Rf6 Rg2 59.e6 Bb5 60.Kf4 Kc6 61.Kxg4 Kd6 62.Rh6 Re2 63.Kf5 Bc6 64.e7+ Kd7 65.Bf6 Be4+ 66.Kg5 Rf2 67.g4 c5 68.Rh3 Ke8 69.Bc3 Bd3 70.Re3 Re2 71.Rf3 Kxe7 1/2-1/2

    <Source> Rusbase http://al20102007.narod.ru/matches/...

    ===

    No. 71

    <GAME IN DATABASE NOW>

    <11th Moscow-Leningrad Match 1960> In Leningrad (16–17 Jan)

    [Event "Match \"Moscow-Leningrad\""]
    [Site "Leningrad (Russia)"]
    [Date "1960.??.??"]
    [Round "?"]
    [White "Smyslov Vassily (RUS)"]
    [Black "Spassky Boris V (RUS)"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "C65"]
    [WhiteElo "0"]
    [BlackElo "0"]
    [Annotator ""]
    [Source ""]
    [Remark ""]

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.O-O Bc5 5.c3 O-O 6.d4 Bb6 7.dxe5 Nxe4 8.Qd5 Nc5 9.Bg5 Qe8 10.Na3 a6 11.Bc4 Ba7 12.b4 Ne6 13.Qe4 Ne7 14.Rae1 d5 15.exd6 cxd6 16.Be3 Bxe3 17.Rxe3 Qa4 18.Nb1 Qc6 19.Qxc6 bxc6 20.Nbd2 a5 21.a3 Nf5 22.Ree1 d5 23.Bd3 Nf4 24.Bxf5 Bxf5 25.Re3 axb4 26.axb4 1/2-1/2

    Source: Rusbase http://al20102007.narod.ru/matches/...

    ===

    No. 74

    <GAME IN DATABASE NOW>

    <USSR Republics Championship 1960> In Moscow (1-15 Oct)

    [Event "Ch URS (team)"]
    [Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
    [Date "1960.??.??"]
    [Round "?"]
    [White "Gurgenidze Bukhuti (GEO)"]
    [Black "Smyslov Vassily (RUS)"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "C77"]
    [WhiteElo "0"]
    [BlackElo "0"]
    [Annotator ""]
    [Source ""]
    [Remark ""]

    1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 d6 5.c3 Nf6 6.Qe2 Be7 7.d4 b5 8.dxe5 Nxe5 9.Nxe5 dxe5 10.Bb3 Bb7 11.f3 O-O 12.Be3 c5 13.c4 b4 14.Nd2 Ne8 15.Qf2 Qb6 16.Ba4 Nc7 17.Nb3 Ne6 18.O-O-O Nd4 19.Bxd4 cxd4 20.Kb1 Bg5 21.c5 Qf6 22.Qc2 Bc6 23.Na5 Bb5 24.Bb3 Rac8 25.Bd5 d3 26.Qf2 Qh6 27.Nc4 Bxc4 28.Bxc4 d2 29.f4 Bxf4 30.g3 Be3 31.Qe2 Rxc5 32.b3 Rc7 33.Rhf1 Qb6 34.Rf3 Bh6 35.Rd3 a5 36.Rd5 a4 37.Kc2 axb3+ 38.axb3 Qa7 39.Qf3 Qa3 40.Rf1 Qc1+ 41.Kd3 g6 42.Ke2 Qc2 43.Rd1 Ra8 44.Qd3 Qxd3+ 45.Rxd3 Ra2 46.Rf3 Rca7 47.Bd5 Rc2 48.Rff1 Rc1 49.h4 Kg7 50.g4 Bf4 51.Rg1 Rac7 52.Bc4 R7xc4 53.bxc4 b3 %08DA 0-1

    <Source> Rusbase http://al20102007.narod.ru/team_ch/...

    ===

    No. 89

    <GAME IN DATABASE NOW>

    1963 <Moscow Spartakiad>

    [Event "Spartakiada URS"]
    [Site "Moscow (Russia)"]
    [Date "1963.??.??"]
    [Round "?"]
    [White "Nikolaevsky Yuri (UKR)"]
    [Black "Smyslov Vassily (RUS)"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "A14"]
    [WhiteElo "0"]
    [BlackElo "0"]
    [Annotator ""]
    [Source ""]
    [Remark ""]

    1.Nf3 Nf6 2.c4 b6 3.g3 Bb7 4.Bg2 e6 5.O-O Be7 6.b3 O-O 7.Bb2 d5 8.d3 c5 9.cxd5 Nxd5 10.Nbd2 Nc6 11.Nc4 b5 12.Ne3 Bf6 13.Bxf6 Nxf6 14.Rc1 Qb6 15.Qd2 Nd4 16.Ne1 Bxg2 17.N3xg2 Rac8 18.Nc2 Nd5 19.Nge3 Nc3 20.Nxd4 cxd4 21.Ng2 Rc7 22.Rc2 Rfc8 23.Rfc1 h6 24.Ne1 e5 25.Nf3 Qd6 26.Kg2 b4 27.e4 dxe3 28.Qxe3 Re8 29.Re1 Qd5 30.Rd2 f5 31.d4 e4 32.Ne5 Nb5 33.Nc4 Rd7 34.Kf1 Nc3 35.a3 Qb5 36.a4 Nxa4 37.Ra1 Nc3 38.Ra5 Qb7 39.Rxf5 Nd5 40.Qe2 e3 41.Qh5 Nf6 42.Rxf6 e2+ 43.Rxe2 0-1

    <Source>

    Rusbase http://al20102007.narod.ru/team_ch/...

    ===

    No. ????

    <GAME IN DATABASE NOW> Smyslov vs Hort, 1966

    1966 <Moscow-Prague Match>

    [Event "Prague-Moscow m"]
    [Site "Prague"]
    [Date "1966.??.??"]
    [Round "?"]
    [White "Smyslov, Vassily"]
    [Black "Hort, Vlastimil"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [WhiteElo "0"]
    [BlackElo "0"]
    [ECO "B04"]

    1. e4 Nf6 2. e5 Nd5 3. d4 d6 4. Nf3 g6 5. Bc4 c6 6. O-O Bg7 7. exd6 Qxd6 8. Re1 O-O 9. Bg5 Be6 10. Bb3 Na6 11. c4 Nf6 12. Nc3 Nc7 13. Qd2 Rfd8 14. Bf4 Qd7 15. Rad1 Nh5 16. Ne5 Qe8 17. Bh6 Bxh6 18. Qxh6 Nf6 19. h3 Rac8 20. a4 Qf8 21. Qe3 a5 22. Ne2 Nd7 23. Nf3 f6 24. Nf4 Bf7 25. Qxe7 Qxe7 26. Rxe7 Nb6 27. Rc1 Re8 28. Re3 Rcd8 29. Kf1 g5 30. Ne2 Kg7 31. g4 Bg6 32. Ng3 Ne6 33. c5 Nd5 34. Bxd5 Rxd5 35. Rce1 Nc7 36. Re7+ Kf8 37. Rxc7 Bd3+ 38. Kg2 1-0

    -<Sources>

    Di Felice "Chess Results 1964-1967," p.342

    http://www.365chess.com/game.php?gi...

    ===

    <GAME IN DATABASE NOW> Smyslov vs Portisch, 1978

    No. ????

    1978 <European Club Cup Round of Sixteen 1978>

    [Event "Ch \"European Club Championship Round of 16\" (team)"

    Site "Budapest (Hungary)"
    Date "1978.??.??"
    Round "2.1"
    White "Smyslov Vassily (RUS)"
    Black "Portisch Lajos (HUN)"
    Result "0-1"
    ECO "?"
    WhiteElo "2560"
    BlackElo "2630"
    Annotator ""
    Source ""
    Remark "" ]

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. g3 c5 4. d5 exd5 5. cxd5 d6 6. Nc3 g6 7. Bg2 Bg7 8. Nf3 O-O 9. O-O Nbd7 10. Bf4 Qe7 11. Re1 a6 12. a4 Rb8 13. e4 Ng4 14. Nd2 Nde5 15. Nf1 Nc4 16. Qe2 b5 17. axb5 axb5 18. h3 Nge5 19. Bc1 b4 20. Nd1 Nb6 21. f4 Nec4 22. Nde3 Nxe3 23. Bxe3 Re8 24. Rad1 Qa7 25. e5 Ba6 26. Qf2 Nc4 27. b3 Nxe3 28. Nxe3 dxe5 29. f5 e4 30. f6 Bf8 31. Qf4 c4 32. bxc4 Bxc4 33. Bxe4 Bb3 34. Rd2 Rb6 35. Kh2 Qb8 36. Qh4 Qd8 37. Ng4 Ba4 38. Rf2 b3 39. Bxg6 hxg6 40. Re7 Qxd5 0-1

    <source>

    http://www.olimpbase.org/1979c/1979...

    http://www.olimpbase.org/pgn4web/an...

    #######################################

    <Big's Catch of the Day>

    (1954 WC match) Smyslov vs Botvinnik, 1954

    (Moscow ch, 1942) Smyslov vs Lilienthal, 1942

    (WC tnmt, 948) Euwe vs Smyslov, 1948

    (WC match, 1957), although K-Y say the game ended after White's 42nd. Smyslov vs Botvinnik, 1957

    #########################################

    Phony Benoni: <WCC Editing Project> I finally got around to brining in the information about the <Moscow - Prague 1946> matches to my work computer today. *****

    Di Felice reference for the Prague portion:

    "Chess Results 1941-1946", p.315.

    Score Moscow 23.0, Prague 13.0

    *****

    Di Felice reference for the Moscow portion:

    "Chess Results 1941-1946", p.314.

    Score Moscow 28.5, Prague 7.5. Total for the two matches: Moscow 51.5, Prague 20.5.

    More details at the bottom of Game Collection: Just Checking

    Game Collection: Ostend 1906 -- Details of Games and Results

    1 game, 1951

  7. Sukhumi 1972
    Mikhail Tal had just won the <Ilmar Raud Memorial 1972>, and nobody knew it yet, but his loss to [bad player ID] in round 11 of that event would be his last loss for a very long time. He went undefeated in his next 86 games.[1 ]

    Now, at the Georgian seaside resort of Sukhumi, Tal faced a diverse field of Soviets and international invitees.

    <Sukhumi (Georgia, URS) 16 Aug - 4 Sept 1972>[2,3 ] table[
    Elo 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 Pts 1 Tal 2625 * ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 11.0 2 Savon 2595 ½ * ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 0 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 10.5 3 Taimanov 2590 ½ ½ * ½ 0 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 10.0 4 Mukhin 2420 0 0 ½ * 1 ½ ½ 1 0 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 9.5 5 Beliavsky 2420 0 0 1 0 * ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 0 1 1 1 1 ½ 9.0 6 Liberzon 2540 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 7.5 7 Kholmov 2550 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * ½ 0 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 7.5 8 Murey 2380 ½ 0 0 0 0 1 ½ * 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 7.5 9 Espig 2435 ½ 0 ½ 1 0 0 1 1 * ½ 1 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 7.0 10 Hübner 2590 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ * 0 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 7.0 11 Honfi 2440 0 1 ½ 0 1 ½ 1 0 0 1 * 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 6.5 12 Gufeld 2525 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 * 0 0 ½ ½ 6.5 13 Suttles 2470 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 1 ½ ½ 1 * ½ 0 1 5.5 14 Ree 2480 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 1 0 1 1 ½ * ½ ½ 5.5 15 Kirov Ivanov 2450 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ * 1 5.0 16 Jansa 2480 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 * 4.5 ]table

    <Photo Sukhumi> http://www.music.umich.edu/1961symp...

    Of the nine Soviets, veteran grandmasters Mark Taimanov and Ratmir Kholmov were the most well known after Tal. Taimanov was still living down an embarrassing 0-6 loss to Bobby Fischer in the Fischer - Taimanov Candidates Quarterfinal (1971). Kholmov narrowly failed to qualify[4 ] for the USSR Championship (1971), an event won by the international master Vladimir Savon in a remarkable upset. Savon triumphed over Tal, Vasily Smyslov, Anatoly Karpov, Yuri Balashov, Leonid Stein, Lev Polugaevsky, David Bronstein and Taimanov, clearly establishing himself as a rising star.[5 ] Vladimir Liberzon and Eduard Gufeld were solid grandmasters who had never broken through to the elite rank in domestic or international competition.[6 ] Mikhail Mukhin had won the <USSR Junior Championship> in 1965, but had yet to earn a FIDE title. He had failed to follow up his early success, though he was still only 24 years old.[7 ] Yacov Murey was a FIDE international master- in correspondence chess!![8 ] Alexander Beliavsky was still a junior.[9 ]

    The West German Robert Hübner was the only international grandmaster among the foreign guests.[10 ] He had recently qualified for the world championship cycle by finishing shared 2nd at the Palma de Mallorca Interzonal (1970), ahead of Wolfgang Uhlmann, Taimanov, Smyslov, Lajos Portisch, Polugaevsky and Svetozar Gligoric. [11 ] Karoly Honfi held both the FIDE international master and the Hungarian grandmaster title.[12 ] Two-time East German champion Lutz Espig had recently finished 3rd at the <9th Rubinstein Memorial 1971> in Polanica Zdroj.[13,14 ] Hans Ree was a three-time Dutch champion, and Duncan Suttles had won the Canadian championship in 1969.[15,16 ] Tal's friend Vlastimil Jansa had won the Czechoslovakian championship in 1964.[17,18 ] The Bulgarian Nino Kirov Ivanov had just been awarded the international master title in 1971.[19 ]

    The tournament began in the middle of a sweltering heat wave in which temperatures reached 35 degrees celsius in the shade. According to Tal, Hübner suffered most of all, contracting a serious sunburn and peeling skin on his face and arms.[20 ] The stakes were high for both Tal and Savon, since the Soviet Chess Federation had made it clear to both that their inclusion in the upcoming <Skopje Olympiad> in October depended on their results at Sukhumi.[20 ] Tal got off to a slow start, sitting in shared 4th after six rounds. Undaunted, Tal was confident that only Savon presented a serious obstacle to a tournament victory.[20 ]

    Nonetheless, rounds seven to twelve featured remarkable runs by the two youngest players in the field. Beliavsky, just 19 years old, defeated Taimanov and occupied sole first after eight rounds: Taimanov vs A Beliavsky, 1972. Mukhin was playing fearless and aggressive chess and had wrested sole ownership of the lead with three rounds to go. Tal and Savon, however, sat a half point back, well within striking range. In their eighth round game Tal had been horrified to run into a variation prepared by Savon's Soviet Army Club teammates,[20] and his prospects to hold after the adjournment looked dismal: Savon vs Tal, 1972. Tal recalls a bizarre incident after resumption of play:

    [[We were playing with a clock of far from perfect construction, and on which the flag fell at nowhere near the time control. I saw that by rights White had at least a minute left, and to demand a loss on time in such circumstances seemed blasphemous to me. All these thoughts occurred in a flash, and before the controller had time to record the fall of the flag, I made a move and pressed my clock. The game subsequently ended in a draw. ]][20 ]

    Tal was fortunate to hold, since this draw turned out to be the deciding result of the tournament. He won without losing a single game, but finished just a half point in front of Savon. Taimanov came 3rd, followed by Mukhin and Beliavsky. The Soviets dominated the event, filling the top eight slots in the crosstable. The Germans Espig and Hübner finished best of the foreign contingent, sharing 9th place.

    Tal had earned a spot on 4th board in the <Skopje Olympiad>, which turned out to be as good for the Soviet team as it was for Tal.[21 ] He won his board gold medal with a remarkable +12 -0 =4. Savon was also asked to join the Olympic team, on 2nd reserve board.[20,21 ]

    [Notes

    1 Hilary Thomas, "Complete Games of Mikhail Tal 1967-1973" (Batsford, 1979), p.112

    2 Khalifman et al, "Mikhail Tal - 8th World Champion" (PC-CD) Event Index, p.10; http://al20102007.narod.ru/it/1972/...

    3 Round numbers and game dates from <Rusbase>. Pgn download link-http://al20102007.narod.ru/it/1972/...

    4 Kholmov finished shared 3d with Shamkovich at the Ivano-Frankovsk <USSR Championship Semifinal 1971>, but Shamkovich, not Kholmov, was qualified for the <USSR Championship 1971>, likely on his higher Sonneborn-Berger score: http://al20102007.narod.ru/ch_urs/1...

    5 Bernard Cafferty and Mark Taimanov, "The Soviet Championships" (Cadogen 1998), pp.154-156

    6 David Hooper and Kenneth Whyld, "The Oxford Companion to Chess 2nd Edition" (Oxford University Press, 1996), pp.161,225

    7 Andrew Soltis, "Soviet Chess 1917-1991" (McFarland, 2000), p.115; Russian Wikipedia http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9C...

    8 Jeremy Gaige, "Chess Personalia, A Biobibliography (McFarland 1987), p.295. In http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_...

    9 Hooper and Whyld, p.34

    10 Gaige, p.181. In http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert...

    11 Gino Di Felice,"Chess Results 1968-1970" (McFarland 2013), pp.320-321

    12 Hungarian Wikipedia http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honfi_...

    13 German Wikipedia http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lutz_E...

    14 Polbase http://polbase.w.interia.pl/rub71.htm

    15 Hooper and Whyld, p.333

    16 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadi...

    17 Hooper and Whyld, p.186

    18 Mikhail Tal, "The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal" Cadogan 1997 ), p.331

    19 Bulgarian Wikipedia http://bg.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9D...

    20 Tal, pp.403-404

    21 Olimpbase Skopje 1972 Soviet Team http://www.olimpbase.org/1972/1972u...

    Original collection: Game Collection: Sukhumi 1972

    Thanks to User: Paint My Dragon and User: Phony Benoni for Sonneborn-Berger calculations.

    ]

    120 games, 1972

  8. Sukhumi 1972 b
    <Missing Games to Submit>

    <Round 1: 8.16>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.16"]
    [Round "1"]
    [White "Jansa, Vlastimil"]
    [Black "Espig, Lutz"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B83"]
    [WhiteElo "2480"]
    [BlackElo "2435"]
    [PlyCount "57"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. f4 Nc6 9. Be3 Bd7 10. Nb3 a6 11. a4 Na5 12. e5 Ne8 13. Nxa5 Qxa5 14. Ne4 Qc7 15. Bd4 Bc6 16. Bd3 Bxe4 17. Bxe4 dxe5 18. Bxe5 Bd6 19. Qe2 g6 20. Bf3 Rc8 21. c3 a5 22. Rad1 Bxe5 23. Qxe5 Qb6+ 24. Rf2 Rc4 25. Qb5 Qxb5 26. axb5 Rc5 27. Bxb7 Rxb5 28. Bf3 Nf6 29. Rfd2 1/2-1/2

    ==============

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.16"]
    [Round "1"]
    [White "Kirov, Nino"]
    [Black "Suttles, Duncan"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "A41"]
    [WhiteElo "2450"]
    [BlackElo "2470"]
    [PlyCount "63"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. Nf3 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. g3 d6 4. Bg2 Nc6 5. d5 Ne5 6. Nxe5 dxe5 7. c4 f5 8. Nc3 Nf6 9. O-O h5 10. c5 h4 11. Qa4+ Kf7 12. Qb3 hxg3 13. fxg3 Rh5 14. d6+ e6 15. Bf3 cxd6 16. cxd6 Rh7 17. Bg5 Qxd6 18. Nb5 Qf8 19. Rac1 e4 20. Bxf6 Bxf6 21. Bxe4 Kg8 22. Bg2 Be5 23. Bd5 Re7 24. Bf3 a6 25. Na3 Rb8 26. Nc4 Qf6 27. Rfd1 Bd7 28. Qe3 Bxb2 29. Nxb2 Qxb2 30. Rc7 Rbe8 31. Rdxd7 Rxd7 32. Rxd7 1-0

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.16"]
    [Round "1"]
    [White "Mukhin, Mikhail A"]
    [Black "Liberzon, Vladimir M"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B44"]
    [WhiteElo "2420"]
    [BlackElo "2540"]
    [PlyCount "115"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Be7 9. Be2 O-O 10. O-O b6 11. Be3 Bb7 12. f3 Re8 13. Nc2 Rc8 14. Qe1 Ne5 15. Qf2 Nxc4 16. Bxc4 Rxc4 17. Bxb6 Qb8 18. Ba7 Qa8 19. Be3 Rec8 20. Nd4 Qb8 21. Rfd1 d5 22. exd5 Nxd5 23. Nxd5 Bxd5 24. b3 Rc3 25. Rac1 Rxc1 26. Rxc1 Rxc1+ 27. Bxc1 Bd6 28. h3 Qc7 29. Be3 Qc3 30. Qd2 Qxd2 31. Bxd2 f6 32. Kf1 Kf7 33. Ke2 g5 34. Nc2 Kg6 35. Nb4 Bb7 36. Nd3 Bc6 37. Bb4 Bc7 38. Bc5 e5 39. Nb4 Bb7 40. Nd3 e4 41. fxe4 Bxe4 42. Ne1 Bg3 43. Nf3 h5 44. Ke3 Bc6 45. a4 g4 46. hxg4 hxg4 47. Nd4 Bxg2 48. Ne2 Bh2 49. Kf2 Bd5 50. Ng3 f5 51. Bd6 Bxb3 52. a5 Bd5 53. Nxf5 Bxd6 54. Nxd6 Kf6 55. Ne8+ Kf5 56. Kg3 Bf3 57. Nc7 Be2 58. Nd5 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.16"]
    [Round "1"]
    [White "Taimanov, Mark E"]
    [Black "Ree, Hans"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "D78"]
    [WhiteElo "2590"]
    [BlackElo "2480"]
    [PlyCount "59"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Nbd2 g6 5. g3 Bg7 6. Bg2 O-O 7. O-O Ne4 8. Qb3 a5 9. cxd5 cxd5 10. Ne5 Nxd2 11. Bxd2 Nc6 12. Nxc6 bxc6 13. e3 e5 14. dxe5 Bxe5 15. Bc3 Rb8 16. Qa3 Bxc3 17. bxc3 Bf5 18. h4 h5 19. Rad1 Qb6 20. Rd4 Qb2 21. Qxa5 Rb5 22. Qc7 Rc8 23. Qe5 Qxa2 24. Rf4 Qc2 25. Qf6 Rb2 26. Kh2 Be6 27. Ra1 Rf8 28. Ra6 Rb1 29. Rxc6 Qd1 30. Rxe6 1-0

    ##################

    <Round 2: 8.17>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.17"]
    [Round "2"]
    [White "Espig, Lutz"]
    [Black "Honfi, Karoly"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "A15"]
    [WhiteElo "2435"]
    [BlackElo "2440"]
    [PlyCount "119"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. b4 Bg7 4. Bb2 O-O 5. e3 c6 6. Be2 d5 7. Na3 Bg4 8. O-O Nbd7 9. h3 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 e5 11. d3 Qe7 12. b5 a6 13. bxc6 bxc6 14. Nc2 e4 15. Be2 Rfd8 16. cxd5 cxd5 17. Ba3 Qe8 18. Rb1 exd3 19. Bxd3 Ne5 20. Nd4 Ne4 21. Rc1 Rdc8 22. Rxc8 Qxc8 23. Ne2 Nxd3 24. Qxd3 Qc4 25. Qxc4 dxc4 26. Rc1 Rc8 27. f3 Nf6 28. Nc3 Bf8 29. Bxf8 Kxf8 30. Kf2 Ke7 31. Ke2 Rb8 32. Nd1 Rb4 33. Rc2 Nd5 34. e4 Nb6 35. Ke3 Rb1 36. Nc3 Rg1 37. Rb2 Nc8 38. Kd4 Nd6 39. Kc5 Rc1 40. Nd5+ Kd7 41. Rb6 Nb5 42. a4 Nc3 43. Rd6+ Ke8 44. Rxa6 Nd1 45. Ra8+ Kd7 46. Rf8 c3 47. Rxf7+ Ke8 48. Rc7 c2 49. Kd6 Ne3 50. Nxe3 Rd1+ 51. Nd5 c1=Q 52. Rxc1 Rxc1 53. e5 Rc8 54. e6 Rd8+ 55. Ke5 Rc8 56. a5 Rc6 57. a6 Kf8 58. a7 Ra6 59. e7+ Kf7 60. e8=Q+ 1-0

    ==============

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.17"]
    [Round "2"]
    [White "Liberzon, Vladimir M"]
    [Black "Ree, Hans"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "C94"]
    [WhiteElo "2540"]
    [BlackElo "2480"]
    [PlyCount "54"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Be7 6. Re1 b5 7. Bb3 d6 8. c3 O-O 9. h3 Nb8 10. d3 Nbd7 11. Nbd2 Bb7 12. Nf1 Nc5 13. Bc2 Re8 14. Ng3 Bf8 15. b4 Ncd7 16. Bb3 a5 17. a3 h6 18. d4 Qb8 19. Bb2 Nb6 20. Nd2 axb4 21. cxb4 Na4 22. Bxa4 Rxa4 23. dxe5 dxe5 24. Nb3 c5 25. Nxc5 Bxc5 26. bxc5 Nxe4 27. Nxe4 Rxe4 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.17"]
    [Round "2"]
    [White "Suttles, Duncan"]
    [Black "Murey, Jacob"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "B20"]
    [WhiteElo "2470"]
    [BlackElo "2380"]
    [PlyCount "72"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. g3 c5 2. Bg2 g6 3. e4 Nc6 4. Ne2 Bg7 5. O-O d6 6. c3 e5 7. a3 f5 8. d3 Nf6 9. b4 c4 10. Bg5 cxd3 11. Qxd3 O-O 12. Nd2 Be6 13. Rad1 Qc7 14. exf5 gxf5 15. Rfe1 e4 16. Qc2 Nd5 17. c4 Nb6 18. Be3 Qf7 19. Nf4 Nxc4 20. Nxc4 Bxc4 21. Rxd6 Rad8 22. Rxd8 Rxd8 23. Rd1 Nd4 24. Qc1 b5 25. Kh1 Rd7 26. Bf1 h6 27. Bxc4 bxc4 28. a4 Kh7 29. b5 Nf3 30. a5 c3 31. Rxd7 Qxd7 32. Nh5 Bd4 33. b6 axb6 34. axb6 Bxe3 35. Nf6+ Kg6 36. Nxd7 Bxc1 /Time/ 0-1

    ################################

    <Round 3: 8.18>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.18"]
    [Round "3"]
    [White "Honfi, Karoly"]
    [Black "Beliavsky, Alexander G"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "B74"]
    [WhiteElo "2440"]
    [BlackElo "2420"]
    [PlyCount "135"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 a6 6. f4 g6 7. Be2 Bg7 8. Be3 Nc6 9. Nb3 O-O 10. O-O Bd7 11. Kh1 Rc8 12. Bf3 Qc7 13. Qd2 Rfe8 14. Nd5 Nxd5 15. exd5 Nb8 16. c3 Bb5 17. Rfe1 Nd7 18. Nd4 Nb6 19. b3 Qxc3 20. Qxc3 Rxc3 21. Nxb5 Rxe3 22. Rxe3 Bxa1 23. Nxd6 Rd8 24. Nxb7 Rc8 25. g3 Rc1+ 26. Kg2 Rc2+ 27. Kh3 Bf6 28. a4 Rd2 29. Nc5 a5 30. Rd3 Rxd3 31. Nxd3 Bd4 32. Kg2 Kf8 33. Kf1 Ke8 34. Ke2 f6 35. Nc1 Kd7 36. Kd3 Bb2 37. Ne2 Kd6 38. b4 Nxa4 39. Kc4 axb4 40. Kb3 Kc5 41. Kxa4 Kc4 42. Be4 b3 43. f5 g5 44. g4 Be5 45. h3 Bd6 46. Nc1 Kd4 47. Bb1 Kxd5 48. Kxb3 Kd4 49. Ne2+ Ke3 50. Nc3 Kf3 51. Bc2 Kg2 52. Ne4 Kxh3 53. Bd1 Bf4 54. Kc4 h5 55. gxh5 g4 56. Nf2+ Kh4 57. Nxg4 Kxh5 58. Kd5 Kg5 59. Ke6 Bc1 60. Nf2 Bb2 61. Nh3+ Kh4 62. Nf4 Kg5 63. Nd5 Kh6 64. Kxe7 Kg7 65. Ke6 Be5 66. Ba4 Bb2 67. Nc7 Kf8 68. Ne8 1-0

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.18"]
    [Round "3"]
    [White "Jansa, Vlastimil"]
    [Black "Mukhin, Mikhail A"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B51"]
    [WhiteElo "2480"]
    [BlackElo "2420"]
    [PlyCount "65"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nc6 4. O-O Bd7 5. Re1 Nf6 6. c3 a6 7. Bf1 e5 8. d4 cxd4 9. cxd4 Bg4 10. d5 Nd4 11. Be3 Nxf3+ 12. gxf3 Bh5 13. Nd2 Be7 14. Bh3 O-O 15. Qb3 b5 16. a4 Rb8 17. axb5 Rxb5 18. Qc3 a5 19. Rec1 h6 20. b3 Nh7 21. Qc7 Ng5 22. Bg4 Bxg4 23. fxg4 h5 24. Qxd8 Bxd8 25. Rc6 hxg4 26. Rxd6 Nf3+ 27. Kg2 Nxd2 28. Bxd2 Rxb3 29. Ra6 f5 30. exf5 Rd3 31. Bxa5 Rxd5 32. Bxd8 Rdxd8 33. Rg6 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.18"]
    [Round "3"]
    [White "Kirov, Nino"]
    [Black "Espig, Lutz"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B83"]
    [WhiteElo "2450"]
    [BlackElo "2435"]
    [PlyCount "50"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 Be7 7. O-O O-O 8. f4 Nc6 9. Be3 Bd7 10. Nb3 a6 11. a4 Na5 12. e5 Ne8 13. Nxa5 Qxa5 14. Qd2 Qc7 15. Bd4 Bc6 16. Qe3 dxe5 17. fxe5 Rc8 18. Bd3 g6 19. a5 Ng7 20. Bb6 Qb8 21. Rae1 Nf5 22. Qf4 Bd8 23. Bxf5 exf5 24. Qh6 Bxb6+ 25. axb6 Rfe8 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.18"]
    [Round "3"]
    [White "Ree, Hans"]
    [Black "Huebner, Robert"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "A42"]
    [WhiteElo "2480"]
    [BlackElo "2590"]
    [PlyCount "172"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. c4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 d6 4. e4 e5 5. dxe5 dxe5 6. Qxd8+ Kxd8 7. f4 Be6 8. Nf3 Nd7 9. Be2 exf4 10. Bxf4 Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 Ngf6 12. Ng5 h6 13. Nxe6+ fxe6 14. O-O g5 15. Be3 Ke7 16. Rab1 b6 17. e5 Nh7 18. c5 Rhf8 19. Bd3 Rxf1+ 20. Rxf1 Nhf8 21. h4 Nxc5 22. Bc2 Kd7 23. hxg5 hxg5 24. Bxg5 Kc6 25. Bd1 Rc8 26. Be3 Ncd7 27. Bd4 Ng6 28. Ba4+ b5 29. Bc2 Ngxe5 30. Be4+ Kd6 31. Rd1 Ke7 32. Re1 Rg8 33. Bb7 Nd3 34. Rd1 Nf4 35. Bc6 a6 36. Be3 Ne2+ 37. Kf2 Ne5 38. Bc5+ Kf6 39. Kxe2 Nxc6 40. Kf2 Rg4 41. Rd7 Rc4 42. Be3 Ne5 43. Bd4 c5 44. Bxe5+ Kxe5 45. Rd3 Ra4 46. Rd2 Ra3 47. Rc2 Kf4 48. Ke2 e5 49. Kf2 e4 50. Ke2 Ra4 51. Kd2 Kg3 52. Ke3 Rc4 53. Rb2 Rxc3+ 54. Kxe4 Ra3 55. Kd5 c4 56. Ke4 Rd3 57. Rc2 Rd1 58. a4 Rb1 59. axb5 axb5 60. Kd4 Rb4 61. Kc5 Rb3 62. Kd4 Kg4 63. Rc1 Kf5 64. Rf1+ Kg5 65. Rc1 Kf4 66. Rc2 Kf5 67. Rf2+ Kg5 68. Rc2 Kg6 69. Rc1 Rb2 70. Kc3 Rxg2 71. Rb1 Rg5 72. Rb2 Rd5 73. Kb4 Kf5 74. Rb1 Kf4 75. Re1 Rh5 76. Re8 Re5 77. Rd8 Ke3 78. Rh8 Kd3 79. Rh3+ Re3 80. Rh8 c3 81. Kb3 b4 82. Rd8+ Ke2 83. Rd4 Rd3 84. Rxb4 Kd1 85. Kc4 Kd2 86. Rb3 Rd8 0-1

    #############################

    <Round 4: 8.20>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.20"]
    [Round "4"]
    [White "Beliavsky, Alexander G"]
    [Black "Kirov, Nino"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "B44"]
    [WhiteElo "2420"]
    [BlackElo "2450"]
    [PlyCount "93"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Na3 Be7 9. Be2 O-O 10. O-O b6 11. Be3 Bb7 12. Re1 Rc8 13. Rc1 Re8 14. Bf1 Ne5 15. Qd4 Nfg4 16. Bf4 d5 17. Na4 Bc5 18. Nxc5 bxc5 19. Qc3 Ng6 20. Qg3 Nf6 21. exd5 Nh5 22. Qb3 Nhxf4 23. Qxb7 Rb8 24. Qc6 Nh4 25. Rc3 exd5 26. Rxe8+ Qxe8 27. Qxe8+ Rxe8 28. Re3 Rd8 29. cxd5 Nxd5 30. Rd3 Nf5 31. Nc2 a5 32. g3 Nd4 33. Nxd4 Nb4 34. Rd2 cxd4 35. a3 Nc6 36. f4 Kf8 37. Bb5 Rd6 38. Kf2 Na7 39. Ba4 Ke7 40. Rc2 Kd8 41. Rc5 Nc8 42. Rxa5 Nb6 43. Bb3 Nd7 44. Rd5 Rxd5 45. Bxd5 Nf6 46. Bf3 Kc7 47. Ke2 1-0

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.20"]
    [Round "4"]
    [White "Espig, Lutz"]
    [Black "Murey, Jacob"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "B57"]
    [WhiteElo "2435"]
    [BlackElo "2380"]
    [PlyCount "61"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nc3 Nc6 3. Nge2 Nf6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 d6 6. Bc4 Bd7 7. Bb3 Qa5 8. f3 Nxd4 9. Qxd4 e6 10. Be3 Be7 11. g4 O-O 12. g5 Nh5 13. Qd2 f5 $2 14. O-O-O f4 15. Bf2 Qxg5 $2 16. Rhg1 Qa5 17. Nd5 $1 Qxd2+ 18. Rxd2 Bd8 19. Nc3 Bc7 20. Bc5 Nf6 21. e5 dxe5 22. Ne4 Nd5 23. c4 Nb6 24. Bxb6 Bxb6 25. c5 Bc6 26. cxb6 Bxe4 27. fxe4 axb6 28. Rd7 g6 29. Bxe6+ Kh8 30. Kd2 Ra4 31. Kd3 1-0

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.20"]
    [Round "4"]
    [White "Mukhin, Mikhail A"]
    [Black "Honfi, Karoly"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "B41"]
    [WhiteElo "2420"]
    [BlackElo "2440"]
    [PlyCount "61"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. c4 Nf6 6. Nc3 Bb4 7. Bd3 Nc6 8. Nxc6 dxc6 9. e5 Qa5 10. exf6 Bxc3+ 11. bxc3 Qxc3+ 12. Qd2 Qxa1 13. fxg7 Qxg7 14. O-O e5 15. f4 Bh3 16. Be4 Rd8 17. Qe3 exf4 18. Bxc6+ Kf8 19. Qc5+ Kg8 20. Bxb7 h5 21. Bxf4 Qg6 22. Bd5 Rh7 23. Be5 h4 24. Qe7 Rf8 25. Bd6 Rc8 26. Be4 Qg4 27. Bxh7+ Kxh7 28. Rxf7+ Kg8 29. Rf8+ Rxf8 30. Qxf8+ Kh7 31. Qf7+ 1-0

    #############################

    <Round 5: 8.21>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.21"]
    [Round "5"]
    [White "Gufeld, Eduard"]
    [Black "Espig, Lutz"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B39"]
    [WhiteElo "2525"]
    [BlackElo "2435"]
    [PlyCount "70"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 g6 3. e4 Bg7 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nc6 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nc3 Ng4 8. Qxg4 Nxd4 9. Qd1 e5 10. Nb5 O-O 11. Qd2 Qh4 12. Bd3 d5 13. cxd5 Nxb5 14. Bxb5 Qxe4 15. O-O Rd8 16. Rfd1 Qf5 17. Rac1 Bd7 18. Be2 e4 19. Rc7 Bc6 20. dxc6 Rxd2 21. Rxd2 bxc6 22. Bc4 Be5 23. Rxf7 Qxf7 24. Bxf7+ Kxf7 25. Rd7+ Ke6 26. Rxh7 a5 27. b3 a4 28. bxa4 Rxa4 29. Ra7 Rb4 30. Kf1 Rb1+ 31. Ke2 Bc3 32. f3 Rb2+ 33. Kf1 exf3 34. gxf3 Rxh2 35. a4 Ra2 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.21"]
    [Round "5"]
    [White "Jansa, Vlastimil"]
    [Black "Liberzon, Vladimir M"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B49"]
    [WhiteElo "2480"]
    [BlackElo "2540"]
    [PlyCount "33"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. Be2 Qc7 7. f4 b5 8. Nxc6 Qxc6 9. Bf3 Bb7 10. Be3 Rd8 11. Qd3 Qc7 12. O-O Bc5 13. Bxc5 Qxc5+ 14. Kh1 Ne7 15. e5 Bxf3 16. Rxf3 d5 17. exd6 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.21"]
    [Round "5"]
    [White "Kirov, Nino"]
    [Black "Mukhin, Mikhail A"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "A16"]
    [WhiteElo "2450"]
    [BlackElo "2420"]
    [PlyCount "78"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Qa4+ Bd7 6. Qh4 Bc6 7. Qd4 f6 8. e4 e5 9. Qd3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Qxd3 11. Bxd3 Nd7 12. Bc2 Nc5 13. d3 O-O-O 14. Ke2 Bb5 15. c4 Ba4 16. Bxa4 Nxa4 17. Bd2 h5 18. Ne1 Rh7 19. h4 Rhd7 20. Rh3 Nc5 21. Rd1 f5 22. exf5 gxf5 23. Bg5 Re8 24. Nc2 f4 25. Rhh1 Na4 26. Rde1 Bg7 27. g3 Nb2 28. Nb4 c6 29. Rb1 e4 30. dxe4 Rxe4+ 31. Kf3 Rxc4 32. a3 a5 33. Na2 Rd3+ 34. Kg2 fxg3 35. Rhe1 gxf2 36. Re8+ Kc7 37. Kxf2 Rc2+ 38. Ke1 Rh3 39. Re7+ Kd6 0-1

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.21"]
    [Round "5"]
    [White "Murey, Jacob"]
    [Black "Beliavsky, Alexander G"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "A01"]
    [WhiteElo "2380"]
    [BlackElo "2420"]
    [PlyCount "118"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. b3 e5 2. Bb2 Nc6 3. e3 Nge7 4. Nf3 Ng6 5. d4 e4 6. Nfd2 d5 7. c4 Bb4 8. Nc3 Nce7 9. cxd5 Bxc3 10. Bxc3 Nxd5 11. Bb2 f5 12. Ba3 Be6 13. h4 Qf6 14. g3 O-O-O 15. Qc2 Rhe8 16. O-O-O Kb8 17. Kb1 Bc8 18. Nc4 Re6 19. h5 Nh8 20. Ne5 Nf7 21. Bc4 c6 22. Bb2 Ree8 23. Bxd5 Rxd5 24. Qe2 Red8 25. Rc1 Qe7 26. Rc2 Nxe5 27. dxe5 c5 28. Rhc1 b6 29. Qc4 a5 30. g4 g6 31. hxg6 hxg6 32. gxf5 gxf5 33. f3 exf3 34. Qf4 Ba6 35. Ka1 Be2 36. Rg1 Ka7 37. Rcc1 Ka6 38. e4 fxe4 39. Qxe4 Qf7 40. Qe3 Rd3 41. Qf2 Qd5 42. Qh4 Re8 43. Qh5 Re7 44. Qf5 Rd4 45. Qc8+ Qb7 46. Qxb7+ Kxb7 47. Bxd4 cxd4 48. Kb2 d3 49. Rcf1 Rc7 50. e6 d2 51. Ra1 f2 52. Rh1 b5 53. a3 b4 54. axb4 axb4 55. Rh4 Rc2+ 56. Kxc2 d1=Q+ 57. Rxd1 Bxd1+ 58. Kd2 f1=Q 59. Rxb4+ Kc6 0-1

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.21"]
    [Round "5"]
    [White "Ree, Hans"]
    [Black "Suttles, Duncan"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "A10"]
    [WhiteElo "2480"]
    [BlackElo "2470"]
    [PlyCount "34"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. c4 g6 2. g3 Bg7 3. Bg2 d6 4. Nc3 Nc6 5. Rb1 a5 6. a3 h5 7. h4 Nh6 8. b4 axb4 9. axb4 O-O 10. Nh3 Bf5 11. Ne4 Qd7 12. Nf4 Ra2 13. O-O Rfa8 14. d3 Ng4 15. Bd2 R8a3 16. Bc1 Ra8 17. Bd2 R8a3 1/2-1/2

    ####################################

    <Round 6: 8.23>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.23"]
    [Round "6"]
    [White "Espig, Lutz"]
    [Black "Taimanov, Mark E"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "A37"]
    [WhiteElo "2435"]
    [BlackElo "2590"]
    [PlyCount "39"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. Nf3 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. g3 e5 4. Nc3 g6 5. Bg2 Bg7 6. O-O Nge7 7. Ne1 O-O 8. a3 d6 9. Rb1 Be6 10. Nd5 a5 11. d3 Rb8 12. Bd2 b5 13. b3 b4 14. Nc2 f5 15. axb4 axb4 16. Bg5 h6 17. Nxe7+ Nxe7 18. Bxe7 Qxe7 19. Ne3 Kh7 20. Nd5 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.23"]
    [Round "6"]
    [White "Jansa, Vlastimil"]
    [Black "Honfi, Karoly"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B42"]
    [WhiteElo "2480"]
    [BlackElo "2440"]
    [PlyCount "174"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 a6 5. Bd3 Nf6 6. O-O Qc7 7. Nd2 Bd6 8. N2f3 Nc6 9. c3 b5 10. Qe2 Ng4 11. h3 h5 12. Re1 Bc5 13. e5 Bb7 14. hxg4 hxg4 15. Ng5 f5 16. Bxf5 exf5 17. Nxf5 O-O-O 18. Nf7 g3 19. N7d6+ Kb8 20. Nxg3 Bxd6 21. exd6 Qxd6 22. Qg4 Rdf8 23. Be3 Qf6 24. Qg5 Qf7 25. Rad1 g6 26. Bc5 Re8 27. Rxe8+ Rxe8 28. Be3 Kc8 29. Qd5 Qxd5 30. Rxd5 Ne5 31. Rd6 Nc4 32. Rxg6 Nxe3 33. fxe3 Rxe3 34. Kf2 Re5 35. Ne2 a5 36. Nd4 Kc7 37. Rg3 Kb6 38. Rd3 Rg5 39. Nf3 Rg7 40. Rd2 b4 41. Rd4 bxc3 42. bxc3 Kc5 43. Rf4 Bd5 44. a4 Be6 45. Nd4 Bd5 46. g4 Rg8 47. Nf5 Rb8 48. Ne3 Be6 49. Ke2 Rb2+ 50. Kd3 Ba2 51. Nc4 Rg2 52. Nd2 Be6 53. Ne4+ Kd5 54. Nf2 Rg3+ 55. Kc2 Ke5 56. Re4+ Kf6 57. Kd2 Kg6 58. Re5 Bxg4 59. Rxa5 Bf5 60. Rd5 Kf6 61. a5 Rg1 62. Nd3 Rg2+ 63. Ke3 Be6 64. Rb5 Rg3+ 65. Kd4 Rg4+ 66. Ke3 Rg3+ 67. Ke4 Bc4 68. Rb6+ Ke7 69. Ne5 Bf1 70. Kd4 d6 71. Nc6+ Kd7 72. Nb4 Rg4+ 73. Ke3 Rg5 74. a6 Ra5 75. Kd4 Ra4 76. c4 Bg2 77. Kc3 Kc7 78. Rb5 Bf3 79. Rf5 Kb6 80. Rf6 Kc7 81. Rf7+ Kb6 82. Rd7 Kc5 83. Nd3+ Kc6 84. Rf7 Rxc4+ 85. Kb3 Bd5 86. a7 Rh4+ 87. Kc3 Kb6 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.23"]
    [Round "6"]
    [White "Mukhin, Mikhail A"]
    [Black "Murey, Jacob"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "D75"]
    [WhiteElo "2420"]
    [BlackElo "2380"]
    [PlyCount "145"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 c5 5. Bg2 cxd4 6. Nxd4 d5 7. cxd5 Nxd5 8. O-O O-O 9. Nc3 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Qa5 11. Qb3 Nc6 12. Be3 Nxd4 13. cxd4 Rd8 14. Rfd1 Rd6 15. Rac1 Rb6 16. Qc4 Bf6 17. Bh6 Bg4 18. h3 Qh5 19. hxg4 Qxh6 20. Rb1 Rxb1 21. Rxb1 Qg5 22. Rxb7 Rd8 23. d5 Qd2 24. Bf3 Kg7 25. Kg2 a5 26. a4 Re8 27. Qc6 Kf8 28. Qc7 Qc3 29. Qd7 Be5 30. g5 Bd6 31. Rb1 Qc8 32. Qb5 Qc5 33. Qxc5 Bxc5 34. Rb5 Bb4 35. Bg4 Kg7 36. e4 Rd8 37. e5 h6 38. gxh6+ Kxh6 39. f4 Kg7 40. Kf3 Rh8 41. Bd7 Rh2 42. Bc6 Rc2 43. Rb7 Rc3+ 44. Ke2 Bc5 45. Kf1 Kf8 46. Kg2 Rc2+ 47. Kh3 Rc3 48. Bb5 Re3 49. Rd7 Kg7 50. Kg2 g5 51. Rc7 Bb4 52. Kf2 Re1 53. Be2 gxf4 54. gxf4 Kh6 55. d6 exd6 56. exd6 Ra1 57. Rxf7 Ra2 58. Rc7 Rd2 59. d7 Be7 60. Ke3 Rd6 61. Bb5 Kg6 62. Rc8 Kf7 63. Ra8 Rd1 64. Bd3 Re1+ 65. Be2 Ra1 66. d8=Q Bxd8 67. Rxd8 Rxa4 68. Ra8 Ke6 69. Ra6+ Kf5 70. Bd3+ Kg4 71. f5 Kg5 72. Rg6+ Kh5 73. Be2+ 1-0

    ===============

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.23"]
    [Round "6"]
    [White "Suttles, Duncan"]
    [Black "Huebner, Robert"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B10"]
    [WhiteElo "2470"]
    [BlackElo "2590"]
    [PlyCount "58"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. g3 d5 2. Bg2 e5 3. d3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Bd6 5. O-O O-O 6. Nbd2 Nbd7 7. e4 c6 8. Re1 Re8 9. a4 a5 10. b3 d4 11. Nc4 Bc7 12. Nh4 b5 13. Nb2 Nf8 14. Rf1 Ra6 15. Bd2 N6d7 16. Bh3 Ng6 17. Nf5 Nc5 18. Bg4 Be6 19. h4 Ne7 20. Nxe7+ Qxe7 21. Kg2 Qd7 22. Bxe6 Qxe6 23. Qe2 Nb7 24. Ra2 Bd6 25. Rfa1 Rea8 26. Nd1 R6a7 27. f3 Qe7 28. Nf2 Bb4 29. h5 h6 1/2-1/2

    ################################

    <Round 7: 8.24>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.24"]
    [Round "7"]
    [White "Gufeld, Eduard"]
    [Black "Mukhin, Mikhail A"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "E65"]
    [WhiteElo "2525"]
    [BlackElo "2420"]
    [PlyCount "27"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. O-O d6 6. d4 c5 7. Nc3 Nc6 8. dxc5 dxc5 9. Be3 Qa5 10. Qa4 Qxa4 11. Nxa4 b6 12. Rad1 Bb7 13. h3 Rad8 14. Nc3 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.24"]
    [Round "7"]
    [White "Honfi, Karoly"]
    [Black "Liberzon, Vladimir M"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "A36"]
    [WhiteElo "2440"]
    [BlackElo "2540"]
    [PlyCount "55"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. c4 Nc6 3. Nc3 g6 4. g3 Bg7 5. Bg2 d6 6. d3 e6 7. Nge2 Nge7 8. O-O O-O 9. Be3 Nd4 10. f4 Rb8 11. Qd2 a6 12. g4 f5 13. gxf5 exf5 14. Bxd4 cxd4 15. Nd5 b5 16. Nxe7+ Qxe7 17. cxb5 Rxb5 18. Ng3 fxe4 19. dxe4 d3 20. Qxd3 Rxb2 21. Rad1 Rxa2 22. Qxd6 Qxd6 23. Rxd6 Bb7 24. Rb1 Rb2 25. Rxb2 Bxb2 26. e5 Bxg2 27. Kxg2 Rxf4 28. e6 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.24"]
    [Round "7"]
    [White "Kirov, Nino"]
    [Black "Jansa, Vlastimil"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "D76"]
    [WhiteElo "2450"]
    [BlackElo "2480"]
    [PlyCount "85"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. Nf3 g6 2. d4 Nf6 3. c4 Bg7 4. g3 O-O 5. Bg2 d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. O-O Nb6 8. Nc3 Nc6 9. Bf4 Nxd4 10. Nxd4 e5 11. Nc6 bxc6 12. Be3 Qxd1 13. Rfxd1 Bb7 14. Rac1 f5 15. Nb5 e4 16. Nxc7 Rad8 17. Ne6 Rxd1+ 18. Rxd1 Rb8 19. Nxg7 Kxg7 20. f3 exf3 21. Bxf3 Kf7 22. Rd3 Ke6 23. Rb3 Ba6 24. Ra3 Bc4 25. Rxa7 Nd5 26. Bd4 c5 27. Bg7 Nb4 28. b3 Bd5 29. Kf2 Bxf3 30. Kxf3 Nc6 31. Ra4 Kd5 32. g4 fxg4+ 33. Rxg4 Ra8 34. Ra4 Rxa4 35. bxa4 Nb4 36. e4+ Kc4 37. a5 Kb5 38. e5 Kxa5 39. e6 Nd5 40. Ke4 Nc7 41. e7 Kb5 42. Be5 Ne8 43. Kd5 1-0

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.24"]
    [Round "7"]
    [White "Ree, Hans"]
    [Black "Espig, Lutz"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "E32"]
    [WhiteElo "2480"]
    [BlackElo "2435"]
    [PlyCount "84"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Bb4 4. Qc2 O-O 5. a3 Bxc3+ 6. Qxc3 b6 7. Bg5 Bb7 8. e3 d6 9. f3 Nbd7 10. Bd3 e5 11. Bf5 Qe8 12. Ne2 c5 13. dxe5 dxe5 14. Rd1 h6 15. Bh4 g6 16. Bxd7 Nxd7 17. Qd3 Nb8 18. Nc3 Qe6 19. Nd5 Bxd5 20. Qxd5 Qxd5 21. Rxd5 Nc6 22. Ke2 Rfe8 23. Rhd1 Re6 24. g4 Na5 25. Rc1 Rc8 26. Rd7 Nc6 27. Rcd1 Rce8 28. Be1 R6e7 29. R7d5 a5 30. Bc3 Re6 31. Rd7 Kf8 32. R1d6 Rxd6 33. Rxd6 Rc8 34. Rd7 Re8 35. Rb7 Re6 36. Rxb6 Nd4+ 37. Bxd4 exd4 38. Rxe6 fxe6 39. exd4 cxd4 40. f4 g5 41. f5 exf5 42. gxf5 Ke7 1-0

    #########################

    <Round 8: 8.25>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.25"]
    [Round "8"]
    [White "Espig, Lutz"]
    [Black "Huebner, Robert"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B06"]
    [WhiteElo "2435"]
    [BlackElo "2590"]
    [PlyCount "168"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. Nf3 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. d4 d6 4. Bc4 Nf6 5. Qe2 c6 6. Bb3 Bg4 7. O-O O-O 8. Nbd2 e5 9. dxe5 dxe5 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Qxf3 Nbd7 12. c3 a5 13. a4 Qc7 14. Nc4 Nc5 15. Bc2 b5 16. Be3 Ne6 17. axb5 cxb5 18. Nb6 Ra6 19. Nd5 Nxd5 20. exd5 Nd4 21. Bxd4 exd4 22. Bd3 dxc3 23. bxc3 Rf6 24. Qe2 Qxc3 25. Rfc1 Qd4 26. Rxa5 Bh6 27. Rf1 b4 28. Rb5 Rc8 29. Qg4 Qxg4 30. hxg4 Bf8 31. Be4 Rc4 32. g5 Rd6 33. f3 Be7 34. Rb1 Rd7 35. Kf1 Ra7 36. Rd1 Rd7 37. Rb1 Rd4 38. Ke2 Bxg5 39. R5xb4 Rd2+ 40. Kf1 f5 41. f4 fxe4 42. fxg5 R2xd5 43. Rxe4 Rxg5 44. Re2 Kg7 45. Reb2 Rf5+ 46. Rf2 Rc5 47. Kg1 h5 48. Rfb2 Kh6 49. Kh2 Rd4 50. Rb4 Rdd5 51. Rb6 Rg5 52. R1b2 Rgf5 53. R6b4 Kg5 54. R2b3 Kh6 55. Rb2 Rg5 56. Rb8 Rc3 57. R8b3 Rxb3 58. Rxb3 h4 59. Rb8 Rg3 60. Ra8 Kh5 61. Ra5+ g5 62. Ra8 Rb3 63. Ra5 Rb1 64. Rc5 Kg6 65. Ra5 Rc1 66. Ra6+ Kh5 67. Ra5 Rc4 68. Rb5 Kg4 69. Ra5 Kf4 70. Ra8 g4 71. Rf8+ Ke3 72. Rh8 Kf4 73. Rf8+ Kg5 74. Rg8+ Kf5 75. Rf8+ Kg6 76. Rh8 Kg5 77. Rg8+ Kf4 78. Rf8+ Ke3 79. Rh8 Kf2 80. Rf8+ Ke2 81. Rh8 g3+ 82. Kh3 Kf1 83. Rf8+ Kg1 84. Rf1+ Kxf1 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.25"]
    [Round "8"]
    [White "Honfi, Karoly"]
    [Black "Kirov, Nino"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B46"]
    [WhiteElo "2440"]
    [BlackElo "2450"]
    [PlyCount "62"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 a6 6. g3 Nge7 7. Bg2 Nxd4 8. Qxd4 Nc6 9. Qd3 Bc5 10. O-O Qc7 11. Bf4 Ne5 12. Bxe5 Qxe5 13. Rad1 O-O 14. Kh1 Qc7 15. f4 Rd8 16. e5 d5 17. exd6 Bxd6 18. f5 Rb8 19. f6 gxf6 20. Qe2 Be5 21. Qg4+ Kh8 22. Ne4 Rxd1 23. Rxd1 Bd7 24. Qh5 Bc6 25. Rf1 Rd8 26. c3 Bxe4 27. Bxe4 f5 28. Bf3 Rd2 29. Rd1 Rxd1+ 30. Bxd1 Qc4 31. Kg2 Qc7 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.25"]
    [Round "8"]
    [White "Jansa, Vlastimil"]
    [Black "Murey, Jacob"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "B51"]
    [WhiteElo "2480"]
    [BlackElo "2380"]
    [PlyCount "112"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Bb5+ Nd7 4. d4 Ngf6 5. e5 cxd4 6. exf6 Qa5+ 7. c3 Qxb5 8. fxe7 Bxe7 9. Nxd4 Qe5+ 10. Be3 Nf6 11. Nd2 Ng4 12. Nc4 Qf6 13. h3 Ne5 14. Qe2 Bd7 15. O-O-O Rc8 16. Na3 d5 17. Ndc2 O-O 18. Bd4 Qh6+ 19. Kb1 Nc6 20. Nb5 Qg6 21. Be3 a6 22. Nbd4 Nxd4 23. Bxd4 Rfe8 24. g4 Bg5 25. Qf3 Bb5 26. Qf5 Be2 27. Rde1 Qxf5 28. gxf5 Bd3 29. f6 gxf6 30. Rhg1 Rxe1+ 31. Rxe1 h5 32. b3 Bf5 33. f4 Bxf4 34. Rf1 Bxc2+ 35. Kxc2 Be5 36. Kd3 Kg7 37. Rg1+ Kh7 38. Rf1 Kg6 39. Rg1+ Kf5 40. Rg7 Ke6 41. a4 Rh8 42. h4 Rh6 43. Bf2 f5 44. Rg8 Rh8 45. Rg5 Bf6 46. Rg1 f4 47. Bd4 Rh6 48. Rg8 Rg6 49. Re8+ Kf5 50. Bxf6 Rxf6 51. Rg8 Rg6 52. Rf8 Rg3+ 53. Kd4 Rg7 54. Rd8 Kg4 55. Rxd5 f5 56. Kd3 Re7 0-1

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.25"]
    [Round "8"]
    [White "Liberzon, Vladimir M"]
    [Black "Suttles, Duncan"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "A42"]
    [WhiteElo "2540"]
    [BlackElo "2470"]
    [PlyCount "66"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 g6 2. d4 d6 3. c4 Bg7 4. Nc3 e5 5. Nf3 Bg4 6. d5 Nd7 7. Be2 Bxf3 8. Bxf3 a5 9. O-O h5 10. a3 Kf8 11. Rb1 Bh6 12. b4 Bxc1 13. Qxc1 b6 14. Bd1 Ngf6 15. Qe3 Kg7 16. Ba4 Ng4 17. Qd3 axb4 18. axb4 Nf8 19. f3 Nf6 20. Bc6 Rb8 21. Qe3 h4 22. c5 Nh5 23. cxd6 cxd6 24. Ne2 g5 25. Ra1 Ng6 26. Ra7 Ngf4 27. Bd7 Ra8 28. Rfa1 Rxa7 29. Rxa7 Qb8 30. Ra1 Qc7 31. Bc6 Nxe2+ 32. Qxe2 Nf4 33. Qe3 Rb8 1/2-1/2

    ##########################

    <Round 9: 8.27>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.27"]
    [Round "9"]
    [White "Gufeld, Eduard"]
    [Black "Jansa, Vlastimil"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B80"]
    [WhiteElo "2525"]
    [BlackElo "2480"]
    [PlyCount "66"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. Nc3 a6 4. g3 Nc6 5. Bg2 d6 6. O-O Nf6 7. d4 cxd4 8. Nxd4 Bd7 9. Nde2 b5 10. a3 Be7 11. h3 O-O 12. g4 Ne8 13. f4 Qb6+ 14. Kh2 Nc7 15. Ng3 Rfd8 16. g5 d5 17. exd5 exd5 18. f5 Bd6 19. Bf4 Bxf4 20. Rxf4 Ne7 21. Qd2 g6 22. fxg6 hxg6 23. Rf6 Be6 24. Nce2 Rd6 25. Nd4 Nc6 26. Nxe6 Rxe6 27. Raf1 Ne5 28. Rxe6 Qxe6 29. Qf4 Re8 30. Re1 Re7 31. Re2 Qd6 32. Rf2 Re6 33. Re2 Re7 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.27"]
    [Round "9"]
    [White "Kirov, Nino"]
    [Black "Liberzon, Vladimir M"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "E60"]
    [WhiteElo "2450"]
    [BlackElo "2540"]
    [PlyCount "48"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. O-O d6 6. d4 Nc6 7. d5 Na5 8. Nfd2 c6 9. a3 cxd5 10. cxd5 e6 11. Nc3 exd5 12. Nxd5 Nxd5 13. Bxd5 Be6 14. Ne4 Qd7 15. Bh6 Rad8 16. Bxg7 Kxg7 17. Qd2 Nc6 18. Rfd1 Bxd5 19. Qxd5 Qe7 20. Rd2 Rd7 21. Nc5 Rdd8 22. Ne4 Rd7 23. Nc5 Rdd8 24. Ne4 Rd7 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.27"]
    [Round "9"]
    [White "Ree, Hans"]
    [Black "Mukhin, Mikhail A"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "D81"]
    [WhiteElo "2480"]
    [BlackElo "2420"]
    [PlyCount "50"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nc3 d5 4. Qb3 c6 5. cxd5 cxd5 6. Nf3 Nc6 7. Bg5 e6 8. h3 Bg7 9. e3 O-O 10. Be2 h6 11. Bf4 Ne4 12. g4 b6 13. Rc1 Bb7 14. O-O Qe7 15. Bd3 Rfc8 16. Qa4 Na5 17. Nb5 a6 18. Nc7 Ra7 19. Nxa6 Nc4 20. Qb4 Bxa6 21. Qxe7 Rxe7 22. b3 Ncd2 23. Nxd2 Rxc1 24. Bxa6 Rxf1+ 25. Nxf1 Ra7 0-1

    ####################################

    <Round 10: 8.28>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.28"]
    [Round "10"]
    [White "Espig, Lutz"]
    [Black "Suttles, Duncan"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "B06"]
    [WhiteElo "2435"]
    [BlackElo "2470"]
    [PlyCount "112"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 g6 2. d4 d6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Be3 c6 5. Qd2 b5 6. Nge2 a6 7. f3 Nd7 8. Rd1 Nb6 9. b3 Rb8 10. g4 h5 11. g5 Bd7 12. Bg2 Qc8 13. h4 Qc7 14. O-O e6 15. Nf4 Ne7 16. Nce2 a5 17. Nd3 O-O 18. Bf4 Ra8 19. Rc1 b4 20. a3 bxa3 21. c4 e5 22. dxe5 dxe5 23. Bg3 a4 24. b4 Be6 25. Qa2 Nd7 26. Qxa3 Nc8 27. Rfd1 Nd6 28. Nb2 Nb6 29. c5 Nb5 30. Qe3 Nc8 31. Nc4 a3 32. Na5 Nca7 33. Bf1 Rfd8 34. Nc3 Rxd1 35. Rxd1 Rd8 36. Ra1 Nd4 37. Qf2 Qb8 38. Rb1 a2 39. Nxa2 Bxa2 40. Qxa2 Nxf3+ 41. Kh1 Nd2 42. Re1 Qxb4 43. Nc4 Nb5 44. Rd1 Qc3 45. Rxd2 Rxd2 46. Nxd2 Qxg3 47. Bxb5 Qxh4+ 48. Kg2 Qxg5+ 49. Kh2 Bh6 50. Nf3 Qe3 51. Kg2 cxb5 52. c6 Qc3 53. Qa8+ Kg7 54. Qe8 Bf4 55. Qd7 Qc2+ 56. Kh1 Qxe4 0-1

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.28"]
    [Round "10"]
    [White "Honfi, Karoly"]
    [Black "Gufeld, Eduard"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "B47"]
    [WhiteElo "2440"]
    [BlackElo "2525"]
    [PlyCount "110"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nc6 5. Nc3 Qc7 6. g3 a6 7. Bg2 d6 8. O-O Bd7 9. Re1 Be7 10. Nxc6 Bxc6 11. Qg4 h5 12. Qe2 h4 13. b3 hxg3 14. hxg3 Nf6 15. Bb2 b5 16. a3 Rc8 17. Rad1 Bb7 18. Rd3 Nd7 19. Nd5 exd5 20. Bxg7 Rh7 21. exd5 Ne5 22. Bxe5 dxe5 23. d6 Bxd6 24. Rxd6 Qxd6 25. Bxb7 Qh6 26. Qxe5+ Kf8 27. Bd5 Qh2+ 28. Kf1 Qh3+ 29. Bg2 Qd7 30. Qe4 Rh6 31. Kg1 Qd6 32. Bh3 Rc5 33. Bg4 Qc6 34. Qxc6 Rhxc6 35. Bd1 Rd6 36. Kf1 Rd2 37. Kg1 Rf5 38. Rf1 Rf6 39. c4 bxc4 40. bxc4 Rc6 41. Bf3 Rxc4 42. Bb7 Ra4 43. Ra1 Rd3 44. Rc1 Raxa3 45. Rc7 Rd2 46. Rc5 Rd7 47. Bd5 Ke7 48. Be4 a5 49. Kf1 Ra7 50. Ke2 Ra1 51. Rc2 a4 52. Bd5 a3 53. Bc4 Rc7 54. Kd3 Rd1+ 55. Ke2 Rd4 0-1

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.28"]
    [Round "10"]
    [White "Kirov, Nino"]
    [Black "Murey, Jacob"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B53"]
    [WhiteElo "2450"]
    [BlackElo "2380"]
    [PlyCount "115"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Qxd4 a6 5. c4 Nc6 6. Qd2 Nf6 7. Nc3 g6 8. b3 Bg7 9. Bb2 O-O 10. Be2 Rb8 11. O-O Qa5 12. Rfd1 b5 13. Nd5 Qxd2 14. Nxd2 Nd7 15. Bxg7 Kxg7 16. cxb5 axb5 17. Rac1 Nd4 18. Bf1 e6 19. Nb4 Nf6 20. Nf3 Nxf3+ 21. gxf3 Rb6 22. Rc6 Rxc6 23. Nxc6 Bb7 24. Bxb5 Ra8 25. a4 d5 26. e5 Nd7 27. b4 Ba6 28. Rc1 Bxb5 29. axb5 g5 30. Kg2 Ra3 31. Nd4 Rd3 32. Nxe6+ fxe6 33. Rc7 Kg6 34. Rxd7 h5 35. Ra7 Rd4 36. Ra4 Rc4 37. b6 Rc8 38. b7 Rb8 39. Ra6 Rxb7 40. Rxe6+ Kf5 41. Re8 Rxb4 42. e6 d4 43. e7 Kf6 44. Rg8 Kxe7 45. Rxg5 Ke6 46. Rxh5 d3 47. Ra5 Rb1 48. Ra2 Kd5 49. Ra8 Kc4 50. Rc8+ Kd4 51. Rd8+ Kc3 52. Rc8+ Kd4 53. Rd8+ Kc3 54. Rc8+ Kb3 55. Rd8 Kc2 56. Rc8+ Kb2 57. Rd8 Kc2 58. Rc8+ 1/2-1/2

    ################################

    <Round 11: 8.30>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.30"]
    [Round "11"]
    [White "Gufeld, Eduard"]
    [Black "Kirov, Nino"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "D75"]
    [WhiteElo "2525"]
    [BlackElo "2450"]
    [PlyCount "114"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. Nf3 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. g3 Bg7 4. Bg2 O-O 5. O-O d5 6. cxd5 Nxd5 7. Nc3 c5 8. d4 cxd4 9. Nxd4 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Nc6 11. Nxc6 bxc6 12. Bg5 Bg4 13. Qxd8 Rfxd8 14. Bxe7 Bxe2 15. Rfc1 Rd2 16. Bxc6 Rc8 17. Bg5 Rb2 18. Ba4 Rxc3 19. Bb3 Bf3 20. Be3 a5 21. Rxc3 Bxc3 22. Rc1 Re2 23. Kf1 Bd2 24. Bxd2 Rxd2 25. Rc3 Bd5 26. Ke1 Rd4 27. Ke2 Bxb3 28. Rxb3 Kg7 29. Ra3 Rd5 30. Rd3 Rb5 31. Rb3 Rd5 32. Rb6 Kf8 33. Ke3 Ke7 34. a4 h5 35. h4 Kd7 36. Ra6 Rf5 37. f4 Ke7 38. Kd4 f6 39. Rc6 Kd7 40. Rc5 Kd6 41. Rc8 Kd7 42. Rg8 Ke6 43. Kc4 Ke7 44. Ra8 Kd6 45. Rd8+ Ke6 46. Rf8 Kd6 47. Rg8 Ke7 48. Rh8 Kd6 49. Rh6 Ke6 50. Rh7 Kd6 51. Rg7 Ke6 52. Rg8 Ke7 53. Kd4 Ke6 54. Re8+ Kd6 55. Rd8+ Ke6 56. Kc4 g5 57. fxg5 fxg5 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.30"]
    [Round "11"]
    [White "Murey, Jacob"]
    [Black "Liberzon, Vladimir M"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "B44"]
    [WhiteElo "2380"]
    [BlackElo "2540"]
    [PlyCount "89"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 e6 5. Nb5 d6 6. c4 Nf6 7. N1c3 a6 8. Nd4 Be7 9. Be2 O-O 10. O-O Bd7 11. Be3 Rb8 12. f4 Nxd4 13. Qxd4 Bc6 14. a4 Nd7 15. Qd2 b6 16. Bf3 Qc7 17. b4 Bf6 18. Rac1 Bxc3 19. Rxc3 Nf6 20. c5 dxc5 21. bxc5 b5 22. axb5 axb5 23. Bd4 Nd7 24. e5 Rfd8 25. Qf2 Nf8 26. Bg4 Qd7 27. Rd1 b4 28. Rcc1 b3 29. Bb2 Qc7 30. Rd6 Ng6 31. f5 exf5 32. Bxf5 Bd5 33. Rd1 Be6 34. Bxe6 fxe6 35. Qd4 Re8 36. Qc4 Nf8 37. c6 Rec8 38. h3 Qa7+ 39. Kh2 Rc7 40. Rd8 Re7 41. Rxb8 Qxb8 42. Ba3 Qxe5+ 43. Kh1 Re8 44. Bxf8 Rxf8 45. c7 1-0

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.30"]
    [Round "11"]
    [White "Ree, Hans"]
    [Black "Jansa, Vlastimil"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B36"]
    [WhiteElo "2480"]
    [BlackElo "2480"]
    [PlyCount "51"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. c4 g6 2. e4 c5 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 Nf6 6. Nc3 d6 7. f3 Nxd4 8. Qxd4 Bg7 9. Be3 O-O 10. Qd2 Be6 11. Rc1 Qa5 12. Nd5 Qxa2 13. Nxe7+ Kh8 14. Be2 Ng8 15. Nxg8 Kxg8 16. Bd4 Bxd4 17. Qxd4 Qa5+ 18. Kf2 Qe5 19. Rcd1 Rfc8 20. b3 Rc6 21. Qe3 f5 22. exf5 Qxe3+ 23. Kxe3 Bxf5 24. Bd3 Re8+ 25. Kf2 Bxd3 26. Rxd3 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.30"]
    [Round "11"]
    [White "Suttles, Duncan"]
    [Black "Beliavsky, Alexander G"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "A09"]
    [WhiteElo "2470"]
    [BlackElo "2420"]
    [PlyCount "112"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. g3 e5 2. Bg2 d5 3. c4 d4 4. d3 Nf6 5. Nf3 Nc6 6. O-O Bd6 7. Na3 O-O 8. Nc2 a5 9. b3 Re8 10. a3 Bf8 11. Bb2 Bf5 12. Qd2 Qd7 13. Rfd1 Rad8 14. b4 Nb8 15. e4 Bg4 16. Rdb1 c5 17. Bc1 b5 18. cxb5 axb4 19. axb4 c4 20. Na3 c3 21. Qc2 h6 22. Nc4 Bd6 23. Ra5 Rc8 24. Nb6 Qe7 25. Nxc8 Rxc8 26. Ba3 Nfd7 27. Ra7 Qd8 28. Nh4 Qb6 29. Ra5 Be6 30. Ra1 g6 31. Nf3 Bf8 32. Ne1 Nc5 33. Rb1 Nb7 34. Qa4 Bd7 35. Nc2 Nd6 36. Bc1 Bxb5 37. Rxb5 Qxb5 38. Qxb5 Nxb5 39. f4 Nc6 40. Ra1 Nxb4 41. Nxb4 Bxb4 42. fxe5 c2 43. Kf2 Rc3 44. Bh3 Ra3 45. Rxa3 Bxa3 46. Bxh6 Nc7 47. Bd7 c1=Q 48. Bxc1 Bxc1 49. Kf3 Kf8 50. h4 Ke7 51. Bc8 Ne6 52. Ba6 Nc5 53. Bb5 Nd7 54. Ke2 Nxe5 55. Kd1 Be3 56. Ke2 Kd6 0-1

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.30"]
    [Round "11"]
    [White "Taimanov, Mark E"]
    [Black "Honfi, Karoly"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "D02"]
    [WhiteElo "2590"]
    [BlackElo "2440"]
    [PlyCount "87"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 g6 3. Bf4 Bg7 4. Nbd2 d5 5. h3 O-O 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Be2 c5 8. c3 b6 9. O-O Bb7 10. Qb1 Ne4 11. Nxe4 dxe4 12. Nd2 f5 13. Rd1 cxd4 14. cxd4 Kh8 15. Qc2 Rc8 16. Qa4 a6 17. Qb3 Nf6 18. Be5 Nd5 19. Nc4 Rc6 20. Bxg7+ Kxg7 21. Ne5 Rcf6 22. Rd2 f4 23. exf4 Nxf4 24. Bf1 Rd6 25. Rad1 b5 26. a4 Bd5 27. Qa3 Qb6 28. axb5 axb5 29. Qc5 Rb8 30. Ra1 Ne6 31. Qb4 Ra8 32. Rxa8 Bxa8 33. Qxb5 Qxb5 34. Bxb5 Nxd4 35. Bf1 Nf3+ 36. Nxf3 exf3 37. Rxd6 exd6 38. b4 Kf6 39. gxf3 Ke5 40. b5 Bb7 41. h4 Kd4 42. f4 Kc5 43. h5 Bc8 44. hxg6 1/2-1/2

    #############################

    <Round 12: 8.31>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.31"]
    [Round "12"]
    [White "Honfi, Karoly"]
    [Black "Ree, Hans"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "B85"]
    [WhiteElo "2440"]
    [BlackElo "2480"]
    [PlyCount "92"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 e6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 d6 6. Be2 a6 7. O-O Be7 8. f4 Qc7 9. Kh1 O-O 10. Bf3 Nc6 11. Be3 Bd7 12. Qe2 Rac8 13. Rad1 b5 14. a3 Nxd4 15. Bxd4 e5 16. Be3 Be6 17. Qf2 exf4 18. Bxf4 Nd7 19. Qg3 Ne5 20. Bxe5 dxe5 21. Bg4 Rcd8 22. Bxe6 fxe6 23. Rxd8 Rxd8 24. Qg4 Qc4 25. Rf3 h6 26. h4 Rf8 27. Rxf8+ Bxf8 28. Qe2 Qd4 29. Nd1 Bc5 30. Qe1 Qc4 31. Qd2 Qxe4 32. Qd8+ Kh7 33. Qd3 Qxd3 34. cxd3 Kg6 35. Nc3 Kf5 36. Ne4 Bd4 37. b4 Bb2 38. Nc5 Bxa3 39. Nxa6 Kf4 40. Nc7 Ke3 41. Nxb5 Bxb4 42. Nc7 Kxd3 43. Nxe6 e4 44. Nf4+ Kd2 45. g4 e3 46. g5 hxg5 0-1

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.31"]
    [Round "12"]
    [White "Jansa, Vlastimil"]
    [Black "Huebner, Robert"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "C41"]
    [WhiteElo "2480"]
    [BlackElo "2590"]
    [PlyCount "58"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. d4 d6 2. e4 e5 3. Nf3 Nd7 4. Bc4 Be7 5. dxe5 Nxe5 6. Nxe5 dxe5 7. Qh5 g6 8. Qxe5 Nf6 9. Bh6 Rg8 10. Bg5 Ng4 11. Qxe7+ Qxe7 12. Bxe7 Kxe7 13. Nc3 Be6 14. Nd5+ Bxd5 15. Bxd5 c6 16. Bb3 Rge8 17. f3 Ne5 18. Kf2 a5 19. a4 Rad8 20. Rad1 g5 21. g3 h6 22. h4 Rxd1 23. Rxd1 gxh4 24. gxh4 Rg8 25. Rh1 Rd8 26. Ke3 Rg8 27. Kf2 Rd8 28. Ke3 Rg8 29. Kf2 Rd8 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.31"]
    [Round "12"]
    [White "Kirov, Nino"]
    [Black "Taimanov, Mark E"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "E62"]
    [WhiteElo "2450"]
    [BlackElo "2590"]
    [PlyCount "77"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. g3 O-O 5. Bg2 d6 6. Nc3 c6 7. O-O a6 8. e4 b5 9. e5 Ne8 10. cxb5 axb5 11. Bg5 f6 12. exf6 exf6 13. Bf4 g5 14. Bd2 d5 15. Ne2 Nd6 16. Bb4 Na6 17. Bxd6 Qxd6 18. Nc1 Nc7 19. Nd3 Ne6 20. h3 Bd7 21. Qd2 h5 22. Rfe1 Rfe8 23. g4 hxg4 24. hxg4 Bf8 25. b3 Qa3 26. Re2 Qa7 27. Qc3 b4 28. Qb2 Qc7 29. Qd2 Nf4 30. Nxf4 Qxf4 31. Qxf4 gxf4 32. Rc2 Ra6 33. Bf1 Ra3 34. Nh4 Rea8 35. Nf5 Rxb3 36. axb3 Rxa1 37. Rb2 c5 38. Kg2 f3+ 39. Kg1 0-1

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.31"]
    [Round "12"]
    [White "Liberzon, Vladimir M"]
    [Black "Espig, Lutz"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "B81"]
    [WhiteElo "2540"]
    [BlackElo "2435"]
    [PlyCount "53"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nc3 e6 6. g4 a6 7. g5 Nfd7 8. Bg2 b5 9. O-O Bb7 10. Be3 Nb6 11. Qg4 Nc4 12. Bc1 g6 13. b3 Bg7 14. Rd1 Nc6 15. Nce2 Nxd4 16. Nxd4 Ne5 17. Qg3 O-O 18. Bb2 Qb6 19. Rd2 Rfd8 20. Rad1 Nd7 21. Nxe6 $1 fxe6 22. Bxg7 Kxg7 23. Rxd6 Qc7 24. Bh3 Bc8 25. Rxe6 Ra7 26. c4 bxc4 27. Qc3+ 1-0

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.31"]
    [Round "12"]
    [White "Mukhin, Mikhail A"]
    [Black "Suttles, Duncan"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "A42"]
    [WhiteElo "2420"]
    [BlackElo "2470"]
    [PlyCount "83"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. d4 g6 2. c4 d6 3. Nc3 Bg7 4. Nf3 Nd7 5. g3 e5 6. Bg2 Ne7 7. O-O h6 8. e4 O-O 9. d5 f5 10. b4 f4 11. c5 g5 12. cxd6 cxd6 13. Nd2 Nf6 14. Nc4 Ng6 15. Ba3 Rf7 16. b5 Bf8 17. b6 a6 18. Qb3 h5 19. Ne2 h4 20. gxf4 gxf4 21. Kh1 h3 22. Bf3 Nh4 23. Rg1+ Kh7 24. Rac1 Kh6 25. Nd2 a5 26. Nc4 Ng2 27. Nc3 Ng4 28. Rcf1 Rg7 29. Nb5 Qh4 30. Bxg4 Bxg4 31. f3 Bd7 32. Nbxd6 Bxd6 33. Bxd6 Rag8 34. Bxe5 Rg6 35. Bd4 Be8 36. Ne5 Rg5 37. Ng4+ Rxg4 38. fxg4 Qxg4 39. Qf3 Qd7 40. Be5 Rf8 41. Qa3 Rf7 42. Rf3 1-0

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.08.31"]
    [Round "12"]
    [White "Murey, Jacob"]
    [Black "Gufeld, Eduard"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B06"]
    [WhiteElo "2380"]
    [BlackElo "2525"]
    [PlyCount "81"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 c6 4. Bc4 d6 5. Qf3 e6 6. Bf4 d5 7. Bb3 Nf6 8. Nge2 Nxe4 9. Nxe4 dxe4 10. Qg3 Nd7 11. Bc7 Qe7 12. Bd6 Qd8 13. h4 Nf6 14. O-O-O h5 15. Nc3 Qa5 16. Qe5 Qxe5 17. dxe5 Nd7 18. Nxe4 Bxe5 19. Rhe1 Bg7 20. Bb4 Be5 21. Bd6 Bg7 22. Ba3 Bf8 23. Nd6+ Bxd6 24. Rxd6 a5 25. c3 a4 26. Bc2 c5 27. Red1 Ke7 28. R6d4 b5 29. Be4 Rb8 30. Bc6 b4 31. Bxb4 cxb4 32. Bxd7 bxc3 33. bxc3 a3 34. Bc6 Rb6 35. Bf3 Ba6 36. Ra4 f5 37. Rxa3 Rhb8 38. Kd2 Rb2+ 39. Ke3 R8b6 40. g3 Kf6 41. Rd2 1/2-1/2

    ##############################

    <Round 13: 9.1>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.09.01"]
    [Round "13"]
    [White "Gufeld, Eduard"]
    [Black "Liberzon, Vladimir M"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "E67"]
    [WhiteElo "2525"]
    [BlackElo "2540"]
    [PlyCount "102"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. Nf3 Nf6 2. g3 g6 3. Bg2 Bg7 4. O-O O-O 5. c4 d6 6. Nc3 e5 7. d4 Nbd7 8. b3 Re8 9. e3 c6 10. Bb2 e4 11. Nd2 d5 12. f3 exf3 13. Qxf3 dxc4 14. Nxc4 Nb6 15. Ne5 Be6 16. Rad1 Nbd7 17. h3 Qe7 18. Nxd7 Qxd7 19. Kh2 Bd5 20. Nxd5 cxd5 21. Rc1 Rac8 22. Rxc8 Rxc8 23. Rc1 Rxc1 24. Bxc1 Qc6 25. Ba3 Bh6 26. h4 Ne4 27. g4 Qc7+ 28. Kg1 Qa5 29. g5 Bxg5 30. hxg5 Qxa3 31. Qf4 Qe7 32. Bxe4 Qxe4 33. Qg3 a5 34. a4 Kg7 35. Kf2 Qe7 36. Ke2 h6 37. gxh6+ Kxh6 38. Qe1 Qd8 39. e4 dxe4 40. Qh1+ Kg7 41. Qxe4 b6 42. d5 Qd6 43. Kd3 f5 44. Qc4 Kf7 45. Qd4 g5 46. Ke2 g4 47. Qd3 Kf6 48. Kf1 Qf4+ 49. Kg1 g3 50. Qc3+ Kf7 51. Qc7+ Qxc7 0-1

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.09.01"]
    [Round "13"]
    [White "Huebner, Robert"]
    [Black "Honfi, Karoly"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "C34"]
    [WhiteElo "2590"]
    [BlackElo "2440"]
    [PlyCount "80"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 d6 4. Bc4 h6 5. O-O g5 6. g3 Bh3 7. Rf2 Nf6 8. gxf4 gxf4 9. Nc3 Rg8+ 10. Kh1 Ng4 11. Re2 Ne5 12. Ng1 Rxg1+ 13. Qxg1 f3 14. Bb5+ c6 15. Rf2 Bg2+ 16. Rxg2 fxg2+ 17. Qxg2 cxb5 18. d4 Ng6 19. Be3 Nd7 20. Rf1 Nb6 21. Nxb5 Qd7 22. Qe2 a6 23. Nc3 O-O-O 24. a4 Kb8 25. a5 Na8 26. Qf3 Nh8 27. Qf6 Be7 28. Qxh6 Nc7 29. Qh7 Qg4 30. h3 Qg6 31. Qxg6 fxg6 32. Bh6 Rg8 33. Kg2 Kc8 34. Kg3 Kd7 35. Be3 Rf8 36. Ra1 Nf7 37. Kg4 Rh8 38. Rf1 Ke8 39. Kg3 Rh5 40. Ra1 Ng5 0-1

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.09.01"]
    [Round "13"]
    [White "Ree, Hans"]
    [Black "Kirov, Nino"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B30"]
    [WhiteElo "2480"]
    [BlackElo "2450"]
    [PlyCount "50"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. e5 Nd5 4. b3 Nc6 5. Bb2 Nf4 6. g3 Ng6 7. Bg2 d6 8. exd6 e5 9. Na3 Bxd6 10. Nc4 O-O 11. Nxd6 Qxd6 12. O-O Bg4 13. h3 Bd7 14. d3 Rae8 15. a3 a5 16. Nd2 Qc7 17. a4 Nb4 18. Bc3 Bc6 19. Bxb4 cxb4 20. Nc4 Bxg2 21. Kxg2 f5 22. Qe2 e4 23. dxe4 Rxe4 24. Qd3 Ne5 25. Qd5+ Kh8 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.09.01"]
    [Round "13"]
    [White "Taimanov, Mark E"]
    [Black "Murey, Jacob"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [ECO "B08"]
    [WhiteElo "2590"]
    [BlackElo "2380"]
    [PlyCount "101"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. d4 g6 2. e4 Bg7 3. Nf3 d6 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Be2 O-O 6. O-O Nc6 7. d5 Nb8 8. Re1 c6 9. Bf1 Bg4 10. h3 Bxf3 11. Qxf3 Nbd7 12. Be3 Qa5 13. Rad1 Rac8 14. Qe2 cxd5 15. exd5 Nb6 16. Qb5 Qxb5 17. Bxb5 Rxc3 18. Bxb6 Rxc2 19. Bxa7 Ra8 20. Bd4 Kf8 21. a4 Ne8 22. Bd3 Rcc8 23. Bxg7+ Nxg7 24. Re4 Ne8 25. Rb4 Nf6 26. Bc4 Rc7 27. b3 Ra5 28. Bb5 Ra8 29. Kf1 Rc5 30. Bc4 Ra7 31. h4 Ke8 32. g4 Kd8 33. g5 Nd7 34. f4 Rc7 35. Ke2 Nc5 36. Bb5 Rc8 37. Ke3 Kc7 38. Re1 e6 39. dxe6 fxe6 40. Rc4 Kd8 41. Rc3 Rca8 42. h5 gxh5 43. Rh1 b6 44. Rxh5 d5 45. Rh6 Rg7 46. b4 Ne4 47. Rc6 Raa7 48. Rhxe6 Rae7 49. Rxb6 h6 50. gxh6 Rg3+ 51. Kd4 /Time/ 1-0

    ###################################

    <Round 14: 9.2>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.09.02"]
    [Round "14"]
    [White "Gufeld, Eduard"]
    [Black "Taimanov, Mark E"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "E19"]
    [WhiteElo "2525"]
    [BlackElo "2590"]
    [PlyCount "26"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nf3 b6 4. g3 Bb7 5. Bg2 Be7 6. O-O O-O 7. Nc3 Ne4 8. Qc2 Nxc3 9. Qxc3 Be4 10. b3 Qc8 11. Bb2 Bf6 12. Ne1 Bxg2 13. Nxg2 c5 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.09.02"]
    [Round "14"]
    [White "Jansa, Vlastimil"]
    [Black "Suttles, Duncan"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "B06"]
    [WhiteElo "2480"]
    [BlackElo "2470"]
    [PlyCount "104"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. d4 g6 2. Nf3 Bg7 3. e4 d6 4. Bc4 c5 5. dxc5 Qa5+ 6. c3 Qxc5 7. Qb3 e6 8. Be3 Qc7 9. Na3 Bd7 10. O-O-O Nf6 11. Bf4 Nxe4 12. Nb5 Bxb5 13. Bxb5+ Nc6 14. Qb4 Nxf2 15. Rxd6 O-O 16. Rxc6 Qxc6 17. Bxc6 Nd3+ 18. Kb1 Nxb4 19. Bxb7 Nd5 20. Bxa8 Nxf4 21. Be4 Nxg2 22. Rd1 Rb8 23. Rd7 Bxc3 24. b3 Bf6 25. Rxa7 Rd8 26. Ra8 Kg7 27. Rxd8 Bxd8 28. a4 Ne3 29. Nd4 Bc7 30. Nc6 f5 31. Bh1 e5 32. a5 e4 33. a6 Nd5 34. a7 Nb6 35. h3 Kf6 36. Kc2 Ke6 37. Kd2 Na8 38. Bg2 Kd5 39. Nb4+ Kd6 40. Ke3 Bb6+ 41. Kf4 Bxa7 42. Kg5 Be3+ 43. Kf6 Bd4+ 44. Kf7 Nc7 45. Kg8 Bc5 46. Nc2 Ke5 47. Kxh7 Ne6 48. b4 Bf2 49. b5 Kf6 50. Nb4 Bc5 51. Nd5+ Kf7 52. b6 Bf8 0-1

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.09.02"]
    [Round "14"]
    [White "Kirov, Nino"]
    [Black "Huebner, Robert"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "B10"]
    [WhiteElo "2450"]
    [BlackElo "2590"]
    [PlyCount "48"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c6 2. c4 d5 3. exd5 cxd5 4. cxd5 Nf6 5. Nc3 Nxd5 6. Qb3 Nb6 7. a4 Nc6 8. Nf3 Be6 9. Qd1 Bg4 10. a5 Nd7 11. a6 bxa6 12. Bxa6 Nd4 13. Nb5 Bxf3 14. gxf3 Qb6 15. Nxd4 Qxd4 16. Rg1 Qe5+ 17. Kf1 Qxh2 18. Bb5 Qh3+ 19. Rg2 h5 20. Bc6 Rh6 21. Bxa8 Rg6 22. f4 Qh1+ 23. Ke2 Re6+ 24. Be4 Rxe4+ 0-1

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.09.02"]
    [Round "14"]
    [White "Liberzon, Vladimir M"]
    [Black "Beliavsky, Alexander G"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "B92"]
    [WhiteElo "2540"]
    [BlackElo "2420"]
    [PlyCount "40"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 d6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. d4 cxd4 5. Nxd4 a6 6. Be2 e5 7. Nb3 Be6 8. O-O Nbd7 9. a4 Be7 10. a5 O-O 11. Be3 Rc8 12. Qd2 Qc7 13. Rfd1 Rfd8 14. f3 h6 15. Bf1 Nc5 16. Nd5 Bxd5 17. exd5 Nh7 18. Nc1 Bg5 19. b4 Nd7 20. c4 f5 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.09.02"]
    [Round "14"]
    [White "Mukhin, Mikhail A"]
    [Black "Espig, Lutz"]
    [Result "0-1"]
    [ECO "D40"]
    [WhiteElo "2420"]
    [BlackElo "2435"]
    [PlyCount "92"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 c5 4. Nf3 d5 5. e3 Nc6 6. a3 Ne4 7. Bd3 Nxc3 8. bxc3 dxc4 9. Bxc4 Be7 10. O-O O-O 11. Bb2 b6 12. Qe2 Bb7 13. e4 Na5 14. Ba2 Rc8 15. Ne5 Nc6 16. Nxf7 Rxf7 17. Bxe6 cxd4 18. Qh5 Qf8 19. cxd4 Nd8 20. Bxc8 Bxc8 21. Qb5 Ne6 22. f3 Bg5 23. Kh1 Bb7 24. Rad1 Qc8 25. Qb3 Ba6 26. Rfe1 Bc4 27. Qb4 a5 28. Qa4 Nf4 29. Bc1 Qa6 30. Qe8+ Rf8 31. Qe5 Bh6 32. d5 Bb3 33. Bxf4 Bxf4 34. Qe6+ Kh8 35. Qe7 Rg8 36. Rb1 Qd3 37. Qh4 Bd2 38. Rf1 Bc2 39. Ra1 Bc3 40. Rac1 Bb2 41. Rce1 Bxa3 42. Qg4 Bb4 43. Rc1 Bd2 44. Ra1 b5 45. Qe6 b4 46. e5 b3 0-1

    ###############################

    <Round 15: 9.4>

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.09.04"]
    [Round "15"]
    [White "Huebner, Robert"]
    [Black "Murey, Jacob"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "E97"]
    [WhiteElo "2590"]
    [BlackElo "2380"]
    [PlyCount "151"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. c4 g6 2. d4 Bg7 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. e4 d6 5. Be2 O-O 6. Nf3 e5 7. O-O Nc6 8. d5 Ne7 9. Bd2 c6 10. Qb3 a6 11. Rfd1 Qc7 12. Be3 c5 13. a3 Bg4 14. Qc2 Bxf3 15. Bxf3 Nd7 16. Be2 f5 17. f3 Kh8 18. b4 Ng8 19. Rab1 Bh6 20. Bf2 Rf7 21. Rb2 Raf8 22. Rdb1 Bg7 23. Bd3 cxb4 24. axb4 Ngf6 25. exf5 e4 26. fxe4 Ng4 27. Bg3 gxf5 28. exf5 Ne3 29. Qe2 Nxc4 30. Bxc4 Bxc3 31. Rc2 Be5 32. Bf2 Qd8 33. Bd3 Rg7 34. Qe3 Rfg8 35. Bf1 Nf6 36. h3 Nxd5 37. Qh6 Nf4 38. Be3 Nd5 39. Bc1 Qb6+ 40. Kh1 Nf6 41. Qe3 Bd4 42. Qh6 Ne4 43. Bf4 Nf6 44. Rd1 Re8 45. Rcd2 Bc3 46. Rxd6 Qxb4 47. Rd8 Rgg8 48. Bg5 Ne4 49. Rxe8 Rxe8 50. Bh4 Bg7 51. Qh5 Qf8 52. Rd7 Rc8 53. Qf3 Nc5 54. Rd5 Bf6 55. Bf2 b6 56. Rd1 a5 57. Rb1 Qd8 58. g4 a4 59. Bg2 Nb3 60. Qb7 Rc1+ 61. Rxc1 Nxc1 62. Bd5 a3 63. Qf7 Ne2 $1 64. g5 Nc3 $1 65. Bb3 a2 $1 66. Bxa2 Qa8+ 67. Kg1 Ne2+ 68. Kf1 Ng3+ 69. Bxg3 Qh1+ 70. Ke2 Qe4+ 71. Kd2 Qd4+ 72. Ke1 Qe4+ 73. Kd2 Qd4+ 74. Ke1 Qe4+ 75. Kd2 Qd4+ 76. Ke1 1/2-1/2

    ===

    [Event "Sukhumi"]
    [Site "Sukhumi"]
    [Date "1972.09.04"]
    [Round "15"]
    [White "Suttles, Duncan"]
    [Black "Honfi, Karoly"]
    [Result "1/2-1/2"]
    [ECO "A16"]
    [WhiteElo "2470"]
    [BlackElo "2440"]
    [PlyCount "126"]
    [EventDate "1972.??.??"]
    [Source "ChessBase"]
    [SourceDate "2000.11.22"]

    1. g3 g6 2. Bg2 d5 3. c4 Nf6 4. cxd5 Nxd5 5. Nc3 Nb6 6. d3 Bg7 7. Bd2 Nc6 8. Nf3 O-O 9. Qc1 Nd4 10. Nxd4 Qxd4 11. Bh6 c6 12. Bxg7 Kxg7 13. O-O h5 14. Ne4 Nd5 15. Ng5 Bg4 16. Nf3 Bxf3 17. Bxf3 h4 18. Qc4 Qxc4 19. dxc4 Nb6 20. c5 Nc4 21. Rfd1 Rad8 22. b4 hxg3 23. hxg3 Na3 24. e3 Kf6 25. Rac1 e5 26. Kf1 Ke7 27. Rc3 Nb5 28. Rb3 a6 29. Ke1 f5 30. Be2 Rxd1+ 31. Kxd1 Rd8+ 32. Ke1 Nc7 33. Bc4 e4 34. Ke2 Rh8 35. Rb1 Nb5 36. Rc1 Na3 37. Bb3 g5 38. Rd1 Rh6 39. Rc1 Rh2 40. Rd1 Nb5 41. Rc1 Nc7 42. a4 Ne8 43. b5 Nf6 44. bxa6 bxa6 45. a5 Ng4 46. Rf1 Ne5 47. Bc2 Ke6 48. Rd1 Ng4 49. Bb3+ Ke7 50. Rf1 Ne5 51. Bc2 Kd7 52. Rd1+ Kc7 53. Rd6 Ng4 54. Ba4 Nxf2 55. Rxc6+ Kb7 56. Rb6+ Ka7 57. Rg6 Nd3+ 58. Kf1 Nxc5 59. Bc6 Kb8 60. Rxg5 Rh6 61. Bd5 Rf6 62. g4 fxg4+ 63. Ke2 Rd6 1/2-1/2

    ########################

    #############################################

    Mukhin led after this win in the 10th round- M Mukhin vs Huebner, 1972

    <Tal> <Ilmar Raud Memorial 1972> Game Collection: Tal at the Ilmar Raud Memorial 1972 In Viljandi (5-18 July) 2d to Dvoretsky, ahead of Donchenko, Shamkovich, Suetin, Yim, Etruk and others, with +9 -1 =3. ["Mikhail Tal - 8th World Champion" (PC-CD) Event Index, p.10; "The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal," p.11; http://al20102007.narod.ru/nat_tour... "Complete Games of Mikhail Tal 1967-1973," pp.112-115 ]

    <Savon> (born Sep-26-1940, died Jun-01-2005) Ukraine (formerly USSR). He learned chess at the age of 11 from his father. Awarded the IM title in 1967 and the GM title in 1973, he was USSR Champion in 1971 http://al20102007.narod.ru/ch_urs/1... where he finished ahead of Vasily Smyslov, Mikhail Tal, Anatoli Karpov and Leonid Stein amongst others. Savon vs N Kirov, 1972

    <Taimanov> (born Feb-07-1926) Kharkov, Ukraine (formerly USSR) and he achieved the IM title in 1950 and the GM title in 1952. In the Fischer - Taimanov Candidates Quarterfinal (1971), he was famously beaten (+0, =0, -6). Scored +1 -3 =5 on 4th board for Leningrad at the <USSR Republics Team Championship 1972> http://www.olimpbase.org/1972st/197...

    <M. Mukhin> (born Feb-19-1948, died May-04-1977) Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan. He won the USSR junior championship in 1965.[1 ] He was the Kazakhi junior representative in the <USSR Republics Team Championship 1967>, and played 1st board for Kazakhstan in the <USSR Republics Team Championship 1972> he scored +1 -5 =2 on 1st board for Kazakhistan. http://www.olimpbase.org/1972st/197... In 1974 FIDE awarded him the international master title. Mukhin had a couple of good results in 1972, first he participated in Suchumi and was leading after ten rounds

    <Beliavsky> (born Dec-17-1953) Lviv, Ukraine. He was still a junior. He played 2d junior board for Ukraine at the <USSR Republics Team Championship 1969>, finished last in the <Sochi Grandmasters vs Masters 1970>, and scored +3 -2 =1 in the junior section of the <USSR-Yugoslavia Match 1971>.

    <Liberzon> (born Mar-23-1937, died Aug-04-1996) Moscow, RSFSR. Awarded the IM title in 1963 and GM title in 1965. He finished 3d at the <Dubna International 1971>, behind Lutikov and Shamkovich, with +5 -1 =7. http://al20102007.narod.ru/it/1971/...

    <Kholmov> (born May-13-1925, died Feb-18-2006) Shenkursk, RSFSR. 1960 he was awarded the GM title. Shared 3rd at the <USSR Championship Semifinal 1972> at Ivano-Frankovsk: http://al20102007.narod.ru/ch_urs/1.... He did not qualify, or did not play, in the USSR Championship (1971).

    <Murey> born Aug-02-1941 Moscow, RSRSR. International Master of Correspondence Chess title in 1970,[1] the International Master (IM) title in 1980,[1] and the GM title in 1987. Scored +2 -2 =1 on 4th board for Club Zenit at the <USSR Clubs Team Championship 1971>.http://www.olimpbase.org/1971sc/197...

    <Espig> (born Jan-05-1949) Griez, East Germany. He was East German champion in 1969, 1971. IM title in 1972. In tournaments he was 1st at Lublin 1970, 3d at the <9th Rubinstein Memorial 1971> in Polanica Zdroj. http://polbase.w.interia.pl/rub71.htm. L Espig vs J Murey, 1972

    <Huebner>( born Nov-06-1948) Cologne, West Germany. At age sixteen, he tied for first in the European Championship, and in 1971 he earned the International Grandmaster title by qualifying into the World Championship Candidates. Shared 2d at the Palma de Mallorca Interzonal (1970) with Bent Larsen and Efim Geller, behind Bobby Fischer, ahead of Wolfgang Uhlmann, Mark Taimanov, Vasily Smyslov, Lajos Portisch, Lev Polugaevsky and Svetozar Gligoric.

    <Honfi> (born Oct-25-1930, died Aug-14-1996) Budapest. In 1962 he was awarded the International Master title. In 1966 he was awarded the Hungarian grandmaster title. In tournaments he was 1st= at Timisoara 1972. 10th board at the <4th European Team Chess Championship: Kapfenberg 1970>, with +1 -2 =2. http://www.olimpbase.org/1970e/1970...

    http://hu.wikipedia.org/wiki/Honfi_...

    <Gufeld> (born Mar-19-1936, died Sep-23-2002) Kiev, Ukraine. USSR Master title in 1958. In 1960 he won the USSR Armed Forces Championship. Awarded the GM title in 1967. Shared 1st in the <Goglidze Memorial 1971> with +4 -1 =7. http://al20102007.narod.ru/it/1971/.... 1st board for Georgia in the <USSR Republics Team Championship 1972> with +3 -1 =5. http://www.olimpbase.org/1972st/197...

    <Suttles> (born Dec-21-1945) United States of America (citizen of Canada) Awarded the IM title in 1967, he was Canadian champion in 1969 (after a 1st-2nd place tie with Dr. Zvonko Vranesic, he won the play-off) and represented Canada at the World Junior Championship. He received his GMC title in 1982 and his GM title in 1973.

    <Ree> (born Sep-15-1944) Amsterdam. Awarded the IM title in 1968 and the GM title in 1980, he was Dutch champion in 1967, 1969, 1971

    <Kirov> (born Feb-09-1945, died Sep-25-2008) Gorna Dzhumaya (now Blagoevgrad), Bulgaria. Awarded the IM title in 1971

    <Jansa> (born Nov-27-1942) Prague, Czechoslovakia. He was awarded the IM title in 1965 and the GM title in 1974. He has been Czechoslovak Champion in 1964,

    Mikhail Tal

    Vladimir Savon

    Mark Taimanov

    Mikhail Mukhin

    Alexander Beliavsky

    Vladimir Liberzon

    Ratmir Kholmov

    Jacob Murey

    Lutz Espig

    Robert Huebner

    Karoly Honfi

    Eduard Gufeld

    Duncan Suttles

    Hans Ree

    Nino Kirov

    Vlastimil Jansa

    ===

    <Sarajevo 1966> (20 March - 7 April) Shared 1st with Ciric, over Ivkov, Pachman, Matulovic, Pietzsch, Janosevic, Minev, Jansa and Kotov, with +9 -2 =4. [Di Felice, "Chess Results 1964-1967," p.303; Winter, p.154 ]

    "The Czech master Jansa, who was both a friend and an admirer of Boris Spassky, chose against me that same variation of the Ruy Lopez, in principle favourable for white, which had nevertheless caused me so much trouble in the 9th game with Spassky. In a very sharp position Jansa offered me a draw and in reply I immediately blundered and lost..." Tal vs Jansa, 1966

    (Life and Games), p.331

    ===============

    <Round 11 Key Game>- Mukhin had been leading through round 10: Tal vs M Mukhin, 1972 <1-0>

    ===

    Tal: "Up till the last minute, the composition of our Olympiad team was not fixed, and in the end, when those who had definitely been included were making preparations, Savon and I set off to an International Tournament in Sukhimi. This was considered to be a final testing for us, and for this I personally was glad: I have always preferred live participation in a tournament to theoretical preparations.

    And so- Shukhumi. It was hot, with the temperature in the shade sometimes reaching 35 degrees C, and the Northerners amongst us suffered pretty badly from it. Thus, for instance, Robert Huebner, with whom I became acquainted in Sukhumi, got sunburnt and his skin began to peel.

    I began the tournament moderately, although I realised that it was bound to develop into a race with Savon. As it turned out, my game with him was the critical one. In the opening I fell into a variation prepared by Army players, got into a difficult position, and only succeeded in gaining some sort of play just before the time control.

    ===================

    Savon's <Soviet Army Club> teammates: http://www.olimpbase.org/1971sc/197...

    ===

    Even so, I had no real illusions about the adjourned position, which is just what Savon thought, and evidently it was this that allowed me to slip out.

    In the course of the resumption the following episode occurred. We were playing with a clock of far from perfect construction, and on which the flag fell at nowhere near the time control. I saw that by rights White had at least a minute left, and to demand a loss on time in such circumstances seemed blasphemous to me. All these thoughts occurred in a flash, and before the controller had time to record the fall of the flag, I made a move and pressed my clock. The game subsequently ended in a draw. Towards the end I managed to win almost every game, and thus take first place, while for the following game I was awarded a special prize. (K Honfi vs Tal, 1972)

    The following combination was also of interest: Tal vs Suttles, 1972

    27.Be1 x a5!


    click for larger view

    After Sukhumi I was given a place in the Olympiad team, and at the last minute Savon was also included."

    (pp.403-404)

    ===

    Tal scored the gold medal 4th board in the <Skopje Olympiad 1972>, with +12 -0 =4.

    Olimpbase "20th Chess Olympiad: Skopje 1972-Basic Information" http://www.olimpbase.org/1972/1972i...

    Savon played 2nd reserve board, behind Karpov on 1st reserve board. http://www.olimpbase.org/1972/1972u...

    ===

    Thomas:

    "Tal's game with the new champion, Savon, was the main battle in this summer event at the Black Sea Resort. He fell into a prepared opening variation and escaped with a draw after many difficulties.

    As a result of his play during the year he was selected for the Olympiad to go to Skopje."

    (p.116)

    ===

    [Notes

    Khalifman et al, "Mikhail Tal - 8th World Champion" (PC-CD) Event Index, p.10

    Mikhail Tal, "The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal" (Cadogan 1997), pp.11, 403-404

    Rusbase http://al20102007.narod.ru/it/1972/...

    Hilary Thomas, "Complete Games of Mikhail Tal 1967-1973" (Batsford 1979), pp.116-120

    Olimpbase "20th Chess Olympiad: Skopje 1972-Basic Information" http://www.olimpbase.org/1972/1972i... ]

    ##########################

    1 game, 1972

  9. Sukhumi round by round
    <Round 1>


    1 game, 1972

  10. Tal - Gligoric Candidates Quarterfinal 1968
    Tal qualified for this event from his victory in the Tal - Larsen Candidates Semifinal (1965). Gligoric qualified from his shared 3rd finish in the Sousse Interzonal (1967). [1 ] Tal and Gligoric now squared off in a best of ten games match,[2 ] hosted by the palatial Belgrade Trade Union Hall.[3 ] Lev Abramov was the arbiter.[4 ]

    <Belgrade, Yugoslavia 22 April - 14 May 1968>[5 ] table[
    1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Pts.
    Tal, Mikhail 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 5½ Gligoric, Svetozar 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 3½ ]table

    Trade Union Hall photo: http://buki81.files.wordpress.com/2...

    Tal began preparation in January 1968 with an appearance at Hoogovens (1968). Tal reported that "to put it mildly, I was not in my best form."[6 ] In fact, he hardly disgraced himself, sharing 2nd with Vlastimil Hort and Lajos Portisch, behind Viktor Korchnoi, ahead of Florin Gheorghiu, Stevan Ciric, Aleksandar Matanovic and Borislav Ivkov. [7 ] Tal then began intensive opening preparation with his seconds, Alexander Koblents and Gennadi Sosonko. [8 ] They worked especially hard on Gligoric's pet Smyslov Defence in the Ruy Lopez. Sosonko came up with the novel idea of offering a rook sacrifice in this line,[8 ] which Tal referred to as his "secret weapon."[3 ]

    Gligoric had embarked on a long term preparatory plan as early as 1967, when he employed a new second, Dragoljub Velimirovic, to whip him into shape for the Sousse Interzonal (1967). According to Gligoric, "Velimirovic treated me like a novice in international chess. He forced me to break my regular habits and to spend 2-3 hours each morning in preparation for the game in the afternoon."[9 ] In March 1968 Gligoric scored +3 -0 =7 in a training match against Jan Hein Donner, [10 ] who later complained that he would never again play the Yugoslav grandmaster, because he couldn't beat him and he couldn't understand his playing style.[11 ]

    In game one Tal decided to open 1.e4 in order to test the "secret weapon." Gligoric obliged by playing the Smyslov Defence, and using only three minutes, Tal rattled off the first 21 moves in the variation. Tal then uncorked the surprise, 22.Ra3?!


    click for larger view

    If Gligoric took the bait by snapping off the rook with his bishop, white would quickly obtain a won game. After a 40 minute think, Gligoric declined the poison rook and found the correct continuation. Tal later tried to force the issue and blundered, allowing Gligoric to take a 1-0 lead.[12]

    Game two was adjourned in an equal position. On resumption of play the next day, Tal and Gligoric agreed they would rather attend the France-Yugoslavia soccer match, and agreed to a draw.[13 ] In game three Tal opened with 1.d4, hoping to surprise Gligoric with a prepared line against his favorite King's Indian. Tal tried 9.Nd5, a strategem recently favored by Bent Larsen. Upon playing it, however, Tal suddenly remembered he had already adopted this variation against Ivkov in a 1961 tournament Gligoric had also attended. Indeed, Gligoric seemed familiar with the position and easily found a drawing line.[13 ]

    Game four resulted in a short draw in the same variation of the Nimzo-Indian Tal had played in game two, and Game five was drawn in the same Smyslov variation of the Ruy Lopez that had been played in game one. Some of the Belgrade press now began to criticize the "monotony of the duel,"[9 ] featuring "the same variations again and again."[14 ] This unsettled Gligoric, who was also feeling harried by a constant stream of well-meaning visitors to his house, which happened to be across the street from the playing hall. At the beginning of game six, Gligoric said he surprised himself by playing 3.Nf3, "which I hadn't even looked at. That spontaneous decision knocked me off balance."[14 ] Tal noticed his opponent playing "inconsistently, making first a safe move, and then an active one," and capitalized on this desultory play to level the score 1-1.[15 ] Tal seized on this shift in momentum to win the next game as well, taking the lead for the first time in the match.

    Despite his ill fortunes, Gligoric had not given up. He had worked hard with Velimirovic to prepare a winning line against the same Nimzo-Indian set up Tal had played twice already. Tal, however, had his own surprise ready: "my sense of danger came into operation... In the eighth game I decided to avoid repeating the variation..."[15 ] Gligoric never got the chance to try his new idea. Game nine was adjourned with advantage to Tal. Overnight, famed violinist David Oistrakh joined Tal and Koblents to prepare an 18 move winning variation, which was played out with "lightning speed" the next day.[16 ]

    Tal had eliminated Gligoric 3-1, and would now go on to play the Korchnoi - Tal Candidates Semifinal (1968).

    [Notes

    1 Bozidar Kazic, "International Championship Chess" (Pitman 1974), p.194

    2 Hilary Thomas, "Complete Games of Mikhail Tal 1967-1973" (Batsford 1979), p.23

    3 Mikhail Tal, "The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal" (Cadogan 1997), p.340

    4 Bulletin "Chess Moscow" No. 12, 1968

    5 Alexander Khalifman, ed. "Mikhail Tal Games 1963-1972" (Chess Stars 1995), pp.203-209. All game dates are from this source.

    6 Tal, p.339

    7 Thomas, p.19

    8 "Chess Library Encyclopedia" "Mikhail Tal Chapter 2- Matches, Tournaments, Rivals Part 2" http://www.chesslibrary.ru/publ/ehn...

    9 Svetozar Gligoric, "I Play Against Pieces" Biljana and Zoran Hic, transl. (Batsford 2002), p.11

    10 Di Felice, "Chess Results 1968-1970" (McFarland 2013), p.96

    11 David Levy, "The Chess of Gligoric- Svetozar Gligoric's Chess Career 1945-1970" (World Publishing 1972), p.160

    12 Tal, pp.340-341

    13 Tal, p.341

    14 Gligoric, "Analysing by the riverside with Bobby Fischer." In "Chess in Translation- Russian chess news and interviews in English" http://www.chessintranslation.com/2...

    15 Tal, p.342

    16. Tal, pp.342-343

    Original collection by User: Hesam7; Introduction written by User: WCC Editing Project ]

    9 games, 1968

  11. Tal Games to submit

    <SUBMITTED on 18 July 2014>

    Number 120

    <Baltic Clubs Cup>

    [Event "Baltic Clubs Cup"]
    [Site "Riga"]
    [Date "1971.??.??"]
    [Round "?"]
    [Result "1-0"]
    [White "Mikhail Tal"]
    [Black "Andres Vooremaa"]
    [ECO "E08"]
    [WhiteElo "?"]
    [BlackElo "?"]

    1.d4 d5 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.g3 Be7 5.Bg2 0-0 6.0-0 c6 7.b3 Nbd7 8.Qc2 b6 9.Nc3 Ba6 10.Rd1 Rc8 11.Bb2 b5 12.c5 b4 13.Na4 Bb5 14.a3 a5 15.Ne1 Qc7 16.axb4 axb4 17.Nd3 Bxd3 18.Qxd3 Ra8 19.Bc1 e5 20.dxe5 Nxe5 21.Qd4 Nfd7 22.Bf4 Bf6 23.Qxb4 Rab8 24.Qa3 Rb5 25.e4 dxe4 26.Nc3 Rxc5 27.Nxe4 Rc2 28.Bh3 Nf3+ 29.Kg2 Nde5 30.Rd7 Qb8 31.Bf5 Re2 32.Nxf6 gxf6 33.Kf1 Qb5 34.Qxf8

    Khalifman et al, "Mikhail Tal - 8th World Champion" (PC-CD)

    "The Life and Games of Mikhail Tal," p.11

    <OE Tested Good to Go>

    <ADDED TO DATABASE July 23 2014>

    ######################

    2 games, 1953-1967

  12. Tal-Gligoric Candidates Quarterfinal 1968 ARCHIV
    Tal qualified for this event from his victory in the Tal - Larsen Candidates Semifinal (1965). Gligoric qualified from his shared 3rd finish in the Sousse Interzonal (1967). Tal and Gligoric now squared off in a best of ten games match, hosted by the palatial Belgrade Trade Union Hall.

    Photo: http://www.slike.4t.com/Beograd/PT-...

    <Belgrade, Yugoslavia 22 April - 14 May 1968>[1,2 ] table[
    Tal, Mikhail 0 = = = = 1 1 = 1 5.5
    Gligoric, Svetozar 1 = = = = 0 0 = 0 3.5
    ]table

    Tal began preparation in January 1968 with an appearance at <Wijk aan Zee 1968>. Tal reported that "to put it mildly, I was not in my best form." In fact, he hardly disgraced himself, sharing 2nd with Vlastimil Hort and Lajos Portisch, behind Viktor Korchnoi, ahead of Florin Gheorghiu, Stevan Ciric, Aleksandar Matanovic and Borislav Ivkov. Tal then began intensive opening preparation with his second, Alexander Koblents. They worked especially hard on Gligoric's pet Smyslov defence in the Ruy Lopez, coming up with at least one novelty Tal referred to as his "secret weapon."

    Gligoric had embarked on a long term preparatory plan as early as 1967, when he employed a new second, Dragoljub Velimirovic, to whip him into shape for the <Sousse Interzonal>. According to Gligoric, "Velimirovic treated me like a novice in international chess. He forced me to break my regular habits and to spend 2-3 hours each morning in preparation for the game in the afternoon." In March 1968 Gligoric scored +3 -0 =7 in a training match against Jan Hein Donner, who later complained that he would never again play the Yugoslav grandmaster, because he couldn't beat him and he couldn't understand his playing style. <Levy; Di Felice 1968-1970, p.96>

    In game one Tal decided to open 1.e4 in order to test his "secret weapon." Gligoric obliged by playing the Smyslov defence, and in three minutes they rattled off the first 21 moves in the variation. Tal then uncorked his surprise, 22.Ra3?!


    click for larger view

    If Gligoric took the bait by snapping off the rook with his bishop, white would quickly obtain a won game. After a 40 minute think, Gligoric declined the poison rook and found the correct continuation. Tal later tried to force the issue and blundered, allowing Gligoric to take a 1-0 lead.

    Game two was adjourned in an equal position. On resumption of play the next day, Tal and Gligoric agreed they would rather attend the France-Yugoslavia soccer match, and agreed to a draw. In game three Tal opened with 1.d4, hoping to catch Gligoric with a prepared line against his pet King's Indian. Tal tried 9.Nd5, a strategem recently favored by Bent Larsen, but upon playing it Tal suddenly remembered he had already adopted this variation against Borislav Ivkov in a 1961 tournament Gligoric had also attended. Indeed, Gligoric seemed familiar with the position and easily found a drawing line.

    Game four resulted in a short draw in exactly the same variation of the Nimzo-Indian Tal had played in game two, and Game five was drawn in the same Smyslov variation of the Ruy Lopez that had been played in game one. Some of the Belgrade press now began to criticize the "monotony of the duel," featuring "the same variations again and again. This unsettled Gligoric, who was also feeling harried by a constant stream of well-meaning visitors to his house, which happened to be across the street from the playing hall. At the beginning of game six, Gligoric said he surprised himself by playing 3.Nf3, "which I hadn't even looked at. That spontaneous decision knocked me off balance." Tal noticed his opponent playing "inconsistently, making first a safe move, and then an active one," and capitalized on this desultory play to level the score 1-1. Tal seized on this shift in momentum to win the next game as well, taking the lead for the first time in the match.

    Despite the shift in fortune, Gligoric had not given up. He had worked hard with Velimirovic to prepare a winning line against the same Nimzo-Indian set up Tal had played twice already. Tal, however, had his own surprise ready: "my sense of danger came into operation... In the eighth game I decided to avoid repeating the variation..." Gligoric never got the chance to try his new idea. Game 9 was adjourned with advantage to Tal. Overnight, famed violinist David Oistrakh joined Tal and Koblents to prepare an 18 move winning variation, which was played out with "lightning speed" the next day.

    Tal had eliminated Gligoric, and would now go on to face Victor Korchnoi in a candidates semifinal match.

    "Indeed, the following game, the 9th, turned out to be the last. In it I adopted the move order chosen by Korchnoi in the 2nd game of his match with Reshevsky, which was proceeding at the same time in Amsterdam. I did not, of course, expect Gligoric to bludner away a pawn, as Reshevsky had done, but this almost happened. True, at the last moment Gligoric realised the danger, but he was able to ward it off only at the cost of two tempi. They proved sufficient for tthe game to be adjourned in a position which, although complicated, saw White the exchange ahead.

    A lively and highly significant part in the analysis of the adjourned position was played by the world-famous violinist David Oistrakh, and old and faithful lover of chess, who had arrived in Yugoslavia for a concert. INcidentally, the analysis was quite complicated, and we analysed the position roughly 18 moves ahead, avoiding a number of false paths. It was the main variation of our analysis that occurred in the game. The resumption therefore proceeded at practically lightning speed. The match concluded and I set off to visit Petar Smederavac, my son's godfather."

    #######################

    Tal adopts a position that had recently been favored by Larsen, 9.Nd5- with the idea of castling Queenside:

    "In the third game, another misfortune befell me, and rather an amusing one. In preparing for the match, we knew that in reply to 1.d4 Gligoric played the King's Indian Defence 90 times out of 100, and I decided to play a system often chosen by Larsen. It was only when I played it that I immediately remembered that I had already adopted the same variation as Black against Ivkov at Bled, in 1961, when Gligoric was present. The Yugoslav naturally neutralized my whole set-up, and in a slightly superior position offered a draw."

    Ivkov vs Tal, 1961

    http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

    #########################

    <Wijk aan Zee 1968> (9-28 Jan) Shared 2d with Hort and Portisch, behind Korchnoi, ahead of Gheorghiu, Ciric, Matanovic, Ivkov, Ree and Bobotsov, with +5 -2 =8. [Di Felice, "Chess Results 1968-1970" (McFarland 2013), pp.92-93; ]

    In preparing for this encounter, Koblents and I realised that a duel was likely to develop in one or ore topical opening schemes, since the theoretical preparation of the Yugslav Grandmaster has always been notable for its thoroughness and soundness. There was no discussion about where the match should be held: I readily agreed to play on my opponent's 'home ground' in Belgrade. In the first game I had the white pieces, and at the start I was subconsciously unwilling to refeal my secret weapon immediately. On the other hand, success would mean the immediate destruction of Gligoric's favourite and main drfence against 1.e4. The second consideration outweighed, and after spending some three minutes on the opening, I made the preparatory move 11.Ra3

    ---

    Gligoric: 10 game training match vs Jan Hein Donner

    Game Collection: Gligoric-Donner Training Match 1968

    #######################

    -<Seconds>: Alexander Koblents (Tal); Dragoljub Velimirovic (Gligoric)

    Famed violinist David Oistrakh assisted Tal on the analysis of the adjourned position in game 9.

    -<Conditions> Apart from the final, all candidates matches (including 3rd place match) were 'best of 10 games'. The final was 'best of 12 games'. http://forums.ubi.com/showthread.ph...

    ####################################

    <game 1> <euripides> "Tal and Gligoric played the position after White's 21st three times in 1967-8; the other two were drawn. Levy, in his book on Gligoric, suggests that this sequence put 15.a4 out of business in grandmaster chess. Juding from the 'similar games' page, that seems to be roughly true, but there has been one recent revival of the line:"

    -<What Levy actually wrote:>

    "Because of these two games from the match, the move 15.P-QR4 (a4) has more or less been superceded by 15.P-N3 and 15.B-Q3." (p.172)

    Position after 15.a4 d5!


    click for larger view

    Position after 22.Ra3


    click for larger view

    ===

    <Game 2>

    Tal and Gligoric sat down to play out this adjourned position (black to move):


    click for larger view

    and decided they would rather agree to a draw, and go to the <France vs. Yugslavia> soccer game together.

    ===

    <Game 3>


    click for larger view

    After 9.Nd5 Rd7 10.0-0-0 Nc6 11.Bd3, Gligoric neutralizes with 11...Ng4


    click for larger view

    Followed by 12.Bc5 Nd4!


    click for larger view

    Tal:

    "In the third game, another misfortune befell me, and rather an amusing one. In preparing for the match, we knew that in reply to 1.d4 Gligoric played the King's Indian Defence 90 times out of 100, and I decided to play a system often chosen by Larsen. It was only when I played it that I immediately remembered that I had already adopted the same variation as Black against Ivkov at Bled, in 1961, when Gligoric was present. The Yugoslav naturally neutralized my whole set-up, and in a slightly superior position offered a draw."

    Ivkov vs Tal, 1961

    http://www.chessgames.com/perl/ches...

    ===

    <Game 4>

    Draw agreed in this position:


    click for larger view

    Tal: "Only the fourth game gave me a certain cause for optimism. I once again won the theoretical duel in the Nimzo-Indian Defence, and this time, with the slightly better game, I offered a draw 'from a position of strength.' For almost the first time in my life, the sober voice of reason suggested that for the moment it was not worth declining draws, but was better to get into form and attempt to decide the match in the 3rd, 4th, and should the opportunity arise, 5th 'White' games."

    ===

    <Game 5>

    Ruy Lopez- the same position reached as in game 1:


    click for larger view

    Tal: "But nothing came of the 5th game, and many of the reporters in the Yugoslav press began to express their preference for Gligoric. They said that he had a point in hand, that he had three 'White' games to come against my two, and that he was fit and well prepared physically. However, I sensed that I was 'beginning to play', and felt that in the fifth game I had seen quite a lot at the board."

    ===

    <Game 6>

    Gligoric blunders a piece in an already poor position, with 33.g4?


    click for larger view

    Tal:

    "Gligoric, meanwhile, was in something of a dilemma. On the one hand he realised that it would be good to increase his advantage with a win, but on the other hand he began playing with an extra degree of caution, so as to maintain that which had already been achieved. This indecision only hindered him. At any rate, in the sixth game he played inconsistently, making first a safe move, and then an active one. It is not impossible that Gligoric was disturbed by my playing an opening which I had never played before. Be that as it may, the score in the match was levelled, and besides, I had noticed earlier that Gligoric before a defeat, and after one are two entirely different players."

    ===================

    Gligoric:

    "I was really unlucky: the tournament hall was across the street from my house. Friends from all over Belgrade would drop in to talk to me, and I couldn’t say no. And then I also made a terrible mistake: during the match I read what the papers were writing. After the first five games I was leading: I’d won one game with black [quite a game!] and made four draws. Tal couldn’t do a thing, and he later told me he was sure he’d lose the match. But on the eve of the 6th game I read a comment by a journalist who declared that he was bored watching us choose the same variations again and again. And then the game started, and I surprised myself on the 3rd move by deciding that instead of 3. Nc3, which I’d been playing up until then, I’d play Nf3, which I hadn’t even looked at. That spontaneous decision knocked me off balance. I was shocked and couldn’t understand why I’d done it. I lost the game with white. After that the whole atmosphere of the match began to weigh on me and I wanted it to end as soon as possible. I lost another two games – and it was all over."

    -"Analysing by the riverside with Bobby Fischer" by MISHANP on JUNE 23, 2010. In "Chess in Translation- Russian chess news and interviews in English." http://www.chessintranslation.com/2...

    ===

    <Game 7>

    Tal:

    "In the seventh game I held the initiative, and managed to take the lead, so that both the score, and the mood of the opponents, had changed in my favour."

    ===

    <Game 8>

    Tal deviates from the Nimzo Indian line he played in games 2 and 4, with 5...d5


    click for larger view

    Tal:

    "Gligoric had two 'White' games remaining, and here my sense of danger came into operation, though when it arose in me I do not know. In the eighth game I decided to avoid repeating the variation with which twice had been successful. With what was I to replace it? I decided to 'borrow' from Larsen, who at that time was playing his match with Portisch in Zagreb (incidentally, late every evening we would watch on television both a commentary on my game with Gligoric, and a description between the Dane and the Hungarian) and chose the variation with which he was adpoting in the Nimzo-Indian Defence.

    The decision proved to be a correct one, since later Gligoric told me that it was before the 8th game that he and Velimorovic had found an important improvement, which effectively put out of business the variation which I had played in the 2nd and 4th games. The fact that I myself diverged noticeably distressed the Yugslav Grandmaster. I quickly obtained at least an equal game, but despite having the better prospects, offered a draw, since I very much wanted to be in time to watch the televising of the football match between the USSR and Hungary. Gligoric thought for some 25-30 minutes, until midway through the first half, and declined. I felt just a little bit angry, but even so, when withing 5 or 6 moves Gligoric in turn offered a draw, I did not try to gain revenge for the missed football: besides, I sensed that Svetozar had already cracked."

    ===

    <Game 9>

    Adjourned position, after 42...dxe5


    click for larger view

    Tal:

    "Indeed, the following game, the 9th, turned out to be the last. In it I adopted the move order chosen by Korchnoi in the 2nd game of his match with Reshevsky, which was proceeding at the same time in Amsterdam. I did not, of course, expect Gligoric to bludner away a pawn, as Reshevsky had done, but this almost happened. True, at the last moment Gligoric realised the danger, but he was able to ward it off only at the cost of two tempi. They proved sufficient for tthe game to be adjourned in a position which, although complicated, saw White the exchange ahead.

    A lively and highly significant part in the analysis of the adjourned position was played by the world-famous violinist David Oistrakh, and old and faithful lover of chess, who had arrived in Yugoslavia for a concert. INcidentally, the analysis was quite complicated, and we analysed the position roughly 18 moves ahead, avoiding a number of false paths. It was the main variation of our analysis that occurred in the game. The resumption therefore proceeded at practically lightning speed. The match concluded and I set off to visit Petar Smederavac, my son's godfather."

    ################################

    <Tal:> "(Wijk aan Zee 1968) was my last test before the start of the Candidates matches, and showed that, to put it mildly, I was not in my best form. This was... confirmed by the start of my match with Gligoric. In preparing for this encounter, Koblents and I realised that a duel was likely to develop in one or ore topical opening schemes, since the theoretical preparation of the Yugslav Grandmaster has always been notable for its thoroughness and soundness. There was no discussion about where the match should be held: I readily agreed to play on my opponent's 'home ground' in Belgrade. In the first game I had the white pieces, and at the start I was subconsciously unwilling to refeal my secret weapon immediately. On the other hand, success would mean the immediate destruction of Gligoric's favourite and main drfence against 1.e4. The second consideration outweighed, and after spending some three minutes on the opening, I made the preparatory move 11.Ra3 in the overcrowded hall of the Palace of Syndicates (Trade Union Hall), where we were playing, the noise level rose: whether it was a joke or not, the rook had placed itself en prise to the black bishop. Gligoric sank into thought, and after 40 minutes found the correct way to neutralise White's innovation: 22.bxa4 23.Rxa4 Rab8. Subsequently I could have obtained an ending with an extra pawn, but this would have been practically equivalent to agreeing a draw. Preferring a sharp game, I avoided this, then at some point blundered, and in the adjourned position Gligoric found a precise way to win.

    The second game again featured a theoretical duel, this time in the Nimzo-Indian Defence where we had prepared an improvement in Gligoric's favourite variation. As a result, Gligoric immediately offered a draw as White, but I had to try to win one back and began attempting to obtain more from the position than was justified. Suddenly I saw for White an excellent combination (however, analysis later showed it to be incorrect). To avoid it, I moved my knight away from the dentre, and nervously offered a draw myself, but the advantage was now with Gligoric. Only in the -scramble did I manage to win the exchange, which, however, did not give any real winning chances. The following day, when the game was to be resumed, there was an important international football match in Belgrade, which was clearly not worth missing for the sake of such a position. So, after agreeing to a draw, Gligoric and I went together amicably to the match between Yugoslavia and France.

    In the third game, another misfortune befell me, and rather an amusing one. In preparing for the match, we knew that in reply to 1.d4 Gligoric played the King's Indian Defence 90 times out of 100, and I decided to play a system often chosen by Larsen. It was only when I played it that I immediately remembered that I had already adopted the same variation as Black against Ivkov at Bled, in 1961, when Gligoric was present. The Yugoslav naturally neutralized my whole set-up, and in a slightly superior position offered a draw.

    Only the fourth game gave me a certain cause for optimism. I once again won the theoretical duel in the Nimzo-Indian Defence, and this time, with the slightly better game, I offered a draw 'from a position of strength.' For almost the first time in my life, the sober voice of reason suggested that for the moment it was not worth declining draws, but was better to get into form and attempt to decide the match in the 3rd, 4th, and should the opportunity arise, 5th 'White' games.

    But nothing came of the 5th game, and many of the reporters in the Yugoslav press began to express their preference for Gligoric. They said that he had a point in hand, that he had three 'White' games to come against my two, and that he was fit and well prepared physically. However, I sensed that I was 'beginning to play', and felt that in the fifth game I had seen quite a lot at the board.

    Gligoric, meanwhile, was in something of a dilemma. On the one hand he realised that it would be good to increase his advantage with a win, but on the other hand he began playing with an extra degree of caution, so as to maintain that which had already been achieved. This indecision only hindered him. At any rate, in the sixth game he played inconsistently, making first a safe move, and then an active one. It is not impossible that Gligoric was disturbed by my playing an opening which I had never played before. Be that as it may, the score in the match was levelled, and besides, I had noticed earlier that Gligoric before a defeat, and after one are two entirely different players.

    This was also confirmed in our match. In the seventh game I held the initiative, and managed to take the lead, so that both the score, and the mood of the opponents, had changed in my favour.

    Gligoric had two 'White' games remaining, and here my sense of danger came into operation, though when it arose in me I do not know. In the eighth game I decided to avoid repeating the variation with which twice had been successful. With what was I to replace it? I decided to 'borrow' from Larsen, who at that time was playing his match with Portisch in Zagreb (incidentally, late every evening we would watch on television both a commentary on my game with Gligoric, and a description between the Dane and the Hungarian) and chose the variation with which he was adpoting in the Nimzo-Indian Defence.

    The decision proved to be a correct one, since later Gligoric told me that it was before the 8th game that he and Velimorovic had found an important improvement, which effectively put out of business the variation which I had played in the 2nd and 4th games. The fact that I myself diverged noticeably distressed the Yugslav Grandmaster. I quickly obtained at least an equal game, but despite having the better prospects, offered a draw, since I very much wanted to be in time to watch the televising of the football match between the USSR and Hungary. Gligoric thought for some 25-30 minutes, until midway through the first half, and declined. I felt just a little bit angry, but even so, when withing 5 or 6 moves Gligoric in turn offered a draw, I did not try to gain revenge for the missed football: besides, I sensed that Svetozar had already cracked.

    Indeed, the following game, the 9th, turned out to be the last. In it I adopted the move order chosen by Korchnoi in the 2nd game of his match with Reshevsky, which was proceeding at the same time in Amsterdam. I did not, of course, expect Gligoric to bludner away a pawn, as Reshevsky had done, but this almost happened. True, at the last moment Gligoric realised the danger, but he was able to ward it off only at the cost of two tempi. They proved sufficient for tthe game to be adjourned in a position which, although complicated, saw White the exchange ahead.

    A lively and highly significant part in the analysis of the adjourned position was played by the world-famous violinist David Oistrakh, and old and faithful lover of chess, who had arrived in Yugoslavia for a concert. INcidentally, the analysis was quite complicated, and we analysed the position roughly 18 moves ahead, avoiding a number of false paths. It was the main variation of our analysis that occurred in the game. The resumption therefore proceeded at practically lightning speed. The match concluded and I set off to visit Petar Smederavac, my son's godfather.

    -Mikhail Tal, "My Life and Games" ( ), pp.339-243

    #################################

    <Levy:>

    Before playing tal in the first round of the Candidates, Gligoric had a ten game training match against Donner. The Dutch giant failed to win a single game and admitted after the match that he would never play Gligoric again, because he couldn't beat him and couldn't understand him as a player, 'He said that he understood much better Larsen and Botwinnik, who are more complicated than I am as a player.' The match with Tal was 'unfortunately' in Belgrade.

    'I think I should have won that match if my nerves had been better. But after qualifying at Sousse I wasn't ripe to play in the Candidates, because I had spent all my energy on Sousse. Probably I needed another year. I ripen very slowly in life and in everything. I only reached my peak, for example, when I was 33. I should have won easily. He was completely defeated within himself. He told me that.' (160)

    =============

    -David Levy, "The Chess of Gligoric- Svetozar Gligoric's Chess Career 1945-1970" (World Publishing 1972), p.160

    ##############################

    <Gligoric:>

    "When I went to Sousse in 1967, nothing spectacular was to be expected from me. At that time, I had some new ideas for a safe opening repertoire and intended, as usual to rely on my intuition during play. My plan was not to lose a single game and to gain the minimum number of wins necessary for qualification- and that I thought I could do.

    I was 44 and it surprised me when my new second, young Velimirovic, treated me like a novice in international chess. He forced me to break my regular habits and to spend 2-3 hours each morning in preparation for the game in the afternoon. It was like a prophecy of how chess players behave nowadays, where preparation can offer a 90% guarantee of success.... My tactics were like balancing on the brink of a threatening abyss- if I lost a single game. It did happen in my next match with Tal who, in 1968 said that for several reasons Belgrade as a playing site was a handicap to me. I was leading after five games and both Tal and his second Koblentz believed that I was going to win the match. Then in the 6th game, stupidly irritated by journalistic comments on the 'monotony of our duel,' I shocked myself witha sudden decision at the board to make a 3rd move as White for which I was unprepared. After that defeat I collapsed. If one could explain it- I must have been tired of the situation with no tranquility. among other things, the playing hall was across the street where I lived downtown with my wife and this was like an open invitation to benevolent visitors to frequent our place. However I was fortunate with my temperament and I did not regret one bit my lost chance.

    -Svetozar Gligoric, "I Play Against Pieces" Biljana and Zoran Hic, transl. (Batsford 2002), p.11

    ##############################

    Tal advanced to the Korchnoi-Tal Candidates Semifinal 1968

    [Notes

    1 Di Felice, "Chess Results 1968-1970," p.95

    2 Game order and dates from Alexander Khalifman, ed. "Mikhail Tal Games 1963-1972" (Chess Stars 1995), pp.203-209

    Original collection by User: Hesam7; introduction and game dates by User: WCC Editing Project ]

    1 game, 1968

  13. test bug
    5 games, 1951-1953

  14. Tournament Index Events with Missing Information
    <To 1899>

    Harrwitz - Williams (1846) Missing information:No game dates. Needs introduction.

    Kieseritsky - Horwitz (1846) Missing information: Games have July date, though the majority must have been played in August.

    Anderssen - Harrwitz (1848) Missing information: No dates; needs introduction

    London (1851) Missing information: no dates

    Harrwitz - Williams (1852) Missing information: no months/days; needs introduction

    Harrwitz - Williams (1852/53) Missing information: No months or days; Only one game dated 1853, but more must have been played that year

    1st American Chess Congress, New York (1857) Missing information: First eight games in list do not have full dates

    Morphy - Lowenthal (1858) Missing information: Games 9 and 10 have month only

    Morphy - Mongredien (1859) Missing information: full dates, and other information for introduction

    Anderssen - Kolisch (1861) Missing information: Dates for all games except #1 (dated July 23) and #9 (dated August 1)

    Anderssen - Paulsen (1862) Missing information: day for games 1-5; month/day for games 6-8

    Steinitz - Dubois (1862) Missing information: days for all games

    MacDonnell - Mackenzie (1862/63) Missing information: No exact days available for any game. Month/year uncertain for games 8-9

    7th BCA Congress, Dundee (1867) <INTRO COPY AND PASTED> Introduction is copy and pasted from a source that is not properly documented.

    Chigorin - Schiffers, 2nd Match (1878) Missing information: no introduction

    Chigorin - Schiffers, 3rd Match (1879) Missing information: no introduction

    Vizayanagaram, London (1883) Missing information: No game dates or round numbers

    Lasker - Mieses (1889/90) Missing information: no introduction

    Lasker - Bird (1890) Missing information: no introduction

    Lasker - Miniati (1890) Missing information: no introduction

    Blackburne - Golmayo (1891) Missing information: no introduction

    Lasker - Blackburne (1892) Missing information: no introduction

    Lasker - Bird (1892) Missing information: no introduction

    ''Black and White'', London (1893) Missing information: no introduction. <Mason - van Vliet> from round 3 missing, not yet submitted.

    Lasker - Showalter (1893) <INTRO COPY AND PASTED> Introduction is copy and pasted from sources that are properly documented. Possibly the intro should be summarized with footnotes.

    Wallace - Crane (1893) First round date missing. <INTRO COPY AND PASTED> Introduction is copy and pasted from sources that are properly documented. Possibly the intro should be summarized with footnotes.

    8th DSB Congress, Kiel (1893) Missing information: no introduction

    Lasker - Ettlinger (1893) Missing information: no introduction

    9th DSB Congress, Leipzig (1894) <INTRO COPY AND PASTED> Introduction is copy and pasted from a source that is not properly documented.

    Wallace - Esling (1895) Missing information: no game dates

    Vienna (1898) Missing information: Several games missing date and round, round order in the game list is mixed up and not chronological.

    Janowski Exhibition Series, Manhattan CC (1899) Missing information: no crosstable


    1 game, 1990

  15. WCC : Steinitz-Zukertort 1886
    ORIGINAL: Steinitz - Zukertort World Championship Match (1886)

    #################################################

    <LATEST REVISED DRAFT by Karpova>

    Wilhelm Steinitz was born in Prague, Bohemia (today Czech Republic) in 1836.<1> He dominated the chess world for most of the second half of the 1800s,<2> and beat his strongest active contemporaries in matches: Anderssen - Steinitz (1866), Steinitz - Zukertort (1872) and Steinitz - Blackburne (1876). Steinitz considered his world championship tenure to have started with his win over Adolf Anderssen,<3> although in these matches the title of world champion was probably not officially at stake.<4> In 1882, Steinitz challenged Johannes Zukertort to another match but the negotiations failed.<5> Zukertort was born in Lublin, Poland in 1842,<6> and by the 1870s he had become one of the world's strongest chessplayers.<7> Zukertort scored an overwhelming victory at London (1883) ahead of Steinitz. Contemporaneous periodicals openly questioned Steinitz's superiority.<8> At the end of June 1883, Steinitz again challenged Zukertort to a match, and proposed conditions.<9> Zukertort agreed in principle to the match, but his poor health after his tournament victory did not permit the stress of such a match in the near future.<10>

    Steinitz emigrated to the USA in late 1883.<11> The negotiations for a match with Zukertort now dragged on. The main disagreement was location: Steinitz wanted to play in the USA, but not in London, where he had encountered unfairness and hostility.<12> Zukertort, on the other hand, insisted on a match in London, where his financial backers resided.<13> Finally, in mid-1885 Zukertort agreed to a match in the USA and Steinitz agreed to play a return match in London.<14> At first, the preliminary seconds were to be Gustave Simonson for Steinitz and James Minchin for Zukertort, but by the time the match started, Steinitz had chosen Thomas Frere and Zukertort Charles Moehle as their respective seconds. Frère and Minchin went on to conduct the match negotiations.<15> A forfeit deposit of $250 was imposed.<16> Steinitz forwarded the sum at the beginning of December 1885.<17> Zukertort arrived in New York on December 13 but the transmission of his deposit was delayed, so the match began later than originally planned.<18>

    The conditions for the first official world chess championship match were signed on December 29, 1885. The stakes were $2,000 a side,<19> with a guarantee of at least $750 to the winner and $500 to the loser.<20> The winner would be the first to win 10 games. In case of 9:9 (draws not counting), the match was to be declared drawn. The time control was 30 moves in 2 hours and then 15 moves in 1 hour. The match was to begin in New York and remain in that venue until one player had scored 4 wins. Then it would move to St. Louis until one player had won 3 games there. The rest of the match was to take place in New Orleans. An umpire for each player was chosen from the chess club hosting the match during each of the three legs. The two umpires supervised the games and settled all disputes. In the case of a disagreement between the umpires, or of a player feeling that an umpire's decision contradicted the rules, the referee had the final say.<19> A change was made in St. Louis that the match would be considered drawn if the score reached 8:8, draws not counting.<21>

    The match began on January 11, 1886 <18> in Cartier's Hall, Fifth Avenue, in New York.<22> The New York leg ended January 20, when Zukertort scored 4 consecutive victories after losing the first game. Play was resumed on February 3 in St. Louis.<23> The games were played during the day in the Harmonie Hall and at night in the Chess, Checkers and Whist Club.<24> The umpires were Ben R. Foster for Steinitz and William Duncan for Zukertort.<25> The St. Louis leg ended on February 10 after Steinitz scored 3 wins and a draw.<23> After a rest of almost 2 weeks, the New Orleans leg began on February 26.<26> Charles Francis Buck was the referee. The umpires were Fernand Clairborne for Steinitz and Charles Maurian for Zukertort.<27> Play took place in the New Orleans Chess, Checkers and Whist Club at the corner of Baronne and Canal Street.<28> Carnival activities led to a suspension of the match for a few days.<29> After a draw, Steinitz pulled ahead with 2 wins. Zukertort struck back with a win, but managed only 3 draws and another loss in the next games. Steinitz then went on to win the last 3 games, becoming the first official world champion on March 29, 1886 with a final score of (+10 -5 =5).<23>

    1. Jeremy Gaige, "Chess Personalia: A Biobibliography", (McFarland 1987, softcover reprint 2005), p. 406

    2. Rod Edwards, <Wilhelm Steinitz> http://www.edochess.ca/players/p34....

    3. Obituary in the "New York Times", 14 October 1900, quoting Steinitz from "My advertisement to anti-Semites in Vienna and Elsewhere." In Edward Winter, <Early Uses of ‘World Chess Champion’> http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

    4. Edward Winter, <Early Uses of ‘World Chess Champion’> http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

    5. Kurt Landsberger, "William Steinitz - Chess Champion 2d ed." (McFarland 1995), p. 168

    6. Gaige, pp. 481-482

    7. Rod Edwards, <Johannes Zukertort> http://www.edochess.ca/players/p39....

    8. The "Chess Player's Chronicle" mentions that Zukertort had become champion "in the opinion of some" (18 July 1883, p. 50. In Edward Winter, <Early Uses of ‘World Chess Champion’> http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...). According to the "Cincinnati Commercial", the "indications are that Mr. Z. is the strongest living player" (7 July 1883. Reprinted in Jacques N. Pope, <Chess Archaeology> http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...). The "Baltimore Sunday News" was quoted as saying that Zukertort was "now the acknowledged world champion chessplayer" ("Newark Sunday Call", 8 July 1883. Reprinted in Jacques N. Pope, <Chess Archaeology> http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...) and the " New York Turf, Field and Farm" announced Steinitz's soon to be published match challenge to be a challenge to Zukertort's "title to the championship" (6 July 1883. Reprinted in Jacques N. Pope, <Chess Archaeology> http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...). Johannes Minckwitz writes, that their rivalry grew more and more acute after the tournament, and a match between them moved closer and closer (Source 15, pp. 4-5. Reprinted in <Internet Archive> https://archive.org/stream/bub_gb_D...). Charles Devide described the tournament as "a bitter disappointment" and that then all of Steinitz' "energies were bent on securing a match" (Devidé, "A Memorial to William Steinitz", New York and London, 1901, p. 7. Reprinted in <Internet Archive> https://archive.org/stream/cu319240...).

    9. "New York Turf, Field and Farm", 13 July 1883. Reprinted in Jacques N. Pope, <Chess Archaeology> http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...

    10. "British Chess Magazine", August-September 1883, pp. 282-283

    11. Landsberger, p. 138

    12. Landsberger, p. 146

    13. Landsberger, p. 145

    14. Landsberger, p. 148

    15. Johannes von Minckwitz, "Der Entscheidungskampf zwischen W. Steinitz und J. H. Zukertort um die Meisterschaft der Welt", Leipzig, 1886, pp. 7-8. Reprinted in <Internet Archive> https://archive.org/stream/bub_gb_D...

    16. Landsberger, p. 150

    17. "Nashville Union", 6 December 1885 (originally from the New Orleans "Times Democrat"). Reprinted in Jacques N. Pope, <Chess Archaeology> http://www.chessarch.com/excavation..., Item 3

    18. "British Chess Magazine", February 1886, p. 69

    19. "Chess Monthly", January 1886, pp. 136-137. In Edward Winter's <World Chess Championship Rules> http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

    20. Landsberger, p. 150

    21. "British Chess Magazine", May 1886, p. 184

    22. "British Chess Magazine", February 1886, p. 54

    23. Rod Edwards, <Steinitz-Zukertort (1886)> http://www.edochess.ca/matches/m836...

    24. "British Chess Magazine", March 1886, p. 116

    25. "St. Louis Globe-Democrat", 3 February 1886. Reprinted in Jacques N. Pope, <Chess Archaeology> http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...

    26. "Charleston Sunday News", 21 February 1886. Reprinted in Jacques N. Pope, <Chess Archaeology> http://www.chessarch.com/excavation..., Item 1

    27. "British Chess Magazine", April 1886, pp. 139-140 (originally from the New Orleans "Times-Democrat", 28 February 1886)

    28. Landsberger, p. 163

    29. "Brooklyn Chess Chronicle", 15 March 1886, volume 4, number 6, p. 81. Reprinted in <HathiTrust Digital Library> http://hdl.handle.net/2027/hvd.hn43...

    ######################################################

    Wilhelm Steinitz (1836-1900) dominated the chess world for most of the second half of the 1800s.1 He beat his strongest active contemporaries in matches: Anderssen - Steinitz (1866), Steinitz - Zukertort (1872) and Steinitz - Blackburne (1876). Steinitz considered his world championship tenure to have started with his win over Adolf Anderssen, 2 although in these matches the title of world champion was not officially at stake.2 In 1882, Steinitz challenged Johannes Zukertort to another match but the negotiations failed.3 Zukertort had become one of the world's strongest chessplayers in the 1870s.4 After Zukertort's overwhelming victory at London (1883) ahead of Steinitz, the question of who was the strongest chess player in the world became urgent. Therefore, Steinitz challenged Zukertort to a match after the tournament. Zukertort agreed in principle to the match, but his poor health after his tournament victory did not permit the stress of such a match in the near future.5

    Steinitz emigrated to the USA in late 1883.6 The negotiations now dragged on. The main disagreement was the location of a match. Steinitz wanted to play in the USA preferably, but not in London where he had encountered unfairness and hostility.7 Zukertort on the other hand insisted on a match in London, where his financial backers were.8 Finally, in mid-1885 Zukertort agreed to a match in the USA and Steinitz to play a return match in London.9 The seconds were Thomas Frere for Steinitz [10] and James Minchin for Zukertort.9 A forfeit deposit of $250 was imposed.11 Steinitz forwarded the sum at the beginning of December 1886.12 Zukertort arrived in New York on December 13 but the transmission of his stakes was delayed, so the match began later than originally planned.13

    The conditions for the first official world chess championship match were signed on December 29, 1885. The stakes were $2,000 a side. The winner would be the first to win 10 games. In case of 9:9 (draws not counting), the match was to be declared drawn. The time control was 30 moves in 2 h and then 15 moves in 1 h. The match was to begin in New York and last until one player had scored 4 wins. Then it would move to St. Louis until one player had won 3 games there. The rest of the match was to take place in New Orleans. An umpire for each player was chosen from the chess club hosting the match during each division.14 A change was made in St. Louis that the match would be considered drawn if the score reached 8:8, draws not counting.15 Expenses were $500 for the winner and $750 for the loser.16

    The match began on January 11, 1886 13 in Cartier's Hall, Fifth Avenue, in New York.17 The umpires were Thomas Frere for Steinitz and Adolph Mohle for Zukertort.18 The New York leg ended January 20 when Zukertort scored 4 consecutive victories after losing the first game. Play was resumed on February 3 in St. Louis.19 The games were played during the day in the Harmonie Hall and at night in the Chess, Checkers and Whist Club.20 The umpires were Ben R. Foster for Steinitz and William Duncan for Zukertort.21 The St. Louis leg ended on February 10 after Steinitz scored 3 wins and a draw.19 After a rest of almost 2 weeks, 22 the New Orleans leg began on February 26. Charles Francis Buck was the referee.23 The umpires were Fernand Clairborne for Steinitz and Charles Maurian for Zukertort.23 Play took place in the New Orleans Chess, Checkers and Whist Club at the corner of Baronne and Canal Street.24 After a draw, Steinitz pulled ahead with 2 wins. Zukertort struck back with a win, but managed only 3 draws and another loss in the next games. Steinitz then went on to win the last 3 games, becoming the first official world champion on March 29, 1886 with a final score of (+10 -5 =5).

    [1] Rod Edwards, http://www.edochess.ca/players/p34....

    [2] Obituary in the "New York Times", October 14, 1900, quoting Steinitz from "My advertisement to anti-Semites in Vienna and Elsewhere." http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

    [3] Kurt Landsberger, "William Steinitz - Chess Champion 2d ed." (McFarland 1995), p. 168

    [4] Rod Edwards, http://www.edochess.ca/players/p39....

    [5] "British Chess Magazine", August-September 1883, pp. 282-283

    [6] Landsberger, p. 138

    [7] Landsberger, p. 146

    [8] Landsberger, p. 145

    [9] Landsberger, p. 148

    [10] Landsberger, p. 147

    [11] Landsberger, p. 150

    [12] "Nashville Union", December 6, 1885 (originally from the New Orleans "Times Democrat"). In Jacques N. Pope, http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...

    [13] "British Chess Magazine", February 1886, p. 69

    [14] "Chess Monthly", January 1886, pp. 136-137. In Edward Winter's "World Chess Championship Rules", http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

    [15] "British Chess Magazine", May 1886, p. 185

    [16] Landsberger, p. 150

    [17] "British Chess Magazine", February 1886, p. 54

    [18] "Brooklyn Daily Eagle", December 22, 1885. In Jacques N. Pope, http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...

    [19] Rod Edwards, http://www.edochess.ca/matches/m836...

    [20] "British Chess Magazine", March 1886, p. 116

    [21] "St. Louis Globe-Democrat", February 3, 1886. In Jacques N. Pope http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...

    [22] "Charleston Sunday News", February 21, 1886. In Jacques N. Pope http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...

    [23] "British Chess Magazine", April 1886, p. 140 (originally from the New Orleans "Times-Democrat", February 28, 1886)

    [24] Landsberger, p. 163

    ##################################

    <Karpova>

    <But before this reaches our readers a challenge will have been received by Mr. Zukertort from Mr. Steinitz for a match at chess for a stake of three hundred pounds sterling a side. Mr. Steinitz, for reasons which he will himself express in his correspondence in this journal, declines to accept the result of the late tournament, in which he receives the second prize, as a true test of the relative chess powers of himself and Mr. Zukertort. This is but natural, and Zukertort could not expect that his title to the championship should remain unchallenged for an instant after the close of the contest.> New York Turf, Field and Farm, 1883.07.06,
    http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...

    <The indications are that Mr. Z. is the strongest living player.> [...] <It is reported that Steinitz has challenged Zukertort to play a match of seven games for $2,000.>

    Cincinnati Commercial, 1883.07.07, http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...

    <Now that the London affairs is well over attention is drawn to the probable match between Zukertort and Steinitz. Rumor has it that the Hungarian has actually challenged "the Doctor" to a contest of seven games for a stake of $2,000. As well as we can learn, however, there is nothing definite.> (the "Hungarian" is probably Steinitz and the "Doctor" Zukertort) [...] <The victor must certainly be placed high up in the rank of first-class players, while the question naturally suggests itself to one's mind, "Is Steinitz falling off as a player?" - 'Leeds Mercury'.> (note that the victor is Chigorin, who beat Steinitz in both encounters).

    Charleston Sunday News, 1883.07.08, http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...

    <Zukertort "is now the acknowledged world champion chessplayer, and should Steinitz challenge him to play a match he would probably not refuse without giving a better excuse than that Steinitz gave Mason for the reason it is impossible to conceive of a poorer one." - Baltimore Sunday News.>

    Newark Sunday Call, 1883.07.08, http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...

    <MR. STEINITZ'S CHALLENGE.

    Under date of June 27, Mr. Steinitz writes to us as follows: "Mr. R. Steel, of Calcutta, has sent the following letter to Mr. J. I. Minchin, the Honorable Secretary of the St. George's Chess Club, who, on former occasions, has acted as Mr. Zukertort's second:

    Oriental Club, June 24, 1883.
    "Dear Sir: Referring to our recent conversation on the subject of a match between Messrs. Steinitz and Zukertort, I now have the pleasure to inform you that Mr. Steinitz has authorized me to propose such a match. I trust you will use your influence to promote a contest which will be of extreme interest to the public, and will form a fitting sequel to the late successful tournament.>
    [...] Then follow Steinitz suggested conditions, i. e. victor is the winner of either the first eight or ten games, 15 moves per hour, etc..

    New York Turf, Field and Farm, 1883.07.13, http://www.chessarch.com/excavation...

    ##################################

    Resource from <Karpova> "Games Played in the London International Chess Tournament 1883":

    http://hdl.handle.net/2027/njp.3210...

    ###############################

    EDIT <Karpova>

    <On Game Collection: Game Collection: WCC : Steinitz-Zukertort 1886 A possibility is to cite the obituary of Steinitz in the Wiener Schachzeitung instead of Edwards, to have less work (source 1).

    Wiener Schachzeitung, August-September 1900, pp. 157-161.

    This is the source for the whole obituary, but if you want it more specific, on pp. 159-160 are his match and tournament successes.

    Here you can click through the article to see what it looks like: http://anno.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/a...

    I think it also gets the point across that <Wilhelm Steinitz (1836-1900) dominated the chess world for most of the second half of the 1800s.> (btw, maybe delete the <(1836-1900)> as this was not well-liked?)>

    ===

    <Karpova>

    <<"During the mid-1880s, he established himself as one of the strongest chessplayers in the world.<1>"> It may indeed look like that. But what is actually cited is Gunsberg's match and tournament record according to Rod Edwards. And in order to compile this information, he used all those sources. If this is not clear enough, the section with Edwards' sources could be introduced with a short sentence to the effect <These are the sources cited by Rod Edwards> or something similar.>

    #############################
    EDIT information <Karpova>:

    While it would certainly be interesting to find out when they decided to turn it into an official worldchampionship match, this may not be so easy.

    See http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/... the item from 1883.

    It is clear that Steinitz considered himself to be the champion of the world and there were certainly many people who agreed with him (yet Morphy was still alive). With Zukertort's great triumph, it was not so clear anymore. Some considered Zukertort to be the strongest now. The problem is the transition from the <recognized> champion of the world to the <official> one.

    I would say that for this statement <This match was proposed to be for the official chess championship (source).> we would need a source specifying the introduction of the official worldchampionship. A statement about settling who was the strongest would not be enough, in my opinion.

    I quote Winter's C.N. 3325 <In January 1885 Steinitz had begun publication of his International Chess Magazine, which contained much documentary material about the protracted match negotiations. At first the references were merely to the ‘championship’ or ‘the champion title’, without ‘world’.>

    The earliest point of time may be December 1885 (see again C.N. 3325 <The two players will soon enter on their heavy trial for the coveted championship of the world …>), i. e. shortly before the conditions were agreed upon (December 29: http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/... ).

    It would be nice if the matter could be settled but I do not think that it is an absolute requirement, especially considering how much time it consumes and how few additional info is gained.

    #############################

    <Edward Winter, "Steinitz Quotes">

    http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

    #######################################

    Edward Winter C.N. 3324:

    <It is indeed true that Steinitz and Zukertort’s contract (29 December 1885) stipulated:

    ‘The Score at Nine Games. Should the score stand at nine (9) games won to each of the players, then the match shall be declared drawn.’

    Source: The Chess Monthly, January 1886, pages 136-137.

    However, on page 118 of the May 1886 International Chess Magazine Steinitz reported that this provision had been amended before the final series of games began in New Orleans on 26 February 1886:

    ‘Two of the conditions of the match [one of them omitted here, being a minor matter concerning playing hours] were altered by mutual consent of the players, who had agreed, in the first place, to reduce the score, which rendered the match a draw, to eight all, instead of nine all, as previously stipulated. There can be no doubt that both the principals acted bona fide and chiefly in the interest of their backers in agreeing to such a modification of the original terms of the match, for their main reason in adopting the alteration was to exclude all element of chance as much as possible and to avoid risking the issues at stake on the result of two games. But, on consideration and in order not to establish a questionable precedent, we feel bound to say that the opinions of some critics, who, without in the least impugning the motives of the two principals, have expressed doubts on the legality of such proceeding, now appear to us reasonable. For it is justly contended that the two players had no right to alter any of the main conditions of the match without consulting their backers, who had deposited their stakes after the chief terms had apparently been finally settled…’>

    From C.N. 3325

    <The first sentence of the contract between the two players (The Chess Monthly, January 1886, pages 136-137) specified that the match was ‘for the Championship of the World’.>

    #####################

    <Edward Winter, Chessnote 3750. "Steinitz’s world championship tenure">

    http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

    C.N. 3325 gave a series of quotes illustrating various contemporary writers’ views on when Steinitz became world champion. The clearest statement we have seen from Steinitz himself was quoted in his 14 August 1900 obituary in the New York Times, from a pamphlet entitled My advertisement to anti-Semites in Vienna and Elsewhere:

    ‘And since 1895 I have been obliged at an advanced age and while I was half crippled to export myself in order to import only a portion of my living for myself and family, and this portion did not amount to $250 per annum within the last two years when I deduct traveling expenses and increased cost for staying abroad, although I was chess champion of the world for 28 years!!!’

    We also now add a paragraph from page 50 of the Chess Player’s Chronicle, 18 July 1883, i.e. shortly after Zukertort won the London, 1883 tournament, three points ahead of Steinitz:

    ‘The chess championship of the world is a subject which will form a topic of discussion in the chess press for some time to come. The last issue of the Bradford Observer contains some remarks on it. The writer argues that Zukertort may hold the title and yet be “quite right in refusing to enter into so hard an engagement” (the match recently proposed is referred to) “after the trial he had to go through in the International”. We disagree. It is very certain that Steinitz was, at one time, fairly entitled to the position of champion, and under such circumstances would hold it so long as he could defend himself against all comers. He has just taken an inferior place to Zukertort, in a tournament, and for the time being Zukertort, in the opinion of some, becomes champion, but if he desires to hold that title he must defend himself against all comers; so soon as he declines to play a match, unless under very exceptional circumstances, he loses his position, and this is more particularly the case when his would-be opponent happens to be the man who for years past has been recognized as the champion. A tournamental advantage is not considered of much moment as regards the chess championship, and unless it can be maintained by after play we should be inclined to dismiss it as one of the freaks of fortune. Steinitz has challenged the only man who has beaten him since he has been chess champion; if he will not play, then Steinitz will be right in resuming his old title.’

    A noteworthy point is that the item made no mention of Morphy, who was still alive.

    ########################################

    <Edward Winter, Chessnote 4163. "Steinitz v Zukertort">

    http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

    Russell Miller (Chelan, WA, USA) quotes from page 169 of the Brooklyn Chess Chronicle, 15 July 1883:

    ‘The Glasgow Herald furnishes the following intelligence: “Some important results are likely to spring from the positions occupied in the International Tourney by the ultimate prize winners. We understand that Steinitz is about to challenge Zukertort to play a match for the sum of £300 to £500 and the championship of the world, and it is the opinion of some who are in a position to judge of the matter that the match will come off.”’

    Noting that Zukertort was reported by the Brooklyn Chess Chronicle to have turned down the match because he intended ‘to make a year’s tour’, our correspondent asks if Steinitz called himself world champion at that time.

    Steinitz’s proposal of a match was reported on page 323 of the July 1883 Chess Monthly (edited by Hoffer and Zukertort):

    ‘Mr Steinitz has authorized Mr Steel to communicate with Mr Minchin with reference to a match which he seems willing to play with Mr Zukertort. The conditions are £200 a side or more if agreeable; the match to consist of eight or ten games; three or four games to be played a week; £50 to be deposited as forfeit money; and play to commence between October and January. Mr Zukertort has authorized Mr Minchin to reply to Mr Steel that he cannot make arrangements for a match at such a remote future.’

    This does not seem an altogether fair reflection of Robert Steel’s letter to Minchin (dated 24 June 1883, the day after the London, 1883 tournament ended), which was published on page 42 of the Chess Player’s Chronicle, 11 July 1883:

    ‘... The following are the conditions for the match suggested by Mr Steinitz. If they be approved by Mr Zukertort, any minor conditions may be easily arranged.

    1. That the winner of the first eight or ten games be the victor. 2. That the games be played under a time-limit of 15 moves per hour. 3. That play shall be carried on either three days or four days per week, as Mr Zukertort prefers. 4. That Mr Steinitz will accept any suggestion of Mr Zukertort’s as to the hour of the day when play shall commence. 5. That the time for commencement of the match shall be fixed for any date between 1 October and 1 January, which may best suit Mr Zukertort. 6. That the stakes be for any sum not less than £200 a side which Mr Zukertort prefers. 7. That the games shall be the property of both players. Mr Steinitz is of opinion that the contest should, in the interest of both players, take place in a private room, and that admission should be allowed to friends of both parties.

    Mr Steinitz is prepared to make an immediate deposit of £50, to bind a match on the basis herein suggested.’

    Minchin’s reply to Steel, dated 27 June 1883, was given on the following page of the Chronicle:

    ‘... [Zukertort] begs me to point out to you that owing to his health and avocations he has always, as Mr Steinitz is aware, refused to bind himself down to play a match of chess at any future period. He cannot, therefore, now accept the conditions offered of binding himself to play at any time between October and January next. As a fact, I fear that Dr Zukertort will not be in England at that period, as I believe he purports starting almost immediately on a protracted tour round the world.

    I have no doubt that on his return from this tour Dr Zukertort will be quite ready to make a match with Mr Steinitz on reasonable conditions, such as those offered, to promote which, when the time arrives, I shall be happy to use my good offices.’

    It will be noted that no reference to the world championship occurred in these exchanges. However, it was evoked in a follow-up item in the next issue of the Chronicle (18 July 1883, page 50). We quoted it in full in C.N. 3750.

    #############################################

    EDIT <Boomie>

    "The Polish-Jewish master Johannes Zukertort"

    <I don't think appending "Jewish" here is appropriate.>

    #############################################

    EDIT <OhioChessFan>

    <<Born in Prague, Wilhelm Steinitz was regarded as the best player in the world ever since his victory over Adolf Anderssen in their 1866 match.1 >

    I think it was before that. In any case, surely there's a better source than Wiki.

    <In 1883, he won the international tournament in London, defeating nearly every leading player in the world.>

    I don't like that construction. It just seems clunky. Maybe list the leading players he beat?

    <In 1886 these two great chess minds sat down to play what is now regarded by most chess historians as the first official World Chess Championship. >

    This demands a footnote. Yes, there is no doubt as to its truthfulness, but it needs to be cited. Kaspy's work would be a good source methinks.>


    3 games, 1886

  16. WCC Botvinnik-Bronstein 1951 Appendix

    -<Rematch Clause> (transl. tabanus)

    FIDE rules Paris 1949 Congress

    -<Punkts 5-7>

    5. If the World Champion and the winner of the Candidate tounament (as well as the ex-World Champion in that in no. 7) cannot agree about the match terms, then a World championship tournament shall be arranged between the World Champion, the ex-World Champion and they who took the both first prizes ("båda främsta prisen") in the Candidate tournament.

    6. In case the ex-World Champion participates in the Candidate tournament, and in this shares 1st prize with one or more others, then the ex-World Champion shall have the right, without any extra play, to play for the title with the World Champion.

    7. If the ex-World Champion either participates in the Candidate tournament, but does not achieve or share 1st place, or does not participate in the Candidate tournament, he shall have the right to within a week after its conclusion to report to the FIDE President for participation in a World championship tournament with 3 participants: the World Champion, the winner of the Candidate tournament, and the ex-World Champion. Note:
    The rights of the ex-World Champion according to no. 5-7 (which are intended to replace the right to a rematch, that normally is granted an ex-World Champion) can only be practised on the World championship competition which follows next after the ex-World Champion has lost his title. These rights can thus not apply for the now coming World championship competition.">

    Tidskrift för schack, nr. 7-8, Juli-Aug. 1949, p. 156

    http://www.schack.se/tfs/history/19...

    ===

    Averbakh:

    <"...these rules... were indeed drawn up by Botvinnik, and adopted by FIDE... in 1949. To my surprise, there was nothing in them about limiting the number of players from one country. Nor did I find anything saying that the world champion, if he lost his title, had the right to a return match. There in black and white, what it said was that, if the world champion lost his match against the challenger, then in three year's time he would have the right to take part in a <<<three-player match tournament>>> for the title, along with the new champion and his challenger.">

    So when did <Botvinnik's> "right to a return match" actually become a rule?

    Averbakh:

    <"At the Moscow FIDE Congress in 1956, the point about the three-player match-tournament was <<<removed>>>, and instead of this, the world champion was given the right to a return match.">

    -Yuri Averbakh
    "Centre-Stage and Behind the Scenes- the Personal Memoir of a Soviet Chess Legend." Steve Giddins, tranls.
    (New in Chess 2011), p. 112

    ===

    -<Prize Fund>

    FIDE rules Paris 1949 Congress

    -<Punkt 15>: "In a world championship match the prize fund awards the winner 5,000 dollars and the defeated 3,000 dollars. In a world Championship tournament, prize money should be given to all three or four participants- 5,000 3,000 2,000 and 1000 dollars."

    Tidskrift för schack, nr. 7-8, Juli-Aug. 1949, p. 157 http://www.schack.se/tfs/history/19...

    Interestingly, it seems doubtful that <Botvinnik> actually got $5,000 or <Bronstein> actually got $3,000 after their 1951 match.

    Andrew Soltis:

    <"The 1949 FIDE General Assembly at Paris had decided <<<'The right to organize a world championship competition is, in the first instance the right of the federation of the champion's country.'>>> This had the effect of turning over control of FIDE's most important event to the [Soviet] Sports Committee for 20 years. An official 'honorarium' of $5,000 for the winner and $3,000 for the loser was decided by FIDE but implementing such details was left to the match organizers. In fact, the prizes were paid in rubles and were worth a fraction of what FIDE announced.">

    -Andrew Soltis
    "Soviet Chess 1917-1991"
    (McFarland 2000), p. 188

    ===

    <Officials>

    -<Arbiter>: Karel Opocensky

    -<Controller>: Gideon Stahlberg

    -<Seconds>: Ragozin and Flohr (Botvinnik); Konstantinopolsky (Bronstein)

    -Mikhail Botvinnik
    "Match for the World Championship- Botvinnik Bronstein Moscow 1951"

    Igor Botvinnik ed.
    Ken Neat transl.
    (Edition Olms 2004), p.11

    ================

    -<Time Control>

    "Three games will be played a week. First 40 moves in 2 1/2 hours, rate of 16 moves per hour thereafter. Games to be adjourned to next day after 5 hours of play."

    -"Chess Life" 10 Feb 1951, p.1

    ===

    -<Head of Press Centre>: Bondarevsky

    -<Assistant to Bondarevsky>: Averbakh

    -Yuri Averbakh
    "Centre-Stage and Behind the Scenes- the Personal Memoir of a Soviet Chess Legend." Steve Giddins, tranls.
    (New in Chess 2011), p.62

    =================

    -<Venue> Moscow, Tchaikovsky Concert Hall

    -Mikhail Botvinnik
    "Match for the World Championship- Botvinnik Bronstein Moscow 1951," p.11

    ###########################

    <Chess Events- 1944-1950>

    <Bronstein "Head to Head">

    search "bronstein-botvinnik"

    search "bronstein-smyslov"

    search "bronstein-keres"

    ===

    <USSR Championship 1944> 21 May - 17 June 1944

    (Bronstein 15th, behind Botvinnik, Smyslov and Bolelsavsky)

    USSR Championship (1944)

    Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1944 <1-0>

    According to Bronstein's autobiography "The Sorceror's Apprentice", Botvinnik resigned this game while Bronstein was away from the board getting a cup of tea, which was considered a breach of chess etiquette. Source: Bernard Cafferty and Mark Taimanov, "The Soviet Championships", Cadogan Books, 1998

    ===

    <USSR Championship 1945> 1 June -1 July 1944

    (Bronstein 4th, behind Botvinnik and Boleslavsky)

    USSR Championship (1945)

    Botvinnik vs Bronstein, 1945 <1/2>

    ===

    <World Championship Tournament 1948> 2 March - 17 May 1948

    (Botvinnik 1st, over Smyslov, Keres, Reshevsky, and Euwe)

    FIDE World Championship Tournament (1948)

    ===

    <Saltsjöbaden 1948 Interzonal> 15 July - 15 Aug 1948

    (Bronstein 1st over Szabo, Boleslavsky, Kotov, and Lilienthal)

    Game Collection: 1948 Saltsjöbaden interzonal

    ===

    <USSR Championship 1948> 10 Nov - 13 Dec 1948

    (Bronstein shared 1st with Kotov, over Furman, Flohr, and Tolush)

    USSR Championship (1948)

    ===

    <USSR Championship 1949> 16 Oct - 20 Nov 1949

    (Bronstein shared 1st with Smyslov, over Geller, Taimanov, Furman and Bolelslavsky)

    USSR Championship (1949)

    ===

    <Budapest Candidates 1950> 9 April - 16 May 1950

    (Bronstein shared 1st with Boleslavksy, over Smyslov, Keres and Najdorf)

    Budapest Candidates (1950)

    Steve Giddins:

    <"...in the Russian magazine 64, Smyslov claimed that the finish of the Budapest tournament had been pre-arranged. He claimed that Bronstein's mentor, Boris Vainstein, had persuaded Boleslavsky to allow Bronstein to catch him up, as well as pressurising Keres to lose to Bronstein in the last round. The basis of this <<<alleged fix>>> was precisely that Boleslavsky had a terrible record against Botvinnik, whereas Bronstein had always been a difficult opponent for the world champion. Vainstein and Botvinnik were bitter enemies, and the former was keen to see him dethroned as world champion.">

    -Yuri Averbakh
    "Centre-Stage and Behind the Scenes- the Personal Memoir of a Soviet Chess Legend."

    Steve Giddins, tranls.
    (New in Chess 2011), p.60

    ======

    <Budapest Candidates Playoff 1950>

    Bronstein sole 1st after match with Boleslavsky +3 -2 =9)

    Game Collection: WCC Index (Bronstein-Boleslavsky 1950)

    ###########################

    <Match Preparation- Bronstein>

    Bronstein:

    <"...I think that it is not fair of Botvinnik to mention year after year that he did not crush me in the match only because he did not play a single game during the preceding three years and that he was rusty. I am convinced that <<<he did not play because he did not want to reveal his opening secrets>>> to his challenger and wanted to save his energy. He prevented me from studying any of his recent games and I could not prepare myself for this match as I would have liked to. On the other hand I had played more than hundred games in important tournaments in the three years before this match and Botvinnik had all the time and opportunity in the world to study my games and he prepared himself excellently.">

    -David Bronstein and Tom Furstenberg
    "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"
    (Cadogan 1995), p.16-17

    ===

    Botvinnik:

    <"...Bronstein... had the assistance of... <<<Boleslavsky and also the masters Konstantinopolsky and Furman>>>... in our 1951 match...">

    -Mikhail Botvinnik
    "Botvinnik's Complete Games (1942-1956)"
    Ken Neat, transl.
    (Moravian Chess 2012), p.31

    #########################

    <Match Preparation- Botvinnik>

    <Botvinnik constructed a notebook with comments on <<<every single tournament game Bronstein played>>> from the Salstsjobaden Interzonal 1948 to Budapest Candidates 1950.>

    -Mikhail Botvinnik
    "Match for the World Championship- Botvinnik Bronstein Moscow 1951" Igor Botvinnik ed.
    Ken Neat transl.
    (Edition Olms 2004), pp.103-113

    ===========

    <Starting in January 1951, Botvinnik began compiling an <<<analysis of openings>>>, including the Slav Gambit, Meran, Marshall Variation, King's Indian Defence, Nimzo-Indian Defence, Grunfeld Defence, Slav Exchange, Sicilian (Rauzer/Boleslavsky/Dragon), French Defence, Two Knights, Queen's Gambit Accepted with a6, Spanish with Bishop e6, and the Four Knights.>

    -Mikhail Botvinnik
    "Match for the World Championship- Botvinnik Bronstein Moscow 1951"

    Igor Botvinnik ed.
    Ken Neat transl.
    (Edition Olms 2004), pp.114-119

    ===

    -<Botvinnik-Ragozin Secret Training Match> 7-8 March 1951

    +1 -1 =0

    Botvinnik vs Ragozin, 1951 <1-0>

    Ragozin vs Botvinnik, 1951 <1-0>

    Jan Timman:

    <"The match started on March 16... Botvinnik only played two games, right before the start of the match. Noteworthy is the terrible <<<disaster>>> in (the 2d game).">

    -Jan Timman
    "Secret Matches- the Unknown Training Games of Mikhail Botvinnik" (Russel Enterprises, Inc., 2000), p.9

    ####################################

    <Conditions>

    -<Match Length>:

    FIDE rules Paris 1949 Congress :

    -<Punkt 11>

    <11 World Cup Match up to 24 games. When one of the players reaches <<<12 ½ score,>>> he shall be declared the winner, and the match will terminate.>

    Tidskrift för schack, nr. 7-8, Juli-Aug. 1949, p.156 http://www.schack.se/tfs/history/19...

    ===

    -<Time Control>

    FIDE rules Paris 1949 Congress :

    -<Punkt 12>

    <12. At World contest should generally played three games a week. All unfinished games from each round continued the following day. The first <<<forty moves>>> in two and a half hours, and the game is to be adjourned after five hours of total play time. Cancelled portions school played with sixteen moves . A further interruption shall be made only after six • hour total playing time, then then, at least eighty-eight moves.>

    More and BETTER on <punkt12>, courtesy <Tabanus>:

    TOP secret decoding:
    <12. At a World championship contest* there should in general be played three games a week, so that unfinished games from each round are continued the following day. The first 40 moves shall be made in two and a half hours, and the game will be interrupted after five hours of total playing time. Adjourned games shall be played with 16 moves an hour. Further adjournments will happen only after six hours total playing time, i. e. when at least 88 moves have been made.>

    Not sure if this makes sense, but the decoding should be fairly accurate. The "six hours" are counted from the time of the 1st adjournment:

    40 moves (max 5 hours) + 3 x 16 moves (max 6 hours) = 88 moves (max 11 hours).

    *Whether tournament or match (my interpret.)

    Or to put it differently:
    Adjournment after 5 hours (min. 40 moves) + after 6 more hours (min. 3 x 16 moves) = second adjournment after min. 88 moves.

    Tidskrift för schack, nr. 7-8, Juli-Aug. 1949, p.157 http://www.schack.se/tfs/history/19...

    ===============

    -<Draw odds> for the champion:

    FIDE rules Paris 1949 Congress :

    -<Punkt 9>

    <9."If a world champion in a world championship match achieves a <<<draw>>>, or ties for first place with one or more participants in a world championship tournament, he retains his title.">

    Tidskrift för schack, nr. 7-8, Juli-Aug. 1949, p.156 http://www.schack.se/tfs/history/19...

    -<Botvinnik,> writing about the time just before he was about to begin the match against <Bronstein> in 1951:

    <"By that time the recently confirmed rules for world championship matches had come into force. In the winter of 1949 I had published a draft for these rules. As a preparation I studied everything that had been published on the topic earlier. In drawing up the draft I took great care to ensure that the two players in the match had equal rights. The champion had just one advantage- in the event of a drawn match he kept his title. To take the title the challenger had to... (win the match). In July 1949 the twenty-fifth anniversary of FIDE was celebrated at the Congress in Paris... and <<<points to do with the rules of the world championship were allotted to me.>>>

    The founder President of FIDE, A. Rueb... was opposed to the acceptance of the rules at this Congress... but finally he withdrew his objections. The incoming President, F. Rogard... also had no objections- he needed the support of the Soviet delegation.">

    Mikhail Botvinnik,
    "Achieving the Aim"
    Bernard Cafferty, transl.
    (Pergamon 1981), pp. 127-128

    ===

    -<Rematch Clause> (transl. tabanus)

    FIDE rules Paris 1949 Congress

    -<Punkts 5-7>

    5. If the World Champion and the winner of the Candidate tounament (as well as the ex-World Champion in that in no. 7) cannot agree about the match terms, then a World championship tournament shall be arranged between the World Champion, the ex-World Champion and they who took the both first prizes ("båda främsta prisen") in the Candidate tournament.

    6. In case the ex-World Champion participates in the Candidate tournament, and in this shares 1st prize with one or more others, then the ex-World Champion shall have the right, without any extra play, to play for the title with the World Champion.

    7. If the ex-World Champion either participates in the Candidate tournament, but does not achieve or share 1st place, or does not participate in the Candidate tournament, he shall have the right to within a week after its conclusion to report to the FIDE President for participation in a World championship tournament with 3 participants: the World Champion, the winner of the Candidate tournament, and the ex-World Champion. Note:
    The rights of the ex-World Champion according to no. 5-7 (which are intended to replace the right to a rematch, that normally is granted an ex-World Champion) can only be practised on the World championship competition which follows next after the ex-World Champion has lost his title. These rights can thus not apply for the now coming World championship competition.">

    Tidskrift för schack, nr. 7-8, Juli-Aug. 1949, p. 156

    http://www.schack.se/tfs/history/19...

    ===

    Averbakh:

    <"...these rules... were indeed drawn up by Botvinnik, and adopted by FIDE... in 1949. To my surprise, there was nothing in them about limiting the number of players from one country. Nor did I find anything saying that the world champion, if he lost his title, had the right to a return match. There in black and white, what it said was that, if the world champion lost his match against the challenger, then in three year's time he would have the right to take part in a <<<three-player match tournament>>> for the title, along with the new champion and his challenger.">

    So when did <Botvinnik's> "right to a return match" actually become a rule?

    Averbakh:

    <"At the Moscow FIDE Congress in 1956, the point about the three-player match-tournament was <<<removed>>>, and instead of this, the world champion was given the right to a return match.">

    -Yuri Averbakh
    "Centre-Stage and Behind the Scenes- the Personal Memoir of a Soviet Chess Legend." Steve Giddins, tranls.
    (New in Chess 2011), p. 112

    ===

    -<Prize Fund>

    FIDE rules Paris 1949 Congress

    -<Punkt 15>: "In a world championship match the prize fund awards the winner 5,000 dollars and the defeated 3,000 dollars. In a world Championship tournament, prize money should be given to all three or four participants- 5,000 3,000 2,000 and 1000 dollars."

    Tidskrift för schack, nr. 7-8, Juli-Aug. 1949, p. 157 http://www.schack.se/tfs/history/19...

    Interestingly, it seems doubtful that <Botvinnik> actually got $5,000 or <Bronstein> actually got $3,000 after their 1951 match.

    Andrew Soltis:

    <"The 1949 FIDE General Assembly at Paris had decided <<<'The right to organize a world championship competition is, in the first instance the right of the federation of the champion's country.'>>> This had the effect of turning over control of FIDE's most important event to the [Soviet] Sports Committee for 20 years. An official 'honorarium' of $5,000 for the winner and $3,000 for the loser was decided by FIDE but implementing such details was left to the match organizers. In fact, the prizes were paid in rubles and were worth a fraction of what FIDE announced.">

    -Andrew Soltis
    "Soviet Chess 1917-1991"
    (McFarland 2000), p. 188

    ===

    <Officials>

    -<Arbiter>: Karel Opocensky

    -<Controller>: Gideon Stahlberg

    -<Seconds>: Ragozin and Flohr (Botvinnik); Konstantinopolsky (Bronstein)

    -Mikhail Botvinnik
    "Match for the World Championship- Botvinnik Bronstein Moscow 1951"

    Igor Botvinnik ed.
    Ken Neat transl.
    (Edition Olms 2004), p.11

    ================

    -<Time Control>

    "Three games will be played a week. First 40 moves in 2 1/2 hours, rate of 16 moves per hour thereafter. Games to be adjourned to next day after 5 hours of play."

    -"Chess Life" 10 Feb 1951, p.1

    ===

    -<Head of Press Centre>: Bondarevsky

    -<Assistant to Bondarevsky>: Averbakh

    -Yuri Averbakh
    "Centre-Stage and Behind the Scenes- the Personal Memoir of a Soviet Chess Legend." Steve Giddins, tranls.
    (New in Chess 2011), p.62

    =================

    -<Venue> Moscow, Tchaikovsky Concert Hall

    -Mikhail Botvinnik
    "Match for the World Championship- Botvinnik Bronstein Moscow 1951," p.11

    ###########################

    <Course of the Match>

    <Opening Statistics for Botvinnik>:

    -<Dutch> (white): +1 -0 =2 (black): +1 -1 =2

    Notes- Bronstein played black in the Dutch Defense in games 1, 7, and 9, scoring a total of 1 point. He did not play it again after game 9.

    Botvinnik's Opening Prep Notebook: He did not prepare the Dutch.

    ===

    -<Nimzo-Indian> (white): +0 -2 =1

    Botvinnik's Opening Prep Notebook: He prepared the Nimzo-Indian

    ===

    -<French> (white): +0 -0 =2

    Botvinnik's Opening Prep Notebook: He prepared the French Defense.

    ===

    -<Grunfeld> (white): +1 -0 =0 (black): +0 -0 =1

    Botvinnik's Opening Prep Notebook: He prepared the Gruenfeld.

    ===

    -<King's Indian> (white): +1 -1 =0

    Botvinnik's Opening Prep Notebook: He prepared the King's Indian.

    ===

    -<Queen's Gambit> (black): +0 -0 =4

    Botvinnik's Opening Prep Notebook: He prepared the Queen's Gambit.

    ===

    -<Sicilian> (black): +1 -0 =0

    Botvinnik's Opening Prep Notebook: He prepared the Sicilian

    ===

    -<Queen's Indian> (white): +0 -1 =0

    Botvinnik's Opening Prep Notebook: He did not prepare the Queen's Indian.

    ===

    -<English> (black): +0 -0 =1

    Botvinnik's Opening Prep Notebook: He did not prepare the English.

    ===

    -<Reti> (black): +0 -0 =1

    Botvinnik's Opening Prep Notebook: He did not prepare the Reti.

    --Mikhail Botvinnik
    "Match for the World Championship- Botvinnik Bronstein Moscow 1951" Igor Botvinnik ed.
    Ken Neat transl.
    (Edition Olms 2004), pp.103-113

    ##########################

    <Course of the Match>

    Tatiana Boleslavskaya (Bronstein's wife):

    <"Few people knew that, when Devik played this match in the Tchaikovsky Hall, his parents were sitting in the first rank in the audience. As a former prisoner of several camps it was forbidden for his father to be in Moscow. Sitting close by in his loge was the powerful chief of the KGB General V.S. Abakumov. While Devik was playing he had to think constantly of this potentially dangerous situation. And, in spite of his <<<subconscious desire not to become World Champion,>>> Devik did not lose this match to Botvinnik whom he did not regard as such an exceptionally good player as most thought he was. The result was a draw thereby proving to the whole world that he had enormous talent and was amongst the very best grandmasters of all time.">

    -David Bronstein and Tom Furstenberg
    "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"
    (Cadogan 1995), p.22

    ###########################################

    <1st game> Dutch Defense

    Botvinnik vs Bronstein, 1951 <1/2>

    Botvinnik:

    <"So, the Dutch Defence. And this is no accident. In this match my opponent normally employed those openings that I had usually chosen earlier. He apparently thought that he would <<<force me to fight against my 'own' systems...>>> Such a 'method' seems to me to be rather naive, if it was not forced. It was probably all based on the fact that Bronstein did not have anything significant prepared, and in the given instance this variation is not bad. The results, however, could not be good- I was forced to play openings which I knew quite well; of course, this made things easier for me, if it is taken into account that for three years I had been cut off from chess.">

    Mikhail Botvinnik
    "Match for the World Championship- Botvinnik Bronstein Moscow 1951"

    Igor Botvinnik ed.
    Ken Neat transl.
    (Edition Olms 2004), p.16

    ===

    ############################

    <2d game> Grunfeld Exchange

    Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1951 <1/2>

    ############################

    <3d game> French Tarrasch

    Botvinnik vs Bronstein, 1951 <1/2>

    ############################

    <4th game> QGD Slav

    Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1951 <1/2>

    ############################

    <5th game> Nimzo Indian

    Botvinnik vs Bronstein, 1951 <0-1>

    Botvinnik's Match Diary:

    "It all turned out the other way round. But, in general, it all turned out correctly, apart from time, strength and the result. It was he who won- with an attack on the king. Flohr 1935 + Romanovsky?"

    -Mikhail Botvinnik
    "Match for the World Championship- Botvinnik Bronstein Moscow 1951," p.33

    ############################

    <6th game> Sicilian Richter-Rauzer

    Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1951 <0-1>

    After 7...h6:


    click for larger view

    Botvinnik:

    "I prepared this variation specially for the present match. Black goes in for an inferior pawn formation, but he gains a 'tooth-like' set-up in the centre, as well as the advantage of the two bishops, the strength of which may tell, particularly in the endgame. I found this plan while analysing the game Dubinin-Koblencs (1949)." P Dubinin vs Koblents, 1949

    -Mikhail Botvinnik
    "Match for the World Championship- Botvinnik Bronstein Moscow 1951," p.33

    ############################

    <7th game> Dutch Defense

    Botvinnik vs Bronstein, 1951 <1-0>

    Botvinnik's annotation after Black resigns:

    "In this game my nerves proved to be a little stronger. This was probably helped by the many hours I had spent in the fresh air by the raging Moscow River! The point was that on free days I travelled to my dacha (in Nikoina gora), and unexpectedly the ice began to drift. By chance (on account of an ice blockage) the river cleared; I was taken across on a boat, and I arrived in time for the game!"

    Botvinnik's Match Diary:

    "Played, in general, passively and also blundered (Rxc2?). For the moment rather weak. And analysed disjointedly. Don't listen to the seconds during analysis."

    -Mikhail Botvinnik
    "Match for the World Championship- Botvinnik Bronstein Moscow 1951," p.41

    ############################

    <8th game> QGD Meran

    Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1951 <1/2>

    ############################

    <9th game> Dutch Defense

    Botvinnik vs Bronstein, 1951 <1/2>

    ############################

    <10th game> Dutch Defense

    Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1951 <1/2>

    ############################

    <11th game> Queen's Indian

    Botvinnik vs Bronstein, 1951 <0-1>

    ############################

    <12th game> Dutch Defense

    Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1951 <0-1>

    ############################

    <13th game> Nimzo Indian

    Botvinnik vs Bronstein, 1951 <1/2>

    ############################

    <14th game> Reti Opening

    Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1951 <1/2>

    ############################

    <15th game> French Tarrasch

    Botvinnik vs Bronstein, 1951 <1/2>

    ############################

    <16th game> Dutch Defense

    Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1951 <1/2>

    ############################

    <17th game> Nimzo Indian

    Botvinnik vs Bronstein, 1951 <0-1>

    ############################

    <18th game> QGD Semi-Slav

    Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1951 <1/2>

    ############################

    <19th game> Neo-Grunfeld

    Botvinnik vs Bronstein, 1951 <1-0>

    ############################

    <20th game> English

    Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1951 <1/2>

    ############################

    <21st game> King's Indian

    Botvinnik vs Bronstein, 1951 <0-1>

    ############################

    <22d game> Dutch Defense

    Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1951 <1-0>

    ############################

    <23d game> King's Indian

    Botvinnik vs Bronstein, 1951 <1-0>

    Botvinnik:

    <"(Bronstein) <<<behaved outrageously.>>> In the auditorium, directly opposite the stage, was the box of the KGB, where all his supporters from his Dinamo club were sitting. So when he sacrificed something or won a pawn, they all applauded. He would make a move and quickly go behind the stage, then he would suddenly dart out and disapperar again. In the auditorium there was laughter, and this hindered my playing. And regarding the fact that he claimed during the 23d game he was thinking more about the fate of his father, he was prompted to say this by Weinstein, his evil genius. Weinstein was a dreadful man, simply dreadful. He hated me, and he did not want me to become World Champion.">

    -Genna Sosonko
    "Russian Silhouettes"
    (New in Chess, 3d Edition, 2001), p.39

    ===

    Botvinnik:

    "After 40 minutes' thought, Black resigned."

    -Mikhail Botvinnik, "Match for the World Championship- Botvinnik Bronstein Moscow 1951" p.99

    ===

    Soltis:

    -Andrew Soltis, "Soviet Chess 1917-1991" (McFarland 3000), pp.192-94

    ===

    Lev Khariton:

    -Lev Khariton, "Love and Bitterness" "Chesscafe.com" (Sept 1988) http://www.chesscafe.com/text/botbr...

    ############################

    <24th game> QGD Semi-Slav

    Bronstein vs Botvinnik, 1951 <1/2>

    ===

    Annotations by Evgeny Sveshnikov:

    <"19...Rxd4 20.Rxd4 Bc5 21.Rd1 Bxe3 22.Qxe3 <<<Draw agreed on the proposal of Black.>>> Of course, in the final position Black has a big advantage, and it is especially marked after the accurate 22...Qb4!, and if 23.Qe2, then 23...Nd5! 24.Ne4 a5, when White has no way of strengthening his position, whereas under the cover of his strong knight at d5 Black gradually prepares the advance of his central pawns. But the title of world champion is far more valuable! Final match score: Botvinnik 12 Bronstein 12.">

    -Mikhail Botvinnik "Match for the World Championship- Botvinnik Bronstein Moscow 1951" Igor Botvinnik ed. Ken Neat transl. (Edition Olms 2004), p.102

    ===

    Bronstein:

    <"When the 24th game was finished, many journalists came to the stage and asked Botvinnik to hold a press conference. The Champion agreed but <<<'forgot'>>> to invite me to attend also. It so happened that neither before, during or after the match did the press ask me a single question about this contest!">

    --David Bronstein and Tom Furstenberg
    "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"
    (Cadogan 1995), p.17

    ###########################

    <Political Controversies>

    Budapest Candidates (1950)

    Steve Giddins:

    <"...in the Russian magazine 64, Smyslov claimed that the finish of the Budapest tournament had been pre-arranged. He claimed that Bronstein's mentor, Boris Vainstein, had persuaded Boleslavsky to allow Bronstein to catch him up, as well as pressurising Keres to lose to Bronstein in the last round. The basis of this <<<alleged fix>>> was precisely that Boleslavsky had a terrible record against Botvinnik, whereas Bronstein had always been a difficult opponent for the world champion. Vainstein and Botvinnik were bitter enemies, and the former was keen to see him dethroned as world champion.">

    -Yuri Averbakh
    "Centre-Stage and Behind the Scenes- the Personal Memoir of a Soviet Chess Legend."

    Andrew Soltis:

    <"Controversy arose among the Soviet delegation at Budapest when Kotov charged that Veinstein, Bronstein's second, had come to the tournament 'to distribute points among the Jews,' according to Vladimir and Isaak Linder. Kotov said Biktor Goglidze, head of the delegation, was helping Veinstein in this. Kotov thought it suspicious that Flohr lost to Bronstein and Lilenthal allowed the young star to draw with him in a better position. He complained to the ambassador. Veinstein denied he was arranging for Bronstein to win the tournament and pointed out that Keres, who was clearly not Jewish, lost the crucial last round game that enabled Bronstein to catch up to Boleslavsky and tie for first prize.

    But the tournament's finish was not without intrigue. The semiofficial version, as offered by Neishtadt, was: 'The careful Boleslavsky preferred not to take risks.' The truth is that Boleslavsky was convinced to give Bronstein a chance. Boleslavsky later told Albert Kapengut that Bronstein asked for a chance to catch up. <<<Bronstein gave a slightly different version, saying that 'after a talk with Boris Veinstien' Boleslavsky 'decided to slow down to allow me to tie for first place.'>>> In any event, Boleslavsky was in sole first place from the eighth round to the 17th and penultimate round. But he drew his last two games without a fight- against Kotov in 21 moves and with White against Gideon Stahlberg in 16- after agreeing to a quick draw with White against Bronstein in a game that looks like prepared analysis. In the final two rounds Bronstein beat Stahlberg and won one of his greatest games ever, against Keres...

    The playoff match was held in Moscow at the Central Chess Club... with no prize money and no bitterness between the two players. It 'seems to have been the only occasion in history of chess contests when players exchanged bouquets of bright flowers before the first move in the first game,' Bronstein wrote.">

    -Andrew Soltis, "Soviet Chess 1917-1991" (McFarland 1997), pp.186-87

    ============

    Botvinnik - Bronstein World Championship Match (1951)

    Bronstein:

    <"The only thing I am prepared to say about all this controversy is that I was subjected to strong psychological pressure from various sources and <<<it was entirely up to me to yield to that pressure or not.>>> Let's leave it at that. I had reasons not to become the World Champion as in those times such a title meant that you were entering an official world of chess bureaucracy with many formal obligations. Such a position is not compatible with my character. Since my childhood I have enjoyed freedom and despite the country that I grew up in, I have tried to live all my years in this spirit and I am very happy that today I feel the same and can enjoy my freedom.">

    -David Bronstein and Tom Furstenberg
    "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"
    (Cadogan 1995), p.16

    ===

    Edward Winter, Chessnote 4753:

    http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/...

    <The late David Bronstein seldom gave interviews, but a substantial one with Antonio Gude appeared on pages 38-42 of the March 1993 Revista Internacional de Ajedrez. Bronstein expressed irritation that he was remembered for his world championship match with Botvinnik and his book on the 1953 Candidates’ tournament. Asked whether he had been under pressure to lose the former event, he stated that, although there had not been direct pressure, circumstances related to his father, the fact that he was a Jew, and a clear institutional preference for Botvinnik had resulted in psychological pressure; Bronstein considered that winning the match could have been very damaging for him, although that did not mean that he had <<<lost intentionally.>>> For the record we quote the full exchange on this matter:

    ‘Gude: ¿Qué me dice del match con Botvinnik? ¿Le presionaron para que usted perdiera?

    Bronstein: No hubo presión directa, naturalmente. Pero existían circunstancias, como mi padre, un manifiesto opositor al régimen, que había estado varios años en prisión, mi condición de judío, la marcada preferencia institucional por Botvinnik, a quien se le veía como un modelo soviético de campeón ... Había la presión psicológica del entorno, y a mí me parecía que ganar podría perjudicarme seriamente, lo cual no significa que yo perdiera de forma deliberada ...’

    Google Translation:

    <'Gude: What about the match with Botvinnik? Would you pressured to lose?

    Bronstein: There was no direct pressure naturally. But there are circumstances, like my father, an opposition manifesto regime, who had been several years in prison, my Jewishness, the marked preference for institutional Botvinnik, whom he saw as a Soviet champion model ... There was the psychological pressure of the environment, and <<<it seemed to me that winning could seriously harm me, which does not mean that I deliberately lost>>> ... '>

    Bronstein spoke of the influence of his father, a rebellious defender of democracy. ‘From him I inherited that trait: when I am forbidden to do something, I rebel.’>

    ===

    Luis Rentero:

    <In a Fischer interview, he reports this recollection of an encounter with <<<Bobby>>> after he had lost to Spassky at Mar del Plata in 1960.

    Rentero says he saw Bobby crying about the loss, and then he says that <<<David Bronstein>>> entered and said this--

    Bronstein to Fischer:

    "Why are you crying? Don't cry. Just because of one game? I was made to lose a world championship match to Botvinnik, and I didn't cry.">

    Dimitry Plisetsky and Sergey Voronkov
    Russians versus Fischer
    Ken Neat transl.
    (Everyman Chess 2005), p.56

    ===

    Tatiana Boleslavskaya (Bronstein's wife):

    <"Few people knew that, when Devik played this match in the Tchaikovsky Hall, his parents were sitting in the first rank in the audience. As a former prisoner of several camps it was forbidden for his father to be in Moscow. Sitting close by in his loge was the powerful chief of the KGB General V.S. Abakumov. While Devik was playing he had to think constantly of this potentially dangerous situation. And, in spite of his <<<subconscious desire not to become World Champion,>>> Devik did not lose this match to Botvinnik whom he did not regard as such an exceptionally good player as most thought he was. The result was a draw thereby proving to the whole world that he had enormous talent and was amongst the very best grandmasters of all time.">

    -David Bronstein and Tom Furstenberg
    "The Sorcerer's Apprentice"
    (Cadogan 1995), p.22

    ###########################

    1 game, 1946

  17. WCC Kramnik-Topalov FIDE Championship 2006
    Original: Kramnik - Topalov World Championship Match (2006)

    [[Kramnik vs Topalov, 2006]]

    #######################

    EDIT <JFQ>

    <I think that we should delete "Toiletgate" here on the grounds that it is totally inappropriate language for this or any other event, regardless of the actual cheating accusations.>

    ############################

    EDIT <Boomie>

    <"The contest began with Kramnik winning both of the first two games"

    "Both is redundant - "winning the first two games"

    "After two more drawn games, on a rest day, Topalov's manager Silvio Danailov, issued a press release which threatened to abort the match"

    The use of "more" is wrong as there haven't been any draws yet. The reference to a rest day adds nothing. The last comma is unnecessary.

    "After two drawn games, Topalov's manager Silvio Danailov issued a press release which threatened to abort the match."

    "Unlike Mr. Kramnik, the World Champion Veselin Topalov..."

    I know this is a quote of sorts but where do they get off call Top O' Love the WC? Jess sayin'.

    I second the WCC on the use of "Toiletgate". Not only is it vulgar, it is one of those exaggerated analogies that infests language intended to stir up emotions>

    #########################

    [[In 2006, the schism which began with the Kasparov-Short World Championship was to finally end, unifying the World Championship title after 13 long years. Bulgarian grandmaster Veselin Topalov, the winner of the 2005 FIDE World Championship in San Luis was due to play Vladimir Kramnik, the Classical World Champion, and the winner was to emerge as the single, unified, World Chess Champion.

    The contest began with Kramnik winning both of the first two games, and due to the extreme brevity of the match (a mere 12 games) this established an early commanding lead. ]]

    ############################

    EDIT <Karpova>

    <Regan on the cheating accusations in Kramnik - Topalov, 2006: http://www.cse.buffalo.edu/~regan/c...>

    ########################

    [[After two more drawn games, Silvio Danailov, Topalov's manager, issued a press release threatening to withdraw from the match The press release read, in part:

    The careful study of the video recordings from the rest rooms done by the technical experts of the Bulgarian team revealed the following facts which we would herewith like to bring to your attention:

    After each move Mr. Kramnik immediately heads to the rest room and from it directly to the bathroom. During every game he visited the relaxation room 25 times at the average and the bathroom more than 50 times - the bathroom is the only place without video surveillance. Unlike Mr. Kramnik, the World Champion Veselin Topalov spends his time mainly at the playing table. The average number of times he visited the rest room and the bathroom is 8 and 4 respectively. In our opinion these facts are quite strange, if not suspicious. ... Should this extremely serious problem remain unsolved by 10.00 o'clock tomorrow (September 29th, 2006), we would seriously reconsider the participation of the World Champion Veselin Topalov in this match. 1 The FIDE Appeals Committee, after viewing the video tapes, found that the frequency of Kramnik's visits to the toilet had been exaggerated, but nevertheless took these allegations seriously, and decreed that the private toilets would be closed and a common toilet opened for both players.

    Kramnik's team rejected this decision, declaring: "The protests of the Topalov team and the suspicions in the press release of Mr. Topalov are utterly disgraceful and are touching Mr. Kramnik's privacy."2 Kramnik refused to play under the altered conditions, and as a result, Kramnik forfeited game 5.

    In a state of chaos, the match was placed on hold while FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov flew to Elista in the hope for bringing a solution to this crisis, which by this time had been given the pejorative name, "Toiletgate." After several days of strife and intense negotiations, Ilyumzhinov declared that the match would continue. The members of the Appeals Committee had been replaced, the access to the toilets was restored, and the forfeited game 5 would remain a loss for Kramnik.

    As the match continued, Topalov won both game 8 and game 9, giving him a one point lead with only three games left to play. His lead was not to last long, as Kramnik scored a brilliant victory in game 10, thereby tying the score, and after two more draws the match was sent into overtime.

    The first phase of the tiebreaks was a four game mini-match played with 25 minutes per side, and a 10 second increment. Kramnik's victory in game 16 allowed him to win the mini-match. After 13 years of chaos in the chess world, Vladimir Kramnik became the undisputed World Chess Champion. ]]

    [1 http://en.chessbase.com/home/TabId/..., Chessbase, Sep. 9 2006.

    2 http://en.chessbase.com/home/TabId/..., Chessbase, Sep. 9, 2006.]

    3 games, 2006

  18. WCC: Anand-Topalov FIDE Championship 2010
    Original: Anand - Topalov World Championship Match (2010)

    [[Anand vs Topalov, 2010

    Sofia, Bulgaria

    Bulgarian Grandmaster Veselin Topalov defeated Gata Kamsky in an eight game challenger match to earn the right to contest another World Championship title match. The match took place in Sofia, Bulgaria from April 24 to May 13, 2010. The title match mostly followed the format of Anand-Kramnik 2008 and Kramnik-Topalov 2006 in that 12 games would be played, with a series of successively faster tiebreak rounds if needed. Topalov demanded that the match be played in silence, in the style of the "Sofia Rules" which require draws to be mitigated by an arbiter.

    According to FIDE regulations, reigning champion Viswanathan Anand had the right to refuse Sofia as a suitable location, as that would give Topalov the "home field" advantage. However, Anand raised no objections. The match was delayed due to air travel disruptions caused by the eruption of the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull, which offset the entire schedule by one day.1

    The match was grueling and dynamic, with five decisive games, and some unexpected surprises in the openings. Topalov got off to a great start, demolishing Anand's Grunfeld in the first game in only 30 moves.]]

    #################################

    EDIT <Ohio>

    <The match was grueling and dynamic, with five decisive games,>

    Would decisive games indicate dynamic? Yes. Grueling? Not really. But the fact the shortest draw was 44 moves and the games averaged over 50 moves each would indicate grueling.

    < and some unexpected surprises in the openings. >

    This should be specified. There seems to be space to do so. As it is, Vishy played 2 Grunfelds and 3 Slavs before the QGD in the last game. Topa played 3 Catalans in a row.>

    #############################

    EDIT <Ohio>

    <Anand struck back in game two demonstrating his mastery of the Catalan opening, and in game four took the lead, but the ever-aggressive Topalov seemed to have a psychological edge even while trailing.

    <this claim needs a contemporaneous source or else it should be excised.>

    ########################################

    [[ Tied 5.5 apiece, Anand chose the drawish Lasker Defense of the Queen's Gambit for the last game, and quickly equalized. In an effort to create winning chances, Topalov captured the pawn offered by Anand. Topalov soon found himself defending against a sharp attack and lost, thereby ending the match without the need for tiebreaks.

    "Vishy" once again defended his title. In a post-match interview Anand mentioned that in addition to his normal team of seconds, he also received help in preparation from Magnus Carlsen, Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik. ]]

    ##############################

    EDIT <JFQ>

    <Wiki will be replaced as the source(s)>

    ######################################

    [1 Wikipedia article World Chess Championship 2010]

    3 games, 2010

  19. WCC: Karpov-Anand FIDE Championship 1998
    Karpov - Anand FIDE World Championship Match (1998)

    DRAFT <Chessical>

    <Background>

    In December 1995, FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov radically changed the qualifying system for the world championship challenger replacing the Candidates qualifying matches with a series of knock-out matches. He claimed the new system would be a cheaper, easier to administer and be more exciting so attracting greater media interest. Ilyumzhinov hoped that with a guaranteed $5,000,000 prize fund the tournament would unite the FIDE and PCA world championship titles by enticing Garry Kasparov ’s participation. (Chess, February 1998, vol.62, no.11 p.5). Ilyumzhinov had offered that both world champions would be seeded directly into the semi-finals. The world champion would receive $1,370,000 Championship and the loser $768,000 and furthermore Ilyumzhinov promised $55,000,000 to finance the world championship for the next 20 years. (Chess, January 1998, vol.62, no.10 p.32).

    Kasparov, however, did not like the concept of the mini matches determining the world chess crown and refused to play. Vladimir Kramnik also declined to play in protest against Karpov being seeded into the final. (“Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors”, Vol.5. p.465). FIDE’s champion Anatoly Karpov was then placed directly into the final, which attracted vocal criticism as being unfair to his prospective and probably exhausted opponent. The new qualification tournament was held between 9th December and 30th December 1997 in Groningen, Holland (“Garry Kasparov on My Great Predecessors”, Vol.5. p.465). The final originally to be held in Ilyumzhinov’s fiefdom of Kalmykia, was relocated to the Olympic Museum Lausanne as FIDE was trying to promote chess as an Olympic sport (Chess, March 1998, vol.62, no.12 p.4).

    Ilyumzhinov seemed to be offering a fresh start and fresh money for professional chess. Despite reservations regarding Karpov’s privileges and the element of chance in short matches decided by blitz games, many gave him the benefit of the doubt. “…he has started to build something and that is important…This type of world championship cycle is very good for your motivation as a professional player”, “ (Michael Adams ) (Chess, February 1998, vol.62, no.11 p.20).

    <Controversy:>

    There were complaints that the new system gave Karpov too many privileges, but Anand avoided controversy at the time: “We all knew the regulations before we came to Groningen. Of course we had to work hard there, but that may not be a disadvantage. I don’t like to discuss the system. As far as I am concerned it has worked out well so far ...although I have to say it required a lot of energy…it’s better than nothing and don’t forget that’s what we had – nothing.” (Chess, February 1998, vol.62, no.11 p.21).

    Anand also stated that “…I feel great. I’m in good shape. Why shouldn’t I win this match against Karpov?” (Chess, February 1998, vol.62, no.11 p.21). , but he did allow himself the quip that he was "brought in a coffin" to play Karpov. (http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/... ) Later, he would ruefully state the terms were one-sided. He had just played twenty-three games against GMs averaging 2662 ELO in twenty-one days. The Lausanne match began only three days after Anand's last game in Groningen and in that time he had to travel to the new venue

    Karpov, meanwhile, complained that: “I could not prepare as normal because I did not know who my opponent would be…Secondly, a world champion normally retains his title in the event of a tie, but FIDE stripped me of this privilege”. (Chess, March 1998, vol.62, no.12 p.14).

    <The players>

    Karpov was 46 years old, and Anand 28. Anand had played Karpov 43 times previously; including rapid games he had a 12 to 6 lead with 25 draws (Chessbase Big Database). Anand was the higher rated at 2770 ELO as against Karpov’s 2735 ELO.

    Karpov had an indifferent 1997 season. He had come equal last in Las Palmas, a category 21 tournament, in December 1996 without scoring a win and with hindsight this period was the start of a notable decline in Karpov’s performances. For Anand Groningen topped-off a very successful year including his best yet result at the Frankfurt (Chess Classics), 1997. <The match>
    The match was to be of 6 games duration, on January 2nd, 3rd and 4th and 6th, 7th and 8th), and if tied there would be a rapid, then a blitz and finally an Armageddon playoffs.

    Karpov ‘s seconds were: Mikhail Podgaets , Vladimir Tukmakov and Alexander Onischuk .

    Anand had the services of: Elizbar Ubilava , Artur Yusupov and Peter Leko assisting him.

    Anand lost the first game in which both sides played aggressively and sacrificed material. It went to 108 moves. In the second game, Karpov as Black continued to play unusually aggressive chess, but in a very sharp position he blundered. This upset him and in the third game he played for a quick draw.

    In Game 4, Anand got a good position but then played several critical moves almost without thought, very quickly and lost. Game 5 was a draw, leaving Anand having to win as Black to tie the match. Karpov despite looking fresher and more relaxed than his opponent blundered and lost. (Chess, March 1998, vol.62, no.12 p.10).

    On January 9th, the match now entered the rapid play phase with 25 minutes per player per game. In the first game Karpov fell behind on the clock and was losing until Anand blundered first a win and then a draw. In the second rapid game, Karpov as Black built a very solid position. Anand desperately sacrificed two pawns and a knight but lost.

    Karpov therefore retained his title. (Chess, March 1998, vol.62, no.12 p.4).

    1 game, 1998

  20. WCC: Kramnik-Leko, 2004
    1 game, 2004

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