The 1956 Soviet Chess Championship was the 23rd edition of the USSR Chess Championship, held from 10 January to 15 February 1956 in Leningrad. The tournament was won by Mark Taimanov, who defeated Boris Spassky and Yuri Averbakh in a play-off. The finals were preceded by semifinal events in Leningrad, Moscow and Riga. This edition marked the debut of future world champion Mikhail Tal, often described as "the Magician from Riga". Tal demonstrated his adventurous tactical style, notably in the third round against Vladimir Simagin, who lost a game to Tal and later wondered about the soundness of the piece sacrifice that had defeated him.Cafferty, Bernard. (2016). The Soviet Championships. London: Everyman Chess. p. 88
Table and results +23rd Soviet Chess Championship (1956)Player123456789101112131415161718Total1 Mark Taimanov -0½½1½½111½011½11½11½2 Boris Spassky 1 -10½1½1½½½1½½½1½111½3 Yuri Averbakh ½0 -½1½½½½1½½½1111111½4 Viktor Korchnoi ½1½ -1½½½1½1011½½½½115 Lev Polugaevsky 0½00 -½½1111½1½101110½6 Mikhail Tal ½0½½½ -½½0½111½1½1110½7 Ratmir Kholmov ½½½½½½ -0½11½11½1½½10½8 Isaac Boleslavsky 00½½0½1 -½½½1½0½11199 Vladlen Zurakhov 0½½001½½ -½½01½11½½8½10 Vladimir Antoshin 0½0½0½0½½ -½01½111½811 Anatoly Bannik ½½½0000½½½ -10½1½½17½12 Viacheslav Ragozin 10½1½0½0110 -0½0001713 Vladimir Simagin 0½½0000½0011 -1½½016½14 Vasily Byvshev 0½00½½01½½½½0 -0116½15 Alexander Tolush ½½0½00½½0001½1 -01½6½16 Georgy Borisenko 000½1½0000½1½01 -½½617 Abram Khasin 0½0½00½0½0½1100½ -½5½18 Georgy Lisitsin ½00½00½0½½000½½½ -4 Play-off
+Moscow, February 1956Player123Total1 Mark Taimanov --½ ½1 132 Yuri Averbakh ½ ½ --½ 12½3 Boris Spassky 0 0½ 0 --0½ Averbakh won the second game against Spassky by walkover since Spassky could not play due to illness.
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