1970 USSR Chess Championship

The 1970 Soviet Chess Championship was the 38th edition of USSR Chess Championship. Held from 25 November to 28 December 1970 in Riga. Viktor Korchnoi won his fourth title. The future world champion Anatoly Karpov had a quiet debut, beginning with a loss and 10 draws out of the first 11 rounds before beating Vladimir Bagirov in an Alekhine Defence in round 12. Mikhail Tal should have played in Riga, his home town, but he didn't. It looks as if the organizers doubted, on his recent illness history, whether he would last out the 21-rounder. It was a decision that was to rankle for years, especially since Tal was physically present, but had to confine himself to the press room.

Table and results + 38th Soviet Chess Championship Player 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 Total1 Viktor Korchnoi - 0 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1162 Vladimir Tukmakov 1 - ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 114½3 Leonid Stein ½ ½ - ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 0 ½ 1144 Yuri Balashov 0 ½ ½ - ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 012½5 Anatoly Karpov 0 ½ ½ ½ - ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½126 Aivars Gipslis 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ - ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ 1127 Vladimir Savon 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ - ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½128 Mikhail Podgaets 0 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ - ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1119 Yuri Averbakh ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ - 0 ½ ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½1110 Oleg Dementiev ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 1 - 0 ½ 1 ½ 0 0 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½10½11 Vladimir Bagirov ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 - ½ 1 0 ½ 1 0 0 0 1 1 ½10½12 Vladimir Liberzon 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ - ½ 0 1 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½10½13 Ratmir Kholmov ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 0 1 0 0 ½ - ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 11014 Vladimir Doroshkievich 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 1 1 ½ - 1 1 0 ½ 1 1 1 11015 Vladimir Antoshin ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 - 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ ½9½16 Igor Zaitsev 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 1 ½ 0 1 - 0 ½ 1 1 ½ 19½17 Vladas Mikenas 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 - 0 1 0 0 1918 Rafael Vaganian 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 - 0 ½ ½ 1919 Vladimir Karasev ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 1 - ½ 1 18½20 Igor Platonov 0 0 1 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 0 1 ½ ½ - 1 17½21 Mark Tseitlin ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 1 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 0 - 0622 Oleg Moiseev 0 0 0 1 ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 0 1 -5½

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