1956 USSR Chess Championship explained

Event:23nd Soviet Chess Championship (1956)
Location:Leningrad
Champion:Mark Taimanov
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The 1956 Soviet Chess Championship was the 23rd edition of USSR Chess Championship. Held from 10 January to 15 February 1956 in Leningrad. The tournament was won by Mark Taimanov who defeats Boris Spassky and Yuri Averbakh in a play-off. The final were preceded by semifinals events at Leningrad, Moscow and Riga.This edition marked the debut of the future world champion Mikhail Tal, often described as the magician from Riga, who demonstrated his over-adventurous tactical style, notably in the third round against Simagin, who had the honor to be one of the first to wonder about the soundness of the piece sacrifice that had defeated him.[1] [2]

Table and results

23nd Soviet Chess Championship (1956)!!Player!1!2!3!4!5!6!7!8!9!10!11!12!13!14!15!16!17!18!Total
1 Mark Taimanov -0½½1½½111½011½11½11½
2 Boris Spassky 1-10½1½1½½½1½½½1½111½
3 Yuri Averbakh ½0-½1½½½½1½½½1111111½
4½1½-1½½½1½1011½½½½11
50½00-½½1111½1½101110½
6½0½½½-½½0½111½1½1110½
7½½½½½½-0½11½11½1½½10½
800½½0½1-½½½1½0½1119
90½½001½½-½½01½11½½
100½0½0½0½½-½01½111½8
11½½½0000½½½-10½1½½1
1210½1½0½0110-0½00017
130½½0000½0011-1½½01
140½00½½01½½½½0-011
15½½0½00½½0001½1-01½
16000½1½0000½1½01-½½6
170½0½00½0½0½1100½-½
18½00½00½0½½000½½½-4

Play-off

Moscow, February 1956!!Player!1!2!3!Total
1 Mark Taimanov --½ ½1 13
2½ ½--½ 1
30 0½ 0--
Averbakh won the second game against Spassky by walkover since Spassky couldn't play due to illness.

Notes and References

  1. Cafferty, Bernard. (2016). The Soviet Championships. London: Everyman Chess. p. 88
  2. Book: Soltis, Andy.. Soviet chess, 1917-1991. 2000. McFarland & Co. 0-7864-0676-3. 41940198 .