# 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 | Total |
| 1 | Viktor Korchnoi | - | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 16 |
| 2 | Vladimir Tukmakov | 1 | - | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 14½ |
| 3 | Leonid Stein | ½ | ½ | - | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 14 |
| 4 | Yuri Balashov | 0 | ½ | ½ | - | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 12½ |
| 5 | Anatoly Karpov | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | - | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 12 |
| 6 | Aivars Gipslis | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | - | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 12 |
| 7 | Vladimir Savon | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | - | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 12 |
| 8 | Mikhail Podgaets | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | - | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 11 |
| 9 | Yuri Averbakh | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | - | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 11 |
| 10 | Oleg Dementiev | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | - | 0 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 10½ |
| 11 | Vladimir Bagirov | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | - | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ½ | 10½ |
| 12 | Vladimir Liberzon | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | - | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | ½ | 10½ |
| 13 | Ratmir Kholmov | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ½ | - | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 14 | Vladimir Doroshkievich | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | - | 1 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 |
| 15 | Vladimir Antoshin | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | - | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 9½ |
| 16 | Igor Zaitsev | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 1 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 0 | 1 | - | 0 | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | 1 | 9½ |
| 17 | Vladas Mikenas | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 1 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | - | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 |
| 18 | Rafael Vaganian | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 1 | - | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | 9 |
| 19 | Vladimir Karasev | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 1 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | - | ½ | 1 | 1 | 8½ |
| 20 | Igor Platonov | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | 1 | ½ | ½ | - | 1 | 1 | 7½ |
| 21 | Mark Tseitlin | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | 0 | 1 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ½ | ½ | 1 | ½ | 0 | 0 | - | 0 | 6 |
| 22 | Oleg Moiseev | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ½ | 0 | ½ | 0 | ½ | ½ | ½ | ½ | 0 | 0 | ½ | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | - | 5½ |