Mikhail Botvinnik SIZE OF THE PHOTO - approx. 4 cm x 6 cm 12TH SOVIET CHESS CHAMPIONSHIP: This is a photograph from the famous 12th Soviet Chess Championship held in the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory from September 4th through October 3rd, 1940. The 12th Soviet Chess Championship was truly a battle of the titans. Outstanding players such as Mikhail Botvinnik, Paul Keres, Vasily Smyslov, Alexander Kotov, Isaac Boleslavsky, Igor Bondarevsky, and Andre Lilienthal took part. This so-called "absolute championship" is rightfully considered one of the strongest USSR chess championships ever held. Here’s an excerpt from Mikhail Botvinnik’s memoirs. "It was a tough tournament. There were many participants and very few off-days. The Grand Hall of the Conservatory has excellent acoustics. The spectators behaved impudently, made a great deal of noise, and clapped all the time. The excellent acoustics only made matters worse. Supposedly, Sergei Prokofiev applauded Keres vigorously after the latter won a game. The other people in his box reprimanded him,, and then the composer remarked, "I have every right to express my feelings." Would my friend Mr. Prokofiev be happy if he were playing a trio and spectators applauding the violinist’s performance drowned out his piano piece? Chess players are in a worse position, though. A pianist can afford to play a few false notes amid booming applause, something a chess player isn’t allowed to do." The results of the 12th Soviet Chess Championship were truly sensational, since two young players, Andre Lilienthal and Igor Bondarevsky, came in first and second, respectively, leaving grandmasters Mikhail Botvinnik and Paul Keres, the tournament favorites, far behind. The unprecedented hype surrounding this tournament matched its historical significance. After all, the unofficial right to contend for the world championship crown, as well as the prestigious title of USSR champion were on the line. "The most difficult and most monumental tournament in which I’ve ever taken part has come to a close," Andre Lilienthal wrote. "I have no reason to be displeased with myself. First off, my win over Botvinnik himself wasn’t too bad. Secondly, I snatched what seemed to be an irrevocably lost point from Bondarevsky in the last round. Thirdly, I managed not to lose a single game. Fourthly, I wound up in the wonderful young company of Bondarevsky and Smyslov at the top of the leaderboard. A decisive match for the title of USSR champion is up next. I have to prepare thoroughly for it, which, first and foremost, means getting some much needed rest." Three months after the tournament was completed, on January 14th, 1991, the Soviet Committee on Physical Culture and Sports issued an order approving the tournament results and awarding Bondarevsky and Lilienthal, the tournament winners, grandmaster titles; however, this order was missing a key point, since it did not mention any sort of match between the two victors. That strange inconsistency came to light a month later when it was decided - through a behind-the-scenes power struggle - that one more tournament for the title of absolute USSR champion would be held, a tournament Mikhail Botvinnik won.Арт ПК 2  

Soviet Chess Photo: Mark Taimanov. Photo By M. Rabkin Dimensions: approx. 13,5 * 20 cm Арт пк3

This photo is from the archive of “Chess in the USSR’ journal Size: 23x16.5 cmArt PK5

Size: 24x18 cmart pk5

Size: 18x11.5 cm25 Art PK5

Soviet Chess Photo: Romanischin and Donner Dimensions: approx. 8 * 11,5 cm Арт пк3

Size: 10x13 cmArt PK5

A. Roshal, N. Krogius, L. Polugaevsky. Early 1970-s. Photograph - Knezevic Ratko. Size: 18x12.5 cm Art PK4

Soviet Chess Photo: The last Keres Tournament in Tallinn 1975. Photo by I. Trapido Dimensions: approx. 11,5 * 17 cm Арт пк3

Soviet Chess Photo: Tournament in memory of Chigorin: Krogius, Flesch, Lein Dimensions: approx. 15 * 22,5 cm János Flesch (30 September 1933 – 9 December 1983) was a chess grandmaster, chess writer and coach, born in Budapest, Hungary. He is best known for claiming a world record simultanious blindfold exhibition when he played 52 opponents in Budapest in 1960. Anatoly Yakovlevich Lein  (Анатолий Яковлевич Лейн; March 28, 1931 – March 1, 2018) was a Soviet-born American chess player. He was awarded the title of grandmaster by FIDE in 1968. Nikolai Vladimirovich Krogius (first name sometimes written Nikolay) (born July 22, 1930 in Saratov) is a Russian chess grandmaster, international arbiter (1985), psyhologist, chess coach, chess administrator, and author. Арт пк3

Vladimir Makogonov SIZE OF THE PHOTO - approx. 4 cm x 5 cm This is a photograph from the famous 12th Soviet Chess Championship held in the Grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory from September 4th through October 3rd, 1940. The 12th Soviet Chess Championship was truly a battle of the titans. Outstanding players such as Mikhail Botvinnik, Paul Keres, Vasily Smyslov, Alexander Kotov, Isaac Boleslavsky, Igor Bondarevsky, and Andre Lilienthal took part. This so-called "absolute championship" is rightfully considered one of the strongest USSR chess championships ever held. Here’s an excerpt from Mikhail Botvinnik’s memoirs. "It was a tough tournament. There were many participants and very few off-days. The Grand Hall of the Conservatory has excellent acoustics. The spectators behaved impudently, made a great deal of noise, and clapped all the time. The excellent acoustics only made matters worse. Supposedly, Sergei Prokofiev applauded Keres vigorously after the latter won a game. The other people in his box reprimanded him,, and then the composer remarked, "I have every right to express my feelings." Would my friend Mr. Prokofiev be happy if he were playing a trio and spectators applauding the violinist’s performance drowned out his piano piece? Chess players are in a worse position, though. A pianist can afford to play a few false notes amid booming applause, something a chess player isn’t allowed to do." The results of the 12th Soviet Chess Championship were truly sensational, since two young players, Andre Lilienthal and Igor Bondarevsky, came in first and second, respectively, leaving grandmasters Mikhail Botvinnik and Paul Keres, the tournament favorites, far behind. The unprecedented hype surrounding this tournament matched its historical significance. After all, the unofficial right to contend for the world championship crown, as well as the prestigious title of USSR champion were on the line. "The most difficult and most monumental tournament in which I’ve ever taken part has come to a close," Andre Lilienthal wrote. "I have no reason to be displeased with myself. First off, my win over Botvinnik himself wasn’t too bad. Secondly, I snatched what seemed to be an irrevocably lost point from Bondarevsky in the last round. Thirdly, I managed not to lose a single game. Fourthly, I wound up in the wonderful young company of Bondarevsky and Smyslov at the top of the leaderboard. A decisive match for the title of USSR champion is up next. I have to prepare thoroughly for it, which, first and foremost, means getting some much needed rest." Three months after the tournament was completed, on January 14th, 1991, the Soviet Committee on Physical Culture and Sports issued an order approving the tournament results and awarding Bondarevsky and Lilienthal, the tournament winners, grandmaster titles; however, this order was missing a key point, since it did not mention any sort of match between the two victors. That strange inconsistency came to light a month later when it was decided - through a behind-the-scenes power struggle - that one more tournament for the title of absolute USSR champion would be held, a tournament Mikhail Botvinnik won.Арт ПК 2  

Soviet Chess Photo:  Viktor Kart, Honored coach of the USSR, and his pupil, Grandmaster Adrian Mikhalchishin, before the start of the next round. Dimensions: approx. 13 * 18 cm Photo from archive of Alexander Roshal   Alexander Borisovich Roshal (1936 – 2007) was a Soviet chess master and journalist, the co-founder and editor-in-chief of the magazine (chess review) «64» Арт ПК1