chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing

🏆
TOURNAMENT STANDINGS
Leningrad Interzonal Tournament

Viktor Korchnoi13.5/17(+11 -1 =5)[games]
Anatoly Karpov13.5/17(+10 -0 =7)[games]
Robert Byrne12.5/17(+9 -1 =7)[games]
Jan Smejkal11/17(+9 -4 =4)[games]
Robert Huebner10/17(+6 -3 =8)[games]
Bent Larsen10/17(+8 -5 =4)[games]
Gennady Kuzmin9.5/17(+5 -3 =9)[games]
Mikhail Tal8.5/17(+6 -6 =5)[games]
Svetozar Gligoric8.5/17(+5 -5 =7)[games]
Mark Taimanov8.5/17(+3 -3 =11)[games]
Miguel Quinteros7.5/17(+4 -6 =7)[games]
Ivan Radulov7.5/17(+5 -7 =5)[games]
Wolfgang Uhlmann7/17(+2 -5 =10)[games]
Eugenio Torre7/17(+4 -7 =6)[games]
Josip Rukavina6.5/17(+3 -7 =7)[games]
Vladimir Tukmakov6/17(+3 -8 =6)[games]
Guillermo Estevez Morales4.5/17(+3 -11 =3)[games]
Miguel Cuellar Gacharna1.5/17(+0 -14 =3)[games]
*

Chessgames.com Chess Event Description
Leningrad Interzonal (1973)

In the preceding FIDE cycles there had been only one Interzonal, such as the Palma de Mallorca Interzonal (1970). The year of 1973 marked the debut of two Interzonals to allow the aspirants for the world title to advance. As was the case with the Petropolis Interzonal (1973), the Leningrad Interzonal was held as an 18-player round robin with the top three players qualifying for the Candidates matches. Korchnoi (+11 =5 -1) and Karpov (+10 =7 -0) tied for first place with 13.5/17. Third was Byrne with 12.5, and just missing out with 11 was Smejkal, whose chances of qualification ended with his loss to Karpov from a favourable position in the penultimate round.

Leningrad, Soviet Union (Russia), 2-27 June 1973

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Pts =1 Korchnoi * ½ 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 1 13½ =1 Karpov ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 1 13½ 3 Byrne 0 ½ * ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 1 1 1 ½ 1 1 1 1 1 12½ 4 Smejkal ½ 0 ½ * 0 0 ½ ½ 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 11 =5 Huebner 0 ½ ½ 1 * 0 ½ 1 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 1 10 =5 Larsen 0 ½ 0 1 1 * 1 0 0 ½ 0 1 1 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 10 7 Kuzmin ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 * 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 ½ 9½ =8 Tal 0 ½ ½ ½ 0 1 0 * 1 ½ 1 1 ½ 0 0 1 0 1 8½ =8 Gligoric ½ 0 ½ 0 0 1 1 0 * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 0 1 1 8½ =8 Taimanov 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ 8½ =11 Quinteros 0 0 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ * 0 0 ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 7½ =11 Radulov 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 1 * 1 1 ½ ½ 1 1 7½ =13 Uhlmann ½ 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 * ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 7 =13 Torre 0 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 1 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 1 1 7 15 Rukavina 1 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ * 0 1 ½ 6½ 16 Tukmakov 0 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 1 ½ 0 ½ ½ 0 1 * ½ 1 6 17 Estevez Morales 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 ½ 0 ½ 0 0 ½ * 1 4½ 18 Cuellar Gacharna 0 0 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 ½ 0 0 * 1½

Arbiter: Alexander Kotov, assisted by Walter Kühnle-Woods and others. (1)

Korchnoi, Karpov and Byrne were joined by Henrique Mecking, Lajos Portisch and Lev Polugaevsky from the Petropolis Interzonal for play against Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian (who qualified as losing finalist in 1971) and Boris Spassky (who qualified as ex-World Champion in 1972) in the next year's Candidates matches:

Spassky - Byrne Candidates Quarterfinal (1974)
Petrosian - Portisch Candidates Quarterfinal (1974)
Karpov - Polugaevsky Candidates Quarterfinal (1974)
Korchnoi - Mecking Candidates Quarterfinal (1974)

(1) World Championship Interzonals. Leningrad-Petropolis 1973 by Robert Wade, Leslie Stephen Fraser Blackstock and Alexander Kotov (Batsford, London 1974).

Original collection: Game Collection: Interzonals 1973: Leningrad, by User: capybara.

 page 1 of 7; games 1-25 of 153  PGN Download
Game  ResultMoves YearEvent/LocaleOpening
1. G Estevez Morales vs Karpov 0-1551973Leningrad InterzonalD58 Queen's Gambit Declined, Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) Syst
2. Tukmakov vs Korchnoi 0-1381973Leningrad InterzonalE04 Catalan, Open, 5.Nf3
3. I Radulov vs Quinteros 1-0481973Leningrad InterzonalB43 Sicilian, Kan, 5.Nc3
4. Huebner vs Taimanov  ½-½211973Leningrad InterzonalA00 Uncommon Opening
5. Smejkal vs Tal  ½-½321973Leningrad InterzonalE62 King's Indian, Fianchetto
6. M Cuellar Gacharna vs Uhlmann 0-1261973Leningrad InterzonalA22 English
7. Gligoric vs R Byrne  ½-½201973Leningrad InterzonalE61 King's Indian
8. J Rukavina vs Larsen 0-1281973Leningrad InterzonalA10 English
9. E Torre vs G Kuzmin ½-½571973Leningrad InterzonalB08 Pirc, Classical
10. Karpov vs Huebner ½-½411973Leningrad InterzonalB42 Sicilian, Kan
11. Korchnoi vs M Cuellar Gacharna 1-0331973Leningrad InterzonalD58 Queen's Gambit Declined, Tartakower (Makagonov-Bondarevsky) Syst
12. Quinteros vs Smejkal 1-0401973Leningrad InterzonalA04 Reti Opening
13. Taimanov vs Tukmakov  ½-½251973Leningrad InterzonalA34 English, Symmetrical
14. Tal vs E Torre 0-1671973Leningrad InterzonalA15 English
15. Uhlmann vs Gligoric ½-½611973Leningrad InterzonalE73 King's Indian
16. R Byrne vs J Rukavina 1-0331973Leningrad InterzonalC95 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Breyer
17. G Kuzmin vs G Estevez Morales 1-0511973Leningrad InterzonalE59 Nimzo-Indian, 4.e3, Main line
18. Larsen vs I Radulov 1-0261973Leningrad InterzonalA15 English
19. Tukmakov vs Karpov 0-1331973Leningrad InterzonalC95 Ruy Lopez, Closed, Breyer
20. Korchnoi vs Taimanov 1-0521973Leningrad InterzonalA22 English
21. E Torre vs Quinteros ½-½241973Leningrad InterzonalB92 Sicilian, Najdorf, Opocensky Variation
22. G Estevez Morales vs Tal 1-0371973Leningrad InterzonalB84 Sicilian, Scheveningen
23. M Cuellar Gacharna vs Gligoric 0-1701973Leningrad InterzonalE68 King's Indian, Fianchetto, Classical Variation, 8.e4
24. Huebner vs G Kuzmin  ½-½241973Leningrad InterzonalC84 Ruy Lopez, Closed
25. I Radulov vs R Byrne 0-1291973Leningrad InterzonalC07 French, Tarrasch
 page 1 of 7; games 1-25 of 153  PGN Download
  REFINE SEARCH:   White wins (1-0) | Black wins (0-1) | Draws (1/2-1/2)  

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 4 OF 4 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Apr-08-15  SimonWebbsTiger: @<Conrad>

on the basis of Elo in 1974, e.g.:

Karpov 2705
Korchnoi 2665
Spassky 2650

You'll remember Karpov and Korchnoi met in the Candidates final which later became the de facto world chp. match because Fischer didn't turn up in '75.

Feb-25-17  ughaibu: It amazes me that Euwe, as FIDE president, didn't understand that nobody's (and no federation's) request to play in a particular interzonal could be granted. Take the top two rated players and toss a coin to decide which plays where. Take the next two top rated and toss a coin, etc. How could Euwe still be so unprofessional? And why has this been the story with FIDE presidents even up till today?
Nov-29-18
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: <ozmikey: This is just a hunch, but I'm guessing that at least one of the players whose "personal wishes" were taken into account was Henrique Mecking..>

Could well be.

<...(Mecking) was a big hero in Brazil and would have had the benefit of massive home support in Petropolis;>

Very definitely.

<....I very much doubt whether he would have qualified from the Leningrad tournament.>

That event was tremendously strong, and it is an open question whether he would have made it.

Nov-30-18  Howard: The Leningrad interzonal was definitely tougher than its Brazilian counterpart.

Karpov, incidentally, lived in Leningrad at the time.

Both Karpov and Mecking were considered to be relatively unseasoned at the time...but they both qualified for the Candidates !

Mar-08-19  RookFile: Strange tournament for Tal. In the first half he was awful, putting up a huge negative score. In the second half, he was the Tal of old and brought his overall result to 50 percent.
Jan-27-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  Eggman: This site makes it easier to discern certain never-before-noticed facts about these events, f'rinstance: Smejkal started off the tournament with 1/4 (two draws, two losses), before reeling off 7 wins in a row! Going into his classic penultimate round encounter with Karpov, Smejkal had scored 8.5 from his previous 10 games. He didn't manage to qualify for the candidates (finishing 4th - a top-3 placement was needed), but what a tournament! Leningrad Interzonal (1973)/Jan Smejkal
Jan-27-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: <Tabanus....Don't know why I like (Larsen) and Korchnoi too, the irascibles.>

I also admired their fighting spirit, but don't know as I'd wish to spend time with them away from the board, though an old friend met Larsen on one of his visits to Canada, in 1970, and found him a perfectly congenial fellow.

Jan-27-21
Premium Chessgames Member
  Fusilli: <an old friend met Larsen on one of his visits to Canada, in 1970, and found him a perfectly congenial fellow.>

My thoughts exactly... I was not aware of Larsen being considered irascible. In Buenos Aires he was very much liked and was always friendly. But maybe the fact that he did great playing there had something to do with it. See Buenos Aires (Clarin) (1979) and Buenos Aires (Clarin) (1980).

Apr-07-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: It wasn't as though Larsen never got a shot at getting to the world championship. He tied for first at the Amsterdam Interzonal (1964), but lost to Tal in the Candidates' semifinals. He won the Sousse Interzonal (1967), but lost to Spassky in the semifinals. He tied for second at the Palma de Mallorca Interzonal (1970), but was swept 6-0 by Fischer. He won the Biel Interzonal (1976), but lost by three points to Portisch in the quarterfinals. In short, he made it to the Candidates in four out of five cycles, but faltered in matches against the top players. He never made it to the Candidates' final, let alone a world championship. I don't think we can blame Euwe for Larsen not becoming world champion.
Apr-07-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: I also met Larsen, and spoke to him for five minutes or so. A very nice man, even complimenting me on my play in F Rhine vs D Sprenkle, 1981, which he had voted the most theoretically important game in Chess Informant Volume 32. Not the least bit irascible. Our meeting took place during the closing ceremony of the New York International Open (1984), where he'd only scored 4/9, including a last-round loss to an IM, so could have been forgiven if he'd been in a bad mood.
Apr-07-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: <FSR>, how many of the spectators in that photo can you identify?
Apr-07-25  stone free or die: What photo?
Apr-08-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  FSR: Yeah, what photo?
Apr-08-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: https://uscf1-nyc1.aodhosting.com/C...
Apr-08-25  Olavi: <perfidious> On page 31? Lein is closest, Zapata behind him I think. There's Wilder on the right. Hjartarson at the top. The one next to Wilder looks familiar... And isn't it Cuchi in the middle.
Apr-08-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: <Olavi>, I believe that is Zapata; the player next to Wilder is Jim Rizzitano. It is indeed Jose Cuchi. Benko is at the extreme right.
Apr-08-25  stone free or die: Seems a bit of a shame not to have a player page for <Jose Cuchi>.

I know he was firmly committed to his amateur status but can't we find at least one game of his?

.

Apr-09-25  stone free or die: Does this page suggest Cuchi was a player on a NJ team?

<1980

Heraldica Imports Roman Dzindzichashvili, Jose Cuchi, Jose Saenz, Ignatio Yepes>

https://njscf.org/u-s-amateur-team-...

Apr-09-25  Olavi: <stone free or die> Cuchi is/was a jeweller, so.
Apr-09-25  stone free or die: Yes, <Olavi>, his company was <Heraldica>.

His nephew took it over after his father retired in 2017:

https://southernjewelrynews.com/fea...

Apr-09-25  stone free or die: (I've said it before about other chess figures - that <CG> should have a page for them if only for their significant contributions - but <CG> insists on only having player pages with games. We eventually did get a game or two for Hazeltine, so I'm hopeful for Jose.)
Apr-09-25
Premium Chessgames Member
  perfidious: I played in/attended the NY Opens from 1984-89 and Cuchi was usually about. There were no airs about him; he seemed a nice man.
Apr-10-25  stone free or die: <perf> From what I've seen in my searches, there appears to be a uniquely universal agreement in that opinion.

A class act. [Follow-ups maybe on the Bistro?]

Apr-10-25  Petrosianic: If Larsen had missed it by that much, he might have a gripe. But considering that he finished +3, and needed +8 just to tie for a qualifying spot, he really wasn't even close.

Even if he had been close, it's hard to see how he had a right to play at Petropolis.

But just for grins, let's suppose Larsen had qualified here, instead of Byrne. If the pairings had been the same, he'd have faced Spassky, Karpov and Korchnoi in the Candidates. Larsen never in his life won a semifinal match. What are the chances of him getting past all three of those players? Heck, FIDE might have been quicker to grant the Unlimited Match in that case. There'd be little danger of a Fischer-Larsen match dragging on interminably.

Apr-10-25  Olavi: <stone free or die> Lubomir Ftacnic interviews Cuchi about the New York Open in New in Chess 5/1987. About his person there's the mention about Heraldica and "Cuchi started playing in the tournaments of famous East Coast organizer Bill Goichberg. Luckily rather soon his ambitions as a player transformed into a strong feeling of challenge: I could have organizer this better!"

Perhaps there are games to be found...

Jump to page #    (enter # from 1 to 4)
search thread:   
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 4 OF 4 ·  Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific tournament only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

Spot an error? Please suggest your correction and help us eliminate database mistakes!

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC