All Russian Championships

Would like to know more about All Russian Championships prior to 1920.Tournament crosstables,general info and interesting stories?

Apart from those Championships, there were more tournaments in Russia, so my first question is, which ones do you mean, perhaps I can help you, but first have to know where to look for. 

At least I have some info about Russian tournaments in 1879, 1895/96, 1899 (1st), 1901 (2nd), 1903, 1905, 1906 (3rd or 4th?), 1906, 1907 (5th All Russian), 1908, 1908, 1909, 1909, 1910, 1912,1913, 1914, 1916, 1917, 1920,1920. 

You yourself no doubt will have enough info on the three in St Petersburg, 1895/96, 1909 and 1914.

Look forward to your comment ! Regards, RomyGer, Holland

I have a book by Clarke and Taimanov on the Russian championships after 1920:however,I know nothing about these tournaments prior to 1920.

Just read your answer.   Give me some time to gather information, I will come back to the subject.  

I am not bothering over names of books, but as I cannot trace the book by Clarke and Taimanov, I wonder whether they speak about Russian Championships, as from 1920 the USSR ( Soviet-) Championships started, and there were only nine Russian Championships between 1899 and 1914.

Your original question is about the All-Russian Championships :

in 1899, 1901 and 1903 won by Chigorin, 1906 Salwe, 1907 Rubinstein, 1909 Alekhine, 1911 Levitsky, 1912 Rubinstein and in 1914 by Nimzowitsch and Alekhine ; and I will look for info on these tournaments...

Will be continued !

It is nice to do research on old chess-information, but there is a lot of contradiction and indistinctness... Also the way names are written differs.

In a separate e-mail the original question in post nr 1 is reduced to four All Russian Championships ( out of the nine in total ) : 

1st, 1899, Moscow : Chigorin 12, Schiffers 9½, Lewitsky 9, Lebedev 8½, Jankowitz 8, Helbach + Nenarokov 7½, Henika + Kulomzin 7, Abaza 5½, Bojarkov 5 and Falk 3½.

2nd, 1900/1901, Moscow : Chigorin 16½, Schiffers 14, Janofsky 13½, Gontscharov 12½, Nenarokov 11, Grigoriev 10½, Fränkel 9½, Kolomzin + Lebedev + Scharov 9, Rosenkrantz 8, Fokin 6½,  Henika 5½, Tabounschikov 5, Dus-Chotimirsky 4½, Bojakov 4, Jankowitz 3 and Antuschev 2.

4th, 1906, St Petersburg : Salwe 13, Rubinstein + Blumenfeld 12, Snosko-Borovsky 11½, Alapin 10½, Ewtifejev + Romanofsky 10, Dus-Chotimirsky + Isbinsky + Rosenkrantz 8, Lewitsky 7, Talwik 6½, Malutin + Omeljansky 6 and Helbach 5½.

5th, 1907/1908, Lodz : Rubinstein 9, Alapin 8½, Snosko-Borovsky + Salwe 7½, von Freymann 7, Rotlewi 6½, Goldfarb 5½, Dus-Chotimirsky + Kutschinsky 5, Danischewsky + Rosenblatt 4½, Notkin 4 and Jankowitz 1½.

To complete the list : the 3rd in Kiev, in 1903, is won by Chigorin ( and Rubinstein was nr 3 ) ; and nr 6 by Alekhine in 1909, nr 7 by Lewitsky in 1911, nr 8 by Rubinstein in 1912 and the last one in 1914 was won by Nimzowitz and Alekhine.

Duz-Khotimirsky himself wrote his name as Dus-Chotimirsky when using the Roman alphabet ; Chigorin is often written as Tschigorin and Alekhine, his Russian name, is Aljechin in Europe...

In post 5 we mentioned the difference between Russia and the Soviet-Union, we also see different nations : Akiba Rubinstein is a Polish grandmaster, born in Stawiski, a Polish border town, but then belonging to Russia, so playing in Russian championships.

Wow! Thanks for the info RomyGer

Schiffers really underestimated his opponent. He should have recovered his pawn with 17...Rd8 with still only an equal game. With 17...Nxd5? he gave White chances. 

After 20.Rd1 (better was 20.Rd3), White will have a really hard time capitalizing on his pawn plus. He should probably settle for a draw.

23.Qd3? had a sad result. After 23.Rhe1 Bc6 24.Rc1 White's draw is still well in hand.

Schiffer's moves as Black from move 23-28 were sharp, very strong play. He clearly deserved his second place finish in this tournament. Black's move 28 had to be soul-crushing for poor Abaza.