Before the Elo system, the Soviets, as explained in the November 28th post, Short, Ultra-Sharp Game by Nezhmetdinov, had a rating system in place.
Because they had millions of players as compared to a mere handful in the US for example, they had hundreds, if not thousands, of players who by today's standards were of Master strength. Even after the Elo system, which is based on the Bell curve, was adopted the Soviets dominated the scene, but the number of Master’s in the Soviet Union had nothing to do with “secret” training methods.
Many things have been said about the Soviet School of Chess and how it produced legions of good players due to the elaborate system of chess education.
As a former member of the Soviet System, American GM Alex Yermolinksy wrote that there was no building with a sign, 'The Soviet School of Chess”. He also emphasized that there were no secret methods of teaching chess. His highly decorated teacher was Vladiimir Zak, who had a real knack for judging talent, but once a player reached the 1800 level Zak’s training methods weren’t much help.
During the 1940’s or 1950’s until the Bobby Fischer era there’s no doubt that the Russians had established a hegemony and dominated the field. And why not? The Russian government, acting
as sponsors, promoted a huge program of chess activity and subsidized its top players.
During the Fisher Boom chess became more popular and with the increase in the number of players worldwide, more non-Soviet talent emerged.
The following game was played in the 1949 Bolshvik Chess Club Championship in Odessa. It was a strong event as can bee seen from the crosstable...most of the top finishers are, or in their day were, well known.
The Soviets were big on opening theory and, as you can see, the opening line in this game was, even in 1949, quite modern as it was still being used in games in the 2000’s.
What makes the game unique is that on move 20 Grechkin’s King was setting fairly safely on g7, but on move 28 it began a journey to c4 where it sat in front of its own pieces and met its doom.
Vasily Panov–Dmitri Grechkin1–0B80Bolshevik CC Champ, OdessaOdessa (Ukraine)1949Stpckfish 16
B80: Sicilian Scheveningen 1.e4 c5 2.f3 e6 3.d4 cxd4 4.xd4 f6 5.c3 d6 The d6–e6 Pawn center is a solid, flexible defensive setup that affords
black the possibility of a center break with either ...d5 or ...e5. 6.g3
This is mot played very often, but it actually yeilds good results for white.
The main moves are 6.Ne2 and 6.g4 a6 7.g2 c7 8.0-0 e7 9.e3 0-0 10.e2 c6 11.ad1 d7 12.b3 b5 13.a3 c8 Black has tried several moves here,
but the most active choice is 13...Ne5 14.f4 b7 The fact that black's time
wasting B maneuver has not cost him anything is a good example of how limited
white's attacking chances are and how solid black's position is. how limited 15.g4 d7 16.g5 b6 Not bad by any means, but the rock solid 16...Rae8 was
to be preferred. 16...ae8 This renders white's next move harmless. For
example... 17.f5 exf5 18.d5 18.exf5 xg5 18...c8 19.f4 f6 seizing
the initiative. 17.f5 uddenly white's position is starting to look very
promising. c4 17...exf5 18.exf5 ae8 19.f6 d8 20.fxg7 xg7 21.d4 c4 22.d5 c8 23.f5+ with the better psoition. 18.f6 d8 19.c1 6e5 20.fxg7 After thins white's advantage is minimal. 20.h5 packs a real punch. e8 21.d4 c8 22.fxg7 e7 23.f6 and black is in very serious trouble. A
smple line... g6 24.d3 xg7 25.h3 h8 26.h6+ g8 27.xe6 fxe6 28.xg6+ 20...xg7 21.d4 c6 Retreating the N from the center is the wrong
strategy. 21...g8 leaves white unable to mount a decisive attack. 22.h4 g6 23.h5 h4 24.d3 h8 25.g3 g7 26.f2 xg2 and black should be able
to hold his position. 22.xc6 22.h5 is no longer so powerful. After xd4 23.xd4 e5 24.f4 White is better, but the win is still a long way
off. 22.xe6+ This sacrifice packs a wallop. fxe6 23.xf8 xf8 24.f1+ e7 25.h5 d7 White now has another strong blow at hos disposal... 26.d5 a5 26...exd5 27.h3+ e7 28.f7# 27.xh7+ e7 28.xe7 xe7 29.g6
White's advantage is decisive. 22...xc6 23.d3 A typical Rook lift. b6+ 24.h1 e5 25.h3 Qh5 is the strong threat. h8 26.h5 g6 27.e2
Watch this N! f5 He could have put up seriosu resistance with 27...
Kf8 27...f8 was the best he had, but after 28.hf3 c7 29.d2 d8 30.h6+ e8 31.xf7 xf7 32.xf7 xf7 Technically white is winning, but in
practice things could be different! 28.gxf6+ f7 29.f4 Intending Qxh7+!
and mate. ag8 A oass to demonstrate the threat. 29...a5 30.xh7+ xh7 31.xh7+ e8 32.f7+ d8 33.xe6+ c8 34.f8+ xf8 35.xf8+ e8 36.xe8+ d8 37.xd8# 29...xe4 This avoids white's next move, but it should still
lose, it makes white work for the point after... 30.xe4 xe4+ 31.g2 ac8 32.h6 e5 33.g3 d4 34.c3 c5 White may be winning, buty he has a long
row to hoe. 30.xh7+ Very nice! xh7 31.xh7+ xf6 32.d5+ e5 33.h5+ d4 34.e3+ c4 35.b3# A captivating finale. 1–0
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