32:
546:
1957, second place behind
Taimanov, and advanced to the final. Then, at the 1957 Soviet Championship in Moscow (24th URS-ch), Aronin scored 11/21 to tie for 10th–11th places. In an International tournament in Leningrad later in 1957, Aronin scored 12/19, good for a tie for third–fourth places, behind
482:
In fact, Aronin did not play in the 1955 Soviet
Championship final, referred to by Bronstein, with the game against Smyslov. Likely Bronstein means the 1951 Championship, in which Smyslov and Aronin both played. And for the 1952 qualification situation with Kotov, referred to by Bronstein, Aronin had
646:
Aronin's style tended to be positional in nature, with the tactics arising naturally out of the position rather than being forced, and he was one of the leading lights with the King's Indian
Defence from the mid-1940s, as this defence became very popular. He was a fine theoretician who was dangerous
642:
that same year, where he played two games. In every Soviet tournament he played, he had to face a number of very strong compatriots. Stuck behind the incredibly deep Soviet vanguard, which in 1957 had 15 of the world's top 20 players, Aronin's chances to go abroad never came, since he was 37 by this
460:
and therefore did not seriously analyse the adjourned position. He missed a hidden, very neat, drawing variation found by
Smyslov, who had done his homework brilliantly, and had to settle for a draw, missing qualification by half a point for the Interzonal Tournament in 1952. Aronin's style of play
443:
which ended in a draw, dates back to the Semi-Final of the USSR Championship in 1945. Lev
Solomonovich Aronin played successfully many times in USSR Championships but never managed to actually become the champion. He never received the title of grandmaster which he deserved without any doubt. Also,
259:
He was the youngest of three brothers, with
Gregory (1913–2007) being the eldest, and Efim (1915–1989) being the second. Gregory taught him chess at the age of 8, and he could recall that at the age of 14, Lev beat him and Efim simultaneously without looking at the boards while they were making the
637:
to the West following the Soviet takeover in 1917 may have made the Soviet chess organization wary of allowing Aronin to travel outside the USSR with his important (and possibly secret) scientific knowledge. His only international chances came in a team event in 1957, and in a team match against
264:
He was lying on the couch at another room and shouted the moves to us, for each board, and we were making them over the boards and shouting back our respective moves. It was amazing. Both games lasted for no longer than around 30 moves each, which is not trivial given both me and Efim were quite
483:
finished with 9/17 in the 1951 Championship, the Soviet qualifying event for the 1952 Interzonal, while Kotov had 8/17 in that event. Several players who had finished ahead of Aronin in that 1951 event were otherwise exempt past the 1952 Interzonal stage: Botvinnik as World
Champion, and
456:, T.F.). It turned out that this player was to be the winner of the tournament with a record score. In the 22nd USSR Championship played in 1955 Aronin had a totally winning position in the last round against
620:
Aronin never got the chance to compete internationally, outside the Soviet Union, in an individual tournament. It is entirely possible that his career as a meteorologist worked against him in this respect;
565:
Memorial, Moscow 1959, Aronin had a minus score of 5/11, and tied for 7th–9th places. In the Moscow
Championship of 1961, he tied for 3rd–5th places with 11/17. He played in an International tournament at
439:(coauthored with Tom Furstenberg) is one writer who has something to say. Bronstein wrote that he had played several games with Aronin, and knew him quite well. Bronstein's first encounter with Aronin,
558:
1957, and scored 1½/3 on the second reserve board. The
Soviets won team gold, and in an utterly dominant performance, captured individual gold medals on each of the top nine boards.
499:
all finished ahead of Aronin in the 1951 Soviet final, and those four played in the 1952 Interzonal, along with Kotov; all five
Soviets also played well enough to move on from
294:, 1946, Aronin won clear first place with 11/14, losing only one game. This earned him the Soviet Master title, and marked a big improvement in his play in just two years.
401:. He was exempt from qualifying the next year. Although not quite as strong the next year, Aronin scored 9/17 at Moscow 1951 (19th URS-ch) and a tie for 9th–10th places.
282:, 1945, Aronin scored 5/15, for 14th place out of 16 players. However, he then achieved a very fine win in a tournament (likely a USSR Championship quarter-final) at
370:, and this marked Aronin's arrival at the elite level, as he posted a strong 10/19, good for a tie for 9th–10th places, and a 2636 performance rating, according to
306:, in the USSR Championship semifinal, Aronin made an excellent tie for second place, with 11/17. This earned him a place in his first Soviet final, held in
532:
397:
Moving on to Moscow 1950 (18th URS-ch), this tournament marked the high point of his career, as he scored 11/17 for a tie of 2nd–4th places, behind only
386:
1950, which worked out much better than his 1945 visit there. He scored 10½/15, for clear first place. Aronin also played the Russian Championship at
524:
362:
He had to return to qualifying for the next national championship, but came through the gauntlet of the semifinal, with a fine 11/16 in
743:
Lev Aronin vs David Bronstein, USSR Championship, Moscow 1951, Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Dragon Variation / Maroczy Bind (B38), 1–0
256:, which were the strongest tournaments in the world during his era, and placed as high as a tie for 2nd–4th places in 1950 at Moscow.
921:
199:
733:
Alexander Konstantinopolsky vs Lev Aronin, USSR Championship, Moscow 1950, Sicilian Defence, Richter–Rauzer Variation (B66), 0–1
761:
Lev Aronin vs Isaac Boleslavsky, USSR Championship, Moscow 1952, Sicilian Defence, Dragon Variation, Yugoslav Attack (B76), 1–0
542:
He went back to the semifinal stage for the 1957 Soviet final, and he qualified through with a fine 14/19 at the semifinal in
344:, scoring 10½/15, and qualified for his second Soviet final. The next year saw the Soviet Championship (16th URS-ch) held in
901:
382:
Despite his solid finish in 1949, Aronin was not exempt into the next Soviet final. To qualify, he played the semifinal at
916:
96:
755:
Lev Aronin vs Alexander Tolush, USSR Championship, Moscow 1952, Ruy Lopez, Closed Variation, Chigorin Defence (C99), 1–0
487:, Smyslov, and Bronstein, based on their earlier strong performances from previous World Championship cycles. Taimanov,
911:
601:
Championship in 1965. Unfortunately, his chess playing career was eventually cut short due to ongoing health problems.
68:
679:
Boris Verlinsky vs Lev Aronin, USSR Championship semifinal, Moscow 1945, Reti Opening / Nimzo-Larsen Attack (A06), 0–1
404:
Aronin had to go back to the semifinal stage to qualify for the next final, however, and he qualified successfully at
115:
797:
Mikhail Tal vs Lev Aronin, USSR Championship, Erevan 1962, Sicilian Defence, Accelerated Dragon Variation (B37), 0–1
715:
Vladas Mikenas vs Lev Aronin, USSR Championship, Moscow 1949, King's Indian Defence, Classical Variation (E90), 0–1
767:
Mikhail Tal vs Lev Aronin, USSR Team Championship, Riga 1954, Caro–Kann Defence, Two Knights' Variation (B10), 0–1
721:
Lev Aronin vs Alexander Kotov, USSR Championship, Moscow 1949, Sicilian Defence, Scheveningen Variation (B85), 1–0
691:
Salo Flohr vs Lev Aronin, USSR Championship, Leningrad 1947, King's Indian Defence, Classical Variation (E94), 0–1
647:
for virtually everyone he met; during his career he scored wins over almost all the top Soviet players, excepting
310:
1947 (15th URS-ch), and he performed creditably in super-strong company with 7/19, in a tie for 17th–18th places.
75:
699:
Aronin was getting dangerous with the Black pieces against top players, and this was one of the keys to his rise.
926:
886:
727:
Tigran V. Petrosian vs Lev Aronin, USSR Championship, Moscow 1950, Queen's Gambit, Semi-Slav Defence (D43), 0–1
709:
Salo Flohr vs Lev Aronin, USSR Championship, Moscow 1948, King's Indian Defence, Classical Variation (E92), 0–1
523:
1954. There, he scored 6½/10. Then, at Leningrad 1956, he was again in form, with 11½/19, tying for first with
318:
53:
693:
Aronin was one of the leading practitioners of the King's Indian Defence, during its development in the 1940s.
896:
891:
785:
Lev Aronin vs Nikolay Minev, USSR vs Bulgaria team match, Sofia 1957, Ruy Lopez, Closed Variation (C92), 1–0
82:
906:
815:
791:
Lev Aronin vs Vladimir Simagin, Moscow Championship 1961, Caro–Kann Defence, Advance Variation (B12), 1–0
769:
This event was one of Aronin's peak performances, and he takes care of the 17-year-old Tal in fine style.
749:
Lev Aronin vs Tigran V. Petrosian, USSR Championship, Moscow 1951, Ruy Lopez, Closed Variation (C91), 1–0
275:
49:
799:
Aronin defeats a former World Champion who was one of the most dangerous attacking players of all time.
781:
Korchnoi was a rising star, but he had to fight his way through a cadre of veteran masters like Aronin.
685:
Lev Aronin vs David Bronstein, Moscow Championship 1947, Sicilian Defence, Najdorf Variation (B92), 1–0
612:
64:
773:
Lev Aronin vs Ratimir Kholmov, USSR Championship, Moscow 1957, Ruy Lopez, Closed Variation (C92), 1–0
666:. The variation runs 1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 0-0 6.Be2 e5 7.0-0 Nc6 8.d5 Ne7 9.Ne1.
757:
Aronin was a good theoretician, and he notches a win in one of the most heavily analysed variations.
751:
Petrosian was gradually working his way towards the World Championship, which he would win in 1963.
659:
355:
Region (Oblast) in 1948 with an unbeaten score of 11½/13. He played in the Russian Championship at
253:
42:
703:
Grigory Levenfish vs Lev Aronin, USSR Championship, Moscow 1948, Neo-Grunfeld Defence (D77), 0–1
412:
1952, and Aronin dropped a bit from previous championships, managing only 9/19, for 12th place.
803:
Lev Aronin vs Aron Reshko, USSR Team Championship, Moscow 1966, Scandinavian Defence (B01), 1–0
738:
Konstantinopolsky had been Bronstein's youth coach, and was a near-GM strength player himself.
881:
579:
643:
time, and international opportunities were reserved for proven winners and younger players.
286:
1945, scoring an unbeaten 12/15. He then scored 7½/15 in the Soviet Championship semifinal,
876:
871:
416:
233:
191:
779:
Lev Aronin vs Viktor Korchnoi, USSR Championship, Moscow 1957, Grunfeld Defence (D91), 1–0
8:
391:
852:
802:
796:
790:
784:
778:
772:
766:
760:
754:
748:
742:
732:
726:
720:
714:
708:
702:
697:
Mark Taimanov vs Lev Aronin, USSR Championship, Moscow 1948, Sicilian Defence (B56), 0–1
696:
690:
684:
678:
89:
626:
562:
431:
Very little about Aronin's chess can be found in English-language sources. However, GM
340:
1947, the Soviet qualifying semifinal for the next final, he tied for first place with
330:
763:
Boleslavsky had been the joint winner of the Candidates' tournament two years earlier.
648:
634:
462:
366:
1949, tying for 2nd–3rd places, to advance. The final (17th URS-ch) was also held in
317:
Region (Oblast) with an unbeaten score of 8½/10. He then tied for sixth place in the
548:
528:
496:
374:.com. This was his first Grandmaster-level result (assuming a GM result as 2600+).
214:
554:
Aronin was selected for the Soviet team for the first European Team Championship,
630:
571:
453:
452:
in favour of another player, a high-ranking member of the USSR Chess Federation (
432:
387:
383:
279:
835:
856:
652:
575:
457:
326:
222:
164:
469:, very positional and safe but occasionally also using his combinative talent.
865:
775:
Kholmov was on his way towards becoming virtually unbeatable during this era.
717:
Mikenas was a perennial Lithuanian Champion who was also of near GM strength.
663:
536:
519:
Aronin's next strong performance took place in the Soviet Team Championship,
492:
466:
341:
241:
20:
745:
Bronstein had drawn a match for the World Championship earlier in the year.
371:
274:
Aronin lost a match quite badly in 1944, to the strong, experienced Master
230:
488:
504:
484:
445:
398:
260:
moves over the chessboards for Lev and themselves. Gregory later told:
290:
1945, tying for 8th–9th places. In a Candidate Masters' tournament at
793:
Simagin was a crafty veteran GM with a creative bent in the openings.
729:
Aronin shows he can also play excellent chess in the classical style.
622:
593:(30th URS-ch), Aronin scored 10½/19. He had a poor tournament at the
500:
449:
337:
307:
390:
that same year; he tied for 2nd–4th places, with 7½/12, behind only
31:
662:
is named the Aronin–Taimanov Variation, in honour of him and of GM
639:
543:
356:
303:
598:
594:
590:
570:
1961, and finished fourth, with 6½/11. He trailed only winners
567:
555:
508:
409:
367:
363:
352:
345:
322:
314:
291:
287:
283:
226:
180:
681:
Aronin knocks off the veteran Verlinsky, 1929 Soviet Champion.
687:
Bronstein was on his way up to challenge for the world title.
405:
237:
585:
For the next Soviet final, he had to qualify, and did so at
705:
Devastating tactical victory over a former Soviet Champion.
669:
Aronin died at the age of 62 in Moscow on October 4, 1982.
586:
520:
420:
444:
his name was removed from the list of participants of the
278:, by +1−6=5. In an All-USSR First Category tournament at
359:
1948, tying for 5th–6th places, with a score of 8½/15.
321:
of 1947 with a score of 7½/14. He placed second in the
723:
Kotov had been joint Soviet Champion the year before.
625:
of several very strong Soviet players, including as
56:. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.
597:1962 International, scoring just 5/15. He won the
787:Aronin scores on his first trip outside the USSR.
582:, while finishing ahead of several Grandmasters.
16:Soviet chess player and meteorologist (1920–1982)
863:
711:Another triumph for Black in the King's Indian.
658:One of the mainline variations in the Orthodox
589:1962. Then, in the 1962 Soviet Championship at
426:
348:, and Aronin scored 6/18, for 18th position.
269:
514:
377:
116:Learn how and when to remove this message
252:Lev Solomonovich Aronin played in eight
864:
672:
351:Aronin again won the Championship of
165:Kuibyshev, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
313:Aronin won the 1947 Championship of
54:adding citations to reliable sources
25:
836:"Aronin vs Smyslov (1951) URS-ch19"
604:
13:
805:One of Aronin's last notable wins.
408:1951. The 20th URS-ch was held at
14:
938:
846:
922:Sportspeople from Samara, Russia
297:
30:
41:needs additional citations for
828:
423:, the World Chess Federation.
247:
1:
821:
435:, in his acclaimed 1995 book
855:player profile and games at
816:List of Jewish chess players
7:
902:Chess International Masters
809:
427:International chance denied
276:Alexander Konstantinopolsky
10:
943:
917:20th-century chess players
608:
551:, and tied with Taimanov.
18:
912:Chess players from Moscow
476:The Sorcerer's Apprentice
437:The Sorcerer's Apprentice
270:Early competitive results
218:
198:
187:
170:
151:
143:
135:
130:
615:to describe chess moves.
515:Later tournament results
378:Reaches the Soviet elite
329:with 7½/13, behind only
254:USSR Chess Championships
19:Not to be confused with
415:Aronin was awarded the
211:Lev Solomonovich Aronin
139:Lev Solomonovich Aronin
480:
267:
219:Лев Соломонович Аронин
927:Soviet meteorologists
887:Russian chess players
660:King's Indian Defence
441:
265:strong chess players.
262:
897:Soviet chess players
892:Jewish chess players
417:International Master
234:International Master
192:International Master
50:improve this article
907:Chess theoreticians
673:Notable chess games
578:, and third-placed
448:Tournament 1952 in
392:Rashid Nezhmetdinov
319:Moscow championship
627:Alexander Alekhine
613:algebraic notation
611:This section uses
331:Nikolay Novotelnov
225:– 4 October 1982,
649:Mikhail Botvinnik
635:Fedor Bohatirchuk
533:Konstantin Klaman
474:David Bronstein,
463:Mikhail Botvinnik
419:title in 1950 by
208:
207:
126:
125:
118:
100:
934:
840:
839:
832:
605:Legacy and style
580:Friðrik Ólafsson
549:Alexander Tolush
529:Alexander Tolush
507:' Tournament at
497:Tigran Petrosian
478:
325:Championship at
221:; 20 July 1920,
220:
204:2420 (July 1971)
200:Peak rating
177:
161:
159:
128:
127:
121:
114:
110:
107:
101:
99:
58:
34:
26:
942:
941:
937:
936:
935:
933:
932:
931:
862:
861:
849:
844:
843:
834:
833:
829:
824:
812:
675:
631:Efim Bogolyubov
618:
617:
616:
607:
572:Evgeni Vasiukov
517:
479:
473:
454:Alexander Kotov
433:David Bronstein
429:
380:
300:
272:
250:
244:by profession.
179:
175:
163:
157:
155:
122:
111:
105:
102:
59:
57:
47:
35:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
940:
930:
929:
924:
919:
914:
909:
904:
899:
894:
889:
884:
879:
874:
860:
859:
857:Chessgames.com
848:
847:External links
845:
842:
841:
826:
825:
823:
820:
819:
818:
811:
808:
807:
806:
800:
794:
788:
782:
776:
770:
764:
758:
752:
746:
736:
735:
730:
724:
718:
712:
706:
700:
694:
688:
682:
674:
671:
653:Vasily Smyslov
610:
609:
606:
603:
576:Vasily Smyslov
525:Abraham Khasin
516:
513:
471:
461:reminds me of
458:Vasily Smyslov
428:
425:
379:
376:
299:
296:
271:
268:
249:
246:
206:
205:
202:
196:
195:
189:
185:
184:
183:, Soviet Union
178:(aged 62)
174:4 October 1982
172:
168:
167:
153:
149:
148:
145:
141:
140:
137:
136:Full name
133:
132:
124:
123:
38:
36:
29:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
939:
928:
925:
923:
920:
918:
915:
913:
910:
908:
905:
903:
900:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
878:
875:
873:
870:
869:
867:
858:
854:
851:
850:
837:
831:
827:
817:
814:
813:
804:
801:
798:
795:
792:
789:
786:
783:
780:
777:
774:
771:
768:
765:
762:
759:
756:
753:
750:
747:
744:
741:
740:
739:
734:
731:
728:
725:
722:
719:
716:
713:
710:
707:
704:
701:
698:
695:
692:
689:
686:
683:
680:
677:
676:
670:
667:
665:
664:Mark Taimanov
661:
656:
654:
650:
644:
641:
636:
632:
628:
624:
614:
602:
600:
596:
592:
588:
583:
581:
577:
573:
569:
564:
559:
557:
552:
550:
545:
540:
538:
537:Boris Spassky
534:
530:
526:
522:
512:
510:
506:
502:
498:
494:
493:Yuri Averbakh
490:
486:
477:
470:
468:
467:Semyon Furman
464:
459:
455:
451:
447:
440:
438:
434:
424:
422:
418:
413:
411:
407:
402:
400:
395:
393:
389:
385:
375:
373:
369:
365:
360:
358:
354:
349:
347:
343:
342:Mark Taimanov
339:
334:
332:
328:
324:
320:
316:
311:
309:
305:
298:Soviet Master
295:
293:
289:
285:
281:
277:
266:
261:
257:
255:
245:
243:
242:meteorologist
239:
235:
232:
228:
224:
216:
212:
203:
201:
197:
193:
190:
186:
182:
173:
169:
166:
154:
150:
146:
142:
138:
134:
129:
120:
117:
109:
98:
95:
91:
88:
84:
81:
77:
74:
70:
67: –
66:
62:
61:Find sources:
55:
51:
45:
44:
39:This article
37:
33:
28:
27:
22:
21:Levon Aronian
882:Russian Jews
830:
737:
668:
657:
645:
619:
584:
560:
553:
547:Spassky and
541:
518:
503:to the 1953
481:
475:
442:
436:
430:
414:
403:
396:
381:
372:chessmetrics
361:
350:
335:
312:
301:
273:
263:
258:
251:
210:
209:
176:(1982-10-04)
162:20 July 1920
147:Soviet Union
112:
103:
93:
86:
79:
72:
65:"Lev Aronin"
60:
48:Please help
43:verification
40:
877:1982 deaths
872:1920 births
489:Efim Geller
302:In 1946 at
248:Early years
240:. He was a
866:Categories
853:Lev Aronin
822:References
623:defections
505:Candidates
485:Paul Keres
446:Interzonal
399:Paul Keres
158:1920-07-20
131:Lev Aronin
106:March 2011
76:newspapers
501:Stockholm
450:Stockholm
338:Leningrad
336:Then, at
327:Kuibyshev
308:Leningrad
223:Kuibyshev
810:See also
640:Bulgaria
563:Alekhine
472:—
229:) was a
561:In the
544:Tbilisi
357:Saratov
323:Russian
304:Tbilisi
215:Russian
144:Country
90:scholar
633:, and
599:Moscow
595:Moscow
591:Erevan
568:Moscow
556:Vienna
535:, and
509:Zurich
495:, and
410:Moscow
368:Moscow
364:Moscow
353:Moscow
346:Moscow
315:Moscow
292:Kaunas
288:Moscow
284:Erevan
231:Soviet
227:Moscow
194:(1950)
181:Moscow
92:
85:
78:
71:
63:
406:Sochi
388:Gorky
384:Gorky
280:Gorky
238:chess
188:Title
97:JSTOR
83:books
651:and
587:Riga
574:and
521:Riga
465:and
421:FIDE
171:Died
152:Born
69:news
236:of
52:by
868::
655:.
629:,
539:.
531:,
527:,
511:.
491:,
394:.
333:.
217::
838:.
213:(
160:)
156:(
119:)
113:(
108:)
104:(
94:·
87:·
80:·
73:·
46:.
23:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
