The Soviet Union's domination of world chess : the methods, results, and stories behind it all : an honors thesis (HONRS 499)

Abstract

This honors thesis will examine the Soviet Union's dominance in the game of chess. It focuses on the evolution of chess in the Soviet Union, a place where chess was not just a game, but an instrument that the Soviet government greatly promoted and funded. The Soviet government expanded on the talent pool that had already begun developing in Russia prior to the October Revolution in 1917, and nationalized chess by providing opportunities for the working class to participate in ways they were not able to in pre-1917 Russia. This paper will look at players, government officials, and extraordinary events that allowed the Soviet Union to become the undisputed hegemon in chess. In addition to examining the successes of the Soviet Union in this field, as well as the methods used to achieve it, I will look at the pitfalls and struggles players had against the Soviet government, and the battle for control between chess players and government officials. Overall, I argue that this system, for a short period of time, achieved great success and bettered the game of chess for both the Soviet Union and the rest of the world, but was not a viable scheme that could maintain long-term success.