Yuri Balashov facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Yuri Balashov |
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Yuri Balashov in 1973
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| Full name | Yuri Sergeyevich Balashov |
| Country | USSR → Russia |
| Born | 12 March 1949 Shadrinsk, Kurgan Oblast, RSFSR, USSR |
| Title | Grandmaster (1973) |
| FIDE rating | 2462 (August 2025) |
| Peak rating | 2600 (January 1979) |
| Peak ranking | No. 11 (January 1979) |
Yuri Sergeyevich Balashov, born on March 12, 1949, is a famous Russian chess player. He became a Grandmaster, which is the highest title in chess, in 1973. This means he is one of the best chess players in the world.
Contents
Yuri Balashov's Chess Journey
Early Success and Championships
Yuri Balashov was born in Shadrinsk. He earned the Grandmaster title in 1973. In 1970, he became the champion of Moscow. He also came in second place in the 1976 USSR Chess Championship, right after Anatoly Karpov. In 1977, he won the Lithuanian Chess Championship.
Winning Tournaments Around the World
Balashov shared first place at the Lone Pine International tournament in 1977. He also tied for first at the Wijk aan Zee tournament in 1982. More recently, in 2014, he won the Senior Tournament at the Moscow Open. That same year, he tied for first in the World Senior Chess Championship in the 65+ age group. He won the silver medal in that event. In 2018, he again tied for first place and took home another silver medal.
Playing for His Country
Yuri Balashov played for the USSR in many team competitions. He played on the second board for the USSR team in the World Student Team Championships in 1971, 1972, and 1974. In 1971, he won an individual gold medal. He also played in four European Team Chess Championships, winning an individual gold medal in 1977. At the 24th Chess Olympiad in 1980, he helped the USSR team win the gold medal.
Team Success in Senior Events
Balashov continued to play for Russia in senior team events. He was part of the "Russia 1" team that won the European Senior Team Championship in 2014. He also played for the Russian team that won gold medals at the World Senior Team Championships in the 65+ age group from 2015 to 2019.
Balashov's Chess Skills
Among the World's Best Players
During the 1970s and early 1980s, Yuri Balashov was one of the top 25 chess players globally. According to Chessmetrics, a system that rates chess players, his skill level in July 1977 was like having a rating of 2715. At that time, he was ranked as the 11th best player in the world.
His Best Game Performance
His best single performance was at the USSR Championship in Moscow in 1976. He scored 10.5 points out of a possible 16. This was against very strong opponents, and his performance rating for that event was 2773.
Yuri Balashov as a Trainer
Helping Other Chess Stars
Besides playing, Yuri Balashov also worked as a chess trainer. In 1992, he was the "second" for Boris Spassky. A "second" is like a coach or assistant who helps a player prepare for matches. They worked together during Spassky's famous match against Bobby Fischer. In 2005, Balashov was given the title of FIDE Senior Trainer.
Awards and Recognition
Yuri Balashov received the Order of Friendship of Peoples in 1981. This is an important award given in the Soviet Union.
Notable Chess Games
Here are some of Yuri Balashov's most famous chess games:
- Yuri Balashov vs David Bronstein, 1975
- Evgeni Sveshnikov vs Yuri Balashov, 1976
- Yuri Balashov vs Vasily Smyslov, 1977
- Oleg Romanishin vs Yuri Balashov, 1979
- Khosro Sheik Harandi vs Yuri Balashov, 1979
- Anatoli Karpov vs Yuri Balashov, 1980
