ðɪs wʌz dˈuː tʊ ɐ nˈʌmbɚɹ ʌv ˈɛksələnt ɹɪzˈʌlts: hiː wʌz mˈɑːskoʊ tʃˈæmpiən ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti θɹˈiː, fˈɪnɪʃt ˈiːkwəl fˈɪfθ ɪn ɐ stɹˈɔŋ sˈoʊviət tʃˈæmpiənʃˌɪp ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈoːɹ, ænd wˈʌn ðə wˈeɪk ˈɑːn zˈiː bˈiː ɡɹˈuːp tˈʊɹnəmənt ʌv nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈaɪv baɪ ɐ klˈɪɹ pˈɔɪnt ænd ɐ hˈæf.
This was due to a number of excellent results: he was Moscow Champion in 1973, finished equal fifth in a strong Soviet Championship in 1974, and won the Wijk aan Zee B group tournament of 1975 by a clear point and a half.