Yuri Balashov

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Yuri Sergeyevich Balashov (Russian: Юрий Сергеевич Балашов, born March 12, 1949) is a Russian chess grandmaster. He was awarded the grandmaster title in 1973. In 1970s and in early 1980s he was one of the top 25 chess players in the world. Balashov was Moscow Champion in 1970 and 2nd to Anatoly Karpov in the 1976 USSR Chess Championship. He finished 1st= at Lone Pine 1977 and 1st= at Wijk aan Zee 1982.

Balashov represented the USSR in several team events. He played second board for the USSR team at the 1971, 1972, and 1974 World Student Team Championships, winning the second board individual gold in 1971 when he was an IM with 6.5/8. Balashov played in four European Team Championships, 1970, 1973, 1977, and 1980, winning the fifth board individual gold in 1977. At the 24th Olympiad in 1980, he scored 7.5/10 as the first board reserve to help the USSR team win the gold medal.