Greatest Chess Players

Gioachino Greco (1600-1634)

Play as Gioachino Greco (not complicated puzzles)
The greatest and strongest chess player of XVII century. The author of a very famous book (150 games with variants), where he showed the important role of quick development, combinational play. Some of these games has interest nowadays to teach beginners. Greco is a first genius of the romantic chess school.

Philipp Stamma (18th century)

Solve studies of Stamma (not very complicated puzzles)
The biggest author of studies of 18th century. His studies are rather combinational ones. He also adapted some ideas from shatrandge to the modern chess.

Francois Philidor (1726-1795)

The greatest and strongest (without any doubts) chess player of XVIII century, the first big "positional" player in history; the famous (musical) composer in his time. The author of the book "Analyses of the Chess Game" which had a revolutionary meaning. "The pawns are the soul of the chess game" (Philidor). He considered that the pieces only help them, their role is big in the endspiel - not in the opening. He was very successful in the endgame, some his analyses are very accurate and useful here. In 1747 he outplayed Philipp Stamma, his strongest opponent, with result +8, -1, =1.

Benjamin Franklin (1706-1790)

The outstanding scientist, inventor, political figure. He was a strong amateur of chess. The author of an interesting and important work - "The Morals of Chess".

Adolph Anderssen (1818-1879)

Play as Adolph Anderssen
Books
The greatest chess artist before Morphy. The first combinational genius in history. Anderssen won 3 super-tournaments: London (1851, 1862) and Baden-Baden (1870). The 1st "informal" World Chess Champion. He was a real gentleman, "Anderssen is an ideal of chess player" (Tarrasch).

Wilhelm Steinitz (1836-1900)

The 1st official World Chess Champion (1886-1894)
Play as Wilhelm Steinitz
Books
Won a match vs. Anderssen in 1866 (+8, -6). Since the date he is "informal" chess king. 20 years later Steinitz outplayed Zukertort in the first official World Championship match (+10, -5, =5). The founder of the "new", positional school in chess, which had developed the art of chess very much. Steinitz had been called "Newton in chess", he was the 1st great chess philosopher. He was a first chess Master who created the samples of playing in closed positions. "Chess is not for weaklings" (Steinitz).

Paul Morphy (1837-1886)

Play as Paul Morphy
Books
The greatest chess genius of XIX century. The 2nd "informal" world champion. In 1857-1859 Morphy outplayed all strongest masters, including Anderssen (1858, +7, -2, =2). Soon he finished his activity in chess. The Civil War in the USA (he lived in New Orleans), probably, broke his spiritual health. His heritage made a lot to improve the quality of chess games of future generations. Paul Morphy was a first chess Master who created samples of playing in open positions.

Samuel Loyd (1841-1911)

Solve Sam Loyd's problems
Literature: chess composition (here is a book about Loyd)
The greatest and brightest chess problemist in XIX century. He had practically inexhaustible imagination for chess problems creating. But his popular mathematical puzzles made more for his fame.

Joseph Blackburn (1841-1924)

Books
The leader of the "old", romantic school in chess in XIX century before the occurrence of Mikhail Chigorin. The contender for the World Championship for many years. He was a very strong tactician and big chess optimist. He scored 3,5 points out of 11 in supertournament in Petersburg in 1914 when he was 75 years old!

Johann Zukertort (1842-1888)

Books
In 1871 he won the match vs. Anderssen (+5, -2) which was his chess tutor. In 1883 won most important International Tournament of decade in London. Steinitz (which took 2nd place) lost to Zukertort 3 points. In the 2nd part of the World Championship match vs. Steinitz (1st such match in history) has suffered a serious failure and lost the match. Then his results decreased and he died 2 years later - so strong was his shock. To Zukertort belonged the world record in the "blind" simul (16 boards).

Mikhail Chigorin (1850-1908)

Play as Mikhail Chigorin
Books
The leader of the "old", romantic school in chess during the ending of XIX century. Chigorin twice lost to Steinitz in the World Championship matches: 1889, +6, -10, =1; 1892, +8, -10, =5. Probably Chigorin had created more number of interesting artworks than any of his contemporaries.

Isidore Gunsberg (1854-1930)

The contender for the World Championship in 1885-1990 approximately. He lost his World Championship match vs. Steinitz (1890) with the respectful result: +4, -6, =9. He was a very accurate player.

Siegbert Tarrasch (1862-1934)

Play as Siegbert Tarrasch
Books
Probably, the greatest chess strategist at the end of XIX century and at the beginning of XX one. One of the greatest chess authors, with Steinitz was a leader of the classical school. Tarrasch won 7 grand tournaments (1889-1907). He lost to Lasker in 1908 (World Championship match): +3, -8, =5 (but the struggle was rather more serious than the final score is).

Alexey Troitzky (1866-1942)

Solve studies of Troitzky
Books
The great author of studies, the founder of the modern art study. More than 1000 (!) his studies had been published.

David Janowsky (1868-1927)

Books
On of the strongest grandmasters at the beginning of XX century. He played brightly, was very dangerous in tactics. Had victories against all world champions which he had met (from Steinitz to Alekhine). He disliked the endgame and had been a very nervous player, his results were quite uneven. Janowsky lost twice in the World Championship matches to Lasker (1909, 1910) with the terrible results.

Emanuel Lasker (1868-1941)

The 2nd World Chess Champion (1894-1921). He was a king during 27 years - the absolute record.
Play as Emanuel Lasker
Solve 3 studies of Lasker
Books
One of the greatest chess philosophers; at the age after 60 was one of the strongest chess players of world (the owner of such record). Lasker had been very strong in tactics, defense, contra-attack and endspiel. In his game there had been a lot of "mathematics" - accuracy in critical positions. Lasker often played in view of the concrete chess defects of his opponents (was first who was using such (psychological) method). The main works: “The Manual of Chess”, “Common Sense in Chess”. Albert Einstein considered Lasker to be one of the most interesting people he ever met.

Geza Maroczy (1870-1951)

Books
On of the strongest grandmasters at the beginning of XX century. The chess player of delicate positional style, one of the leaders of the classical school and one of the most famous "pupils" of Dr. Tarrasch. Made a lot as chess tutor in Hungary. He is also famous for playing at an extremely high level up through his sixties.

Harry Pillsbury (1872-1906)

Books
The American chess genius, winner of the historical super-tournament in Hastings (1895) where were playing all strongest players of that time. Was very strong in attack (preferred 1.d4 and had shown what a dangerous attacks may be after this "positional" move). In 1902 Pillsbury made the record in the "blind" simul (22 boards). His not a serious relation to the own health (too many "blind" performances for example) had made so early death as result.

Carl Schlechter (1874-1918)

Play as Schlechter
Solve problems of Schlechter
Books
The contender for the World Championship at the beginning of XX century. He was a player without obvious defects, his style was very delicate one (especially in the preventive game). He had been called "King of Draws". Schlecter won 2 super-tournaments (1906, 1910), he had made the sensation in the short World Championship match vs. Lasker in 1910 ( +1, -1, =8). He was an absolute gentleman.

Frank Marshall (1877-1944)

Books
The leader of romanticism at the beginning of XX century, often took special prizes for bright games (as winner and as loser sometimes). Marshall won the historical tournament in Cambridge-Springs in 1904 (2 points ahead of Lasker), several decades had been the strongest American player. Lost his World Championship match to Lasker in 1907 (+0, -8, =7).

Akiba Rubinstein (1882-1961)

Books
The contender for the World Championship at the beginning of XX century. The games of Rubinstein distinguish by the deep of strategic plans and great strength in endspiel, especially in the rook one. After the First World War his results had been very uneven (successes and failures were unpredictable). In 1932 his spiritual health had been broken.

Rudolf Spielmann (1884-1942)

Books
One of most gifted combinational players in the 1st half of XX century. "To Spielmann belongs the honourable rank of last romanticist" (Richard Reti).

Aaron Nimzowitsch (1886-1935)

Books
The leader of "hypermodernism", one of the most original chess thinkers. The contender for the World Championship at the end of 3rd decade of XX century. The author of the classical works: "My System", "The Blockade", "Chess Praxis". The most famous "pupils" of Nimzowitsch: Tigran Petrosian and Bent Larsen.

Jose Raul Capablanca (1888-1942)

The 3rd World Chess Champion (1921-1927)
Play as Jose Raul Capablanca
Books
In 1921 won the World Championship match vs. Lasker with the great result (+4, -0, =10). He played very easy, had a fantastic intuition and very high speed of thinking. He is, probably, the greatest master of the game based on simplification. Less than ALL suffered defeats, got the nickname "The Chess Machine". In 1927 lost his chess crown in the great World Championship match vs. another genius - Alexander Alekhine (+3, -6, =25). "I honestly feel very humble when I study his games" (Euwe).

Richard Reti (1889-1929)

Solve studies of Reti
Books
Reti is one of the most original chess thinkers, one of the leaders of "hypermodernism", big chess composer (the author of most famous study in chess history). Author of world record in "blind" simul (1925, 29 boards).

Efim Bogoljubov (1889-1952)

Books
The contender for the World Championship approximately in 1925-1934. Lost 2 World Championship matches to Alekhine (1929, 1934). 9 times was a German champion (he was last grandmaster which leave Russia after the tragic events of 1917). Bogoljubov had the magnificent tactical sight, often was an author of the games which got the prizes for "beauty".

Grigori Levenfish (1889-1961)

He had been one of the Russian chess leaders for about 30 years. In 1937 won the championship of the USSR and defended his title against Botvinnik in the match (+5, -5, =3). He had big strength in tactics and played endings (especially the rook ones) very well.

Leonid Kubbel (1891-1942)

Solve problems of Kubbel
Solve studies of Kubbel
Books
The great author of studies, in his artworks there are a lot of combinational playing. He was called "Alekhine of Studies". Kubbel had achieved large successes as problemist.

Alexander Alekhine (1892-1946) - more about

The 4th World Chess Champion (1927-1935, 1937-1946). Alekhine was the only World Champion to die while holding the title.
Play as Alexander Alekhine
The greatest genius and artist of chess. He had practically the absolute combinational talent, boundless imagination, extreme strength in strategy. The author of the world record in the "blind" simul (1933, 32 board). The biggest chess writer of his time. All Alekhine's books had found a huge popularity, his books teaches chess strategy, positional playing, combinational playing very successfully, they have a great clarity of explanations. Chess players of "active" style find in his books a very important material to improve their chess skills. (Among the famous "pupils" of Alekhine are: Kasparov, Kotov, Boleslavsky, Korchnoi (Korchnoi confesses Alekhine and Botvinnik as his chief "teachers"), Nunn) "The chess art works of Alexander Alekhine, the biggest chess artist of the past, will live for centuries." (Mikhail Botvinnik). "He played gigantic conceptions, full of outrageous and unprecedented ideas" (Robert Fischer).

Peter Romanovsky (1892-1964)

One of the strongest Russian masters in 1920-1930, a successful coach and interesting chess writer.

Max Euwe (1901-1981)

The 5th World Chess Champion(1935-1937)
Play as Max Euwe
Books
He was a player of the solid style, very strong in tactics, he had been called "genius of system". In 1935 he sensationally won the World Championship match vs. Alekhine (+9, -8, =13), but 2 years later suffered a shattering defeat (+4, -10, =11) in the rematch. He made a good many to develop chess movement in the Netherlands.

Mir Sultan Khan (1905-1966)

The Indian grandmaster, was a strongest chess player in Great Britain in the period of the end of 1920s - beginning of 1930s. In Hastings 1930/31 he outplayed Capablanca in the brilliant style of his opponent. Tartakower was defeated in the match of 1931 (+4, -3, =5). In 1936 Sultan Khan terminated his chess activity (probably, not on his own will - he had a "master", an Indian aristocrat). His fate is a very tragic. Such, for example, he was unable to read and to write (then his opponents often were doctors of sciences).

Salomon Flohr (1908-1983)

The contender for the World Championship in 1930s when he had won several first-class competitions, delicate positional player. The participant of the Candidates Tournament in 1950.

Andor Lilienthal (born in 1911)

One of the most witty tacticians in chess history. He was very strong in blitz. The participant of the Candidates Tournament in 1950.

Mikhail Botvinnik (1911-1995)

The 6th World Chess Champion (1948-1957, 1958-1960, 1961-1963)
Play as Mikhail Botvinnik
Books
He had a greatest influence on chess at the second part of XX century. The playing of Botvinnik differed by the special logical power, it had a lot of "science". His books have a great popularity among the strong chess amateurs, his last known big "pupil" is Teimour Radjabov. As a chess coach Botvinnik had achieved the brilliant successes (Karpov, Kasparov and Kramnik were graduated the special "school of Botvinnik" in USSR).

Samuel Reshevsky (1911-1992)

The contender for the World Championship and American chess leader for many years. He took 3-4 place in the match-tournament for the World Championship in 1948 (10,5 pts out of 20), at the Candidates Tournament of 1953 took 3-4 place. He was very strong at the "concrete" playing, but often suffered because of zeitnots.

Miguel Najdorf (1912-1997)

The famous grandmaster, Najdorf twice had took part at the candidates tournaments. One of the most original chess players which had lived at the 2nd part of XX century. He was a very witty tactician. The author of the world record in the "blind" simul (1943, 45 opponents). He had demonstrated significant longevity in chess (had successes after 70).

Reuben Fine (1914-1993)

The contender for the World Championship at the end of 1930s. His main success: 1-2 place at the famous AVRO-tournament in 1938 (8,5 pts out of 14). After some failures in 1945-1949 he had terminated his participation at the serious tournaments. He never won the US championship (it's a rather strange fact).

Paul Keres (1916-1975)

Books
The contender for the World Championship for about 30 years! Several times he took 2nd place at the Candidates Tournaments, had got the nickname "the second eternally". Keres was very dangerous at the sharp positions, had a perfect feeling of attack. He had achieved the serious success in the chess composition. He was immortalized on the five krooni note of Estonia, he had the respect of every player for both his grand talent and his really gentlemanly disposition.

Isaac Boleslavsky (1919-1977)

The brilliant grandmaster, 2 times took part in the Candidates Tournaments (he took 1-2 place in 1950, but then lost match (very dramatic) for 1st place to David Bronstein: +2, -3, =9). One of the most famous "pupils" of Alekhine. He was a coach of Tigran Petrosian in 1959-1969. His book about his best games (1957) is rather popular.

Vassily Smyslov (born in 1921)

The 7th World Chess Champion (1958-1959)
Solve studies of Smyslov
Books
"His talent is universal and exclusive... most of all he is strong in endspiel" (Botvinnik). Smyslov defeated Botvinnik in the World Championship match in 1957, but lost to him at the match-revenge a year later. At age 63, he qualified to the final candidates match where he lost to young Kasparov. Smyslov achieved the serious successes at the creating of studies at age about 80.

Yuri Averbakh (born in 1922)

Books
The famous grandmaster, participant of Candidates Tournament in 1953, winner of some international tournaments. He had been a Soviet champion once. Has reputation of one of the largest experts on endspiel.

Yakov Neischtadt (born in 1923)

Books
The master and international master of ICCF, the famous chess writer.

Svetozar Gligoric (born in 1923)

Books
The Yugoslavian champion for 11 times - an absolute record. 3 times he took part in the competitions of Candidates (1953, 1959, 1968) and took part in 8 Interzonal tournaments - latter is a record too. Gligoric took part in the championship of Yugoslavia (which was a rather strong chess country) in 2001 at the age of 78 and scoring 50%. He is a player of dynamic universal style, popular chess writer. "I play against pieces" (Gligoric).

David Bronstein (born in 1924)

Play as David Bronstein
One of the most original chess players of the 2nd part of XX century, plays very sharply. His World Championship match vs. Botvinnik was drawn (1951, 12:12). The author of the most famous book after the World War II ( "Zurich International Chess Tournament, 1953", chess writer Boris Vainstein had helped him).

Efim Geller (1925-1997)

Books
The contender for world championship for many years. The chess player of active style, he was very inventive in attack.

Mark Taimanov (born in 1926)

Books
Twice he had played in the Candidates competitions (1953, 1971) and once he won a Soviet Championship. "…universal, deep chess player… his playing differs by delicate understanding of position, by aggression of plans and accuracy of calculating" (Levenfish). Taimanov is also famous as a brilliant chess journalist.

Tigran Petrosian (1929-1984)

The 9th World Chess Champion (1963-1969)
Books
The most famous "pupil" of Nimzowitsch. Was very strong in positional playing, preventive game, defense. One of the most original and deep thinkers in history. Won the champion's title in the match vs. Botvinnik (1963, +5, -2, =15), then defended the title in the match vs. Spassky (1966, +4, -3, =17) and lost chess crown to Spassky in 1969 (+4, -6, =14). "I like only such games where I have played according to requirements of the position... I only believe in the logical and correct playing" (Petrosian).

Victor Korchnoi (born in 1931)

Books
Twice had played world championship matches against Karpov (1978: +5, -6, =21 and 1981: +2, -6, =8). The strongest chess player in history for age after 70. They say his style is like style of Lasker. But he says that Botvinnik and Alekhine had the influence on him.

Victor Charushin (1932-2001)

Books
The international master of ICCF (International Correspondence Chess Federation), famous chess historian and writer.

Eugeny Vasyukov (born in 1933)

The famous grandmaster, coach, 6 times won Moscow championship, he is a strong and witty tactician.

Yakov Vladimirov (born in 1934)

Books
The many times champion of world on the creating and solution of chess problems, the famous chess writer and journalist.

Books
Play as Leonid Stein
3 times he won the USSR championship. Stein showed very stable results and especially bright and sharp play. 2 times (!) he not participated in the candidates matches because of the limit on the chess players from the same country (USSR). One of the most mysterious and interesting chess players of the 2nd part of XX century! He took part in the "century Match" of 1970.

Victor Chepizhny (born in 1934)

The grandmaster USSR of chess composition. 5 times won Soviet championship in the 2 moves problems section.

Bent Larsen (born in 1935)

The contender for world championship for many years. The chess player of original style, which not avoiding complications of the various kind. The second famous "pupil" of Nimzowitsch.

Alexey Nikitin (born in 1935)

The strong master, has the serious successes as a coach.

Mikhail Tal (1936-1992)

The 8th World Chess Champion (1960-1961)
Play as Mikhail Tal
Books
Mikhail Tal won Soviet championships 6 times. Tal has best result at World Olympiads among World Champions. He was a brilliant chess player in blitz, Tal won unofficial blitz world championship in 1988 (all strongest chess players took part in the competition). One of the greatest chess artists in history, the super-master of the "intuitive" sacrifice. He was a player of the extra-combinational style.

Boris Spassky (born in 1937)

The 10th World Chess Champion (1969-1972)
At the age of 19 Spassky participated in the Candidates Tournament (scores more than half points) - so great his natural talent is. "I think that the general idea that Spassky has a universal style overlooks the fact that from an early age, Spassky had a bent for sharp, attacking play and a good eye for the initiative" (Garry Kasparov). But he never was a hardworking player (especially in youth and after the achievement of chess crown). "Chess is a micromodel of the world" (Boris Spassky).

Lajos Portisch (born in 1937)

Books
The candidate for world championship and the leader of Hungary (which is always a very strong chess country) for many years. The co-author of the popular book "600 Endings".

Vlastimil Jansa (born in 1942)

Books
The numerous champion of Chezhoslovakia, grandmaster, winner of some international tournaments. He plays very sharply. The co-author of the popular book "Best Move".

Robert Fischer (born in 1943)

11th World Chess Champion (1972-1975, he refused to defend the title in 1975)
Play as Robert Fischer
The greatest chess player among our contemporaries. He was one of the biggest chess young prodigies: at age of 14 Bobby Fischer won the USA championship. He has universal style, need to mark his aggressive positional playing. He made extreme influence to the modern chess. His achievements in the results are most impressive among the all World Champions of the second part of XX century. In 1972 Fischer won World Championship match vs. Spassky with the brilliant result (12,5 : 8,5 - need to note that Fischer did not show up to the 2nd game and Spassky got a point). The author of the bestseller "My 60 Memorable Games" and popular chess manual for beginners "Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess". Since 1975 he is out of the chess competitions, but in 1992 he played rematch vs. Spassky (+10, -5, =15). In the March of 2005 he got freedom and came to Iceland - our thanks to the parliament of this country! "Chess is life" (Robert Fischer).

Vlastimil Hort (born in 1944)

Books
The famous grandmaster, numerous champion of Czechoslovakia, participant of candidates cycle of 1975-78 where he lost to Spassky in the very serious struggle. He took part at the "century match" of 1970 where he was in the "World" team (he won micro-match vs. Polugaevsky). At age about 50 he won German championship. He is a delicate positional player, very witty in defense. Hort is a co-author of the popular book "Best Move".

Yuri Razuvaev (born in 1945)

Books
The famous grandmaster, participant of the "century match" of 1984 (drawn all 4 games vs. Huebner) and the author of the very successful monograph about Rubinstein.

Mark Dvoretsky (born in 1947)

Books
The strong international master, the most successful coach of the modernity.

Robert Huebner (born in 1948)

Books
The candidate for world championship for about 2 decades. In the cycle of 1979-81 he achieved the final Candidates match where he lost to Korchnoi in the dramatic struggle (resigned the match (trailing by just one point) because of stress).

Anatoly Karpov (born in 1951)

The 12th World Chess Champion (1975-1985)
Books
The most delicate positional player of modernity, has a very high feeling of danger, very strong in endgame. Boris Spassky considers him the most gifted chess player of modernity after Fischer. He lost his World Champion title to Kasparov in 1985 in the very dramatic struggle. But approximately till 1998 he was #2 in the world. He is the chess player has the greatest number (more than 150!) of the chess victories (1st places) in international tournaments.

Jan Timman (born in 1951)

Books
The winner of prestigious international tournaments, twice played at the final candidates matches (in 1990 lost to Karpov, 3 years later lost to Short). But his results are very uneven.

Nigel Short (born in 1963)

The representative of chess players of the "optimistic" kind. Often demonstrates large wit in attack. In 1993 Short achieved to play World Championship match vs. Kasparov and lost it with result +1, -6, = 13.

Viswanathan Anand (born in 1969)

Books
Won the final candidates match against Gata Kamsky (was a stubborn struggle) and achieved the right to play match vs. Kasparov. He had suffered some painful defeats at the 2nd part of the competition and lost with result +1, -4, =13. Has a good positional feeling and high speed of chess thinking.

Garry Kasparov (born in 1963)

The 13th World Chess Champion (1985-2000)
Books
20 (!) years he is #1 in the rating list. Kasparov is an active legend of chess. He is the most famous pupil of Mikhail Botvinnik, but the most influence to him had the books and games of Alexander Alekhine.

Vladimir Kramnik (born in 1975)

Books
During the long period he was a main hope of Russian chess. His high and stable results for several years and good score against Kasparov gave him the right to play match. He won the World Championship match (only 16 games for maximum length) vs. Kasparov with result +2, =13 in 2000. The delicate positional player (rather cautious), really universal chess player, he plays very solidly. He won Linares 2004 with the rather strange result +2, =10 - it's his last success. "WC match" vs. Peter Leko (October, 2004) was drawn (+2, -2, =10).

Veselin Topalov (born in 1976)

Bulgarian GM Veselin Topalov approximately from 1994 is in the world chess elite. His style is very sharp and creative. His progress in 2003-2005 is a rather pleasant sensation. His victory on the supertournament in Argentina (2005, were out only Kasparov and Kramnik) looks as convincing and deserves especial respect. Vladimir Kramnik is now morally obliged to play WC match vs Topalov. But a favorite in such match will be Topalov.