Paul Morphy USA 1837-84

morphy.zip

At age five, he learned the game and at twenty-one, he was acknowledged as the greatest player in the world.  Morphy possessed a phenomenal memory, which he demonstrated in astounding feats of simultaneous blindfold play.  Morphy's playing style was decades ahead of his contemporaries.  He valued activity and development most highly of all, although he was a masterful endgame player as well.  Fischer said that Morphy was 'probably the most accurate player of all time'.  Morphy became the unofficial World Champion during his active career.

 

Akiba Rubinstein Poland 1882-1961

rubinstein.zip

Rubinstein is considered by many chess scholars to have been the strongest player in the world from about 1906-13.  He never had a chance to play for the world championship or he would probably have won the title.  Rubinstein's games are characterized by their deep and far-reaching strategic plans. Rubinstein's rook endgames are still some of the best ever played and he is among the favorite players of Garry Kasparov.

 

Jose Capablanca Cuba 1888-1942

capablanca.zip

J. R. Capablanca is often regarded as the most naturally gifted player the world has ever seen.  He learned chess at age five by watching his father play.  At age twelve, he won a match against the Cuban champion Corzo.  Capablanca came to be known as 'The Chess Machine', because of the uncanny accuracy of his moves and his effortless style, exploiting even the smallest advantage to a win.  He did not lose a single game in international tournaments from 1916-24.  Capablanca defeated Emanuel Lasker to become World Champion and held the title from 1921-27.

 

Alexander Alekhine Russia/France 1892-1946

alekhine.zip

Alexander Alekhine was one of the greatest chess players who ever lived, well known for his deep, brilliant combinations.  He became World Champion by defeating Capablanca in 1927 and held the title from 1927-35 and then again from 1937 until his death in 1946 post-war Portugal.  Alekhine was also a prolific chess author and his in-depth annotations are still valued among chess students today.  Kasparov studied his games as a young player and incorporated Alekhine's style into his own.

Vera Menchik England 1906-44

menchik.zip

In the early 20th century, many of the world's leading men players were unwilling members of the exclusive 'Vera Menchik Club',  the qualification for which was losing a game to this women's chess pioneer.  She was Women's World Champion from 1927 until her death in 1944.  Vera Menchik perished with her sister at age 38 during a Nazi bombing raid on the city of London.

Mikhail Botvinnik Russia 1911-95

botvinnik.zip

Botvinnik won the World Champion title after Alekhine died.  He held the title on and off for many years, from 1948-57, 1958-60, and 1961-63.  He was also known as 'The Iron Logician', because of his extremely precise style and his ability to understand and demonstrate the essence of the most difficult chess positions on a very deep level.  Botvinnik created numerous strategic masterpieces on the chessboard, many of which even today are textbook examples of correct play.

Rashid Nezhmetdinov Russia 1912-74

nezhmetdinov. zip

Nezhmetdinov is considered by many Grandmasters to be the greatest tactician who ever played the game.  Of him, Botvinnik said, "nobody sees combinations like Rashid Nezhmetdinov".  He defeated many strong players during his career, including World Champions.  At one point, Nezhmetdinov simultaneously held the Russian championship titles in both chess and checkers.  His 1958 game vs. Grandmaster Lev Polugaevsky is considered by many to be among the top ten most beautiful and creative games in all of chess history.

David Bronstein Ukraine 1924-

bronstein.zip

David I. Bronstein drew with Mikhail Botvinnik in their 1951 World Champion title match, but Botvinnik retained the title by virtue of 'draw odds'.  Bronstein is known for his unconventional ideas and for his deep love of the game.  Bronstein's legacy to chess will include not only many beautiful games, but also his contributions to the literature of chess,  most notably his deeply annotated first hand account of the 1953 Zurich World Championship Candidate's tournament, 'Zurich:1953'.

Bent Larsen Denmark 1935-

larsen.zip

Bent Larsen, 'The Great Dane', was a several-time world champion candidate.  Although Larsen never succeeded in winning the highest title, he was considered the strongest western chess player during the 1960's, even stronger than Fischer at that time.  Larsen was known for playing unorthodox opening systems and for his willingness to take significant risks in order to play for a win in even the most uncomfortable and difficult positions.  That he frequently succeeded is a testament to his original style and extraordinary talent.

 

Mikhail Tal Latvia 1936-92

tal.zip

Mikhail Tal was known as 'The Magician from Riga'.  His talent for finding bewildering sacrifices and combinations in otherwise ordinary positions was legendary.  He was World Champion from 1960-61, losing the return match with Botvinnik primarily due to poor health.  Tal was that rarest of players, an intuitive attacker, and he frequently defeated the best in the world with his provocative and often incomprehensible play.  Tal authored many chess books which are treasured for their honesty and wit and he is among the most beloved players of all time.

Bobby Fischer USA 1943-

fischer.zip

Bobby Fischer is the only modern American World Champion and held the title from 1972-75.  At age thirteen, he became the U.S. Champion.  In 1963, Fischer went undefeated 11-0 in the U.S. Championship, the only player in history ever to have done so.  In 1971-72, he shocked the chess world by winning three matches against some of the best players in the world, with scores of 6-0, 6-0, and 6.5-2.5.  These feats had never been achieved before and have not been achieved since then.  Fischer withdrew from chess in 1975.  He has not played chess in public since 1992, when he played Boris Spassky in a rematch and won convincingly again.

Gary Kasparov Azerbaijan 1963-

kasparov.zip

Gary Kasparov, the 'Beast from Baku', is currently the highest rated player in the world.  He held the World Champion's title from 1985-2000, winning five straight matches against his arch-rival, Anatoly Karpov.  Kasparov is known for the amazing depth of his opening preparation, his bold &  dynamic style, his intimidating mannerisms at the board, his ferocious will to win, and his willingness to sacrifice material in order to gain or hold the initiative.

Susan Polgar Hungary/USA 1969-

spolgar.zip

Susan Polgar was the first woman ever to earn the men's International Grandmaster title.  She became Women's World Champion and held the title from 1996-99.  Susan Polgar has won the 'Chess Oscar' and numerous Olympic medals, including three gold, two silver and one bronze.  She is also the first woman to ever qualify for the men's world championship cycle.

Judit Polgar Hungary 1976-

jpolgar.zip

Youngest of three chess prodigies in the Polgar family, Judit is the strongest woman player of all time.  In 2003, she made chess history by becoming the first woman to surpass the 2700 rating barrier, thereby joining the top ten players in the world.  Judit Polgar further emphasized her strength by defeating former World Champion Garry Kasparov in their 2003 'Russia vs. the World' game.