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Famous Chess Players Glossary: Who to Study & Why
Every Grandmaster has a unique "fingerprint"—a style of play that makes them special. To improve your own chess, you should study the player whose style mimics what you want to become. If you want to attack, study Tal. If you want to defend, study Petrosian.
A
Top ↑- Abasov, Nijat Tenacious Defender
- Study for: Incredible resilience in bad positions and finding resources when under heavy pressure.
- Abdusattorov, Nodirbek New Gen Dynamic
- Study for: Rapid calculation and fearless energy. A model for how the younger generation plays fast, accurate, and sharp chess.
- Adams, Michael The Spider
- Study for: "Squeezing" opponents. Adams is a master of accumulating small, subtle advantages until the opponent runs out of moves.
- Adhiban, Baskaran The Beast
- Study for: Unconventional openings (like 1. b3) and aggressive, psychological warfare on the board.
- Adorjan, Andras Black is OK!
- Study for: Fighting chess with the Black pieces. Famous for his philosophy that Black should play to win, not just equalize.
- Agdestein, Simen The Footballer
- Study for: Being the man who coached Magnus Carlsen. A unique dual-sports professional (Chess GM and professional Striker).
- Akobian, Varuzhan The French Expert
- Study for: Handling the French Defense with positional precision.
- Alekhine, Alexander World Champion (Combinational)
- Study for: Complex attacks and combinations. Alekhine could see tactical patterns in positions that looked quiet to everyone else.
- Anand, Viswanathan The Madras Tiger
- Study for: Rapid calculation and intuition. Anand is one of the fastest thinkers in history and excellent at using Knights in attack.
- Anderssen, Adolf The Romantic
- Study for: Sacrificial attacks. If you love gambits and giving up your Queen for checkmate (The Immortal Game), study Anderssen.
- Andersson, Ulf Endgame Grind
- Study for: Pure positional safety. He rarely took risks and is one of the greatest endgame technicians (especially Rook endings) ever.
- Andreikin, Dmitry Universal Resourceful
- Study for: Finding hidden tactical resources in lost positions.
- Aronian, Levon Creative Trickster
- Study for: Tactical swindles and deep creativity. He plays complex positions others fear to enter and often finds beautiful geometric escapes.
B
Top ↑- Bacrot, Etienne Solid Prep
- Study for: Solid opening preparation and fundamental soundness.
- Bareev, Evgeny The French Defense
- Study for: Handling closed structures and the French Defense. A master of maneuvering in cramped positions.
- Beliavsky, Alexander Uncompromising
- Study for: "Big Chess." He plays classical, principled main lines and fights for the center. A 4-time USSR Champion.
- Benko, Pal Gambit Play & Endgames
- Study for: The Benko Gambit (positional sacrifice) and composed endgame studies. He teaches you how to value activity over pawns.
- Bernstein, Ossip Financial Tactician
- Study for: Combinational vision and resilience. A financial lawyer who played beautiful chess and famously saved his own life by winning a game against a firing squad officer.
- Blackburne, Joseph Henry The Black Death
- Study for: 19th-century attacking violence and swindles. Great for learning how to launch mating attacks and the infamous "Shilling Gambit."
- Bogoljubov, Efim Optimism
- Study for: Bold play. Famous for saying "When I am White I win because I am White; when I am Black I win because I am Bogoljubov."
- Boleslavsky, Isaac King's Indian Founder
- Study for: The King's Indian Defense and the Sicilian. He (along with Bronstein) invented the modern dynamic way of playing the KID and proved that structural weaknesses (like the hole on d5) are acceptable for active play.
- Botvinnik, Mikhail The Patriarch
- Study for: Scientific chess. He treats chess as a logic problem to be solved. Excellent for learning how to analyze your own games.
- Bronstein, David Improvisation
- Study for: Creativity and playing against the opponent's psychology. He treated chess as an art form, not a science.
- Browne, Walter Time Trouble
- Study for: High-energy tactical scrambles, often in severe time trouble.
C
Top ↑- Capablanca, Jose Raul The Machine
- Study for: Flawless intuition and endgames. If you want to play simple, clear, mistake-free chess, Capablanca is your hero.
- Carlsen, Magnus The GOAT
- Study for: Everything. Specifically, study his ability to "grind" water from a stone in drawn endgames and his avoidance of heavy opening theory.
- Caruana, Fabiano Calculation Machine
- Study for: Deep calculation and opening preparation. He represents the pinnacle of the "Computer Era" of human preparation.
- Chiburdanidze, Maia Dynamic Universal
- Study for: A universal style that blends tactical aggression with positional soundness. A pioneer for women in chess.
- Chigorin, Mikhail The Old Romantic
- Study for: Using Knights! He famously preferred Knights over Bishops and loved complex, closed maneuvering battles.
- Cramling, Pia Endurance
- Study for: Positional longevity and solid fundamental play.
D
Top ↑- Ding Liren Stoic Calculator
- Study for: Incredible defensive calculation and the ability to calculate deeply in quiet positions.
- Dominguez Perez, Leinier Speed & Theory
- Study for: Rapid chess skills and solid, theoretical main-line play. The strongest Cuban player since Capablanca.
- Dreev, Alexey Rapid Master
- Study for: Quick sight of the board and excellent handling of the Caro-Kann. A World U16 Champion who evolved into a rapid chess specialist.
- Dubov, Daniil Modern Creative
- Study for: New ideas. Dubov consistently plays "weird" moves in the opening to drag opponents out of their prep. A World Rapid Champion and former second to Magnus Carlsen.
- Duda, Jan-Krzysztof Fearless Fighter
- Study for: Uncompromising fighting spirit. He plays to win with Black against the world's best and famously ended Magnus Carlsen's 125-game unbeaten streak.
E
Top ↑- Ehlvest, Jaan Classical
- Study for: Solid, classical Soviet-style education and fundamentals.
- Eljanov, Pavel Positional Power
- Study for: Strong positional play and deep opening preparation. A World Championship second for Magnus Carlsen and Boris Gelfand.
- Euwe, Max Logic & Amateurism
- Study for: Logical, systematic play. He proved that an amateur (he was a math teacher) could beat the best (Alekhine) through discipline.
F
Top ↑- Fedoseev, Vladimir Aggressive Grinder
- Study for: Fighting for the win in every game with uncompromising play. A World Rapid Silver Medalist known as "Bigfish" who thrives in chaotic positions.
- Fine, Reuben The Psychologist
- Study for: The connection between psychology and chess. One of the strongest players in the world in the 1930s who retired early to become a psychoanalyst. Author of the classic "Basic Chess Endings".
- Firouzja, Alireza Tactical Speed
- Study for: Bullet-speed tactics. His ability to spot tactical tricks in seconds is unmatched. The youngest player to ever reach 2800 rating.
- Fischer, Bobby Clarity & Willpower
- Study for: Crystal clear plans. Fischer made complex moves look simple. Also, study his King's Indian Defense and Ruy Lopez play.
- Flohr, Salo Safety First
- Study for: Invincibility. In his prime, he was almost impossible to beat. Great for learning safety, prophylaxis, and the Caro-Kann.
G
Top ↑- Gelfand, Boris The Professional
- Study for: Deep classical understanding and the Najdorf Sicilian. A model of longevity, discipline, and dedication.
- Geller, Efim The Theory Killer
- Study for: Finding opening novelties. He was the "theory expert" of the Soviet era and held a plus score against Fischer, Botvinnik, and Petrosian.
- Giri, Anish Invincible Theory
- Study for: "Unbeatable" chess. His opening preparation is so deep that he is incredibly hard to defeat.
- Gligoric, Svetozar Mr. King's Indian
- Study for: The Mar del Plata variation of the KID. He defined how to play dynamic structures and was a 12-time Yugoslav Champion.
- Grischuk, Alexander Time Trouble Artist
- Study for: Deep thought. He thinks for 30 minutes on one move, then plays the rest of the game in seconds with high accuracy.
- Gukesh D Prodigy Calculation
- Study for: Maturity beyond years. He plays with the calm of a veteran despite his youth.
- Gulko, Boris The Rebel
- Study for: Being the only person to hold both the American and Soviet Championship titles. He famously held a positive lifetime score against Garry Kasparov.
- Gunsberg, Isidor The Challenger
- Study for: 19th-century romantic chess. He challenged Steinitz for the World Title in 1890.
- Gurevich, Mikhail French Defense
- Study for: Mastery of the French Defense structure and endgame technique.
H
Top ↑- Hammer, Jon Ludvig The Second
- Study for: Opening preparation. As Magnus Carlsen's former second, his opening knowledge is World Championship caliber.
- Harikrishna, Pentala Resourceful
- Study for: Endgames and finding wins in equal positions.
- Hodgson, Julian The Attack
- Study for: The Trompowsky Attack (1. d4 Nf6 2. Bg5). He plays unusual openings to get attacks quickly.
- Hou Yifan The Queen
- Study for: Dominant tactical play and aggressive flair. The strongest female player of the 21st century.
- Howell, David Technique
- Study for: Endgames and swindles. He is arguably the best technician in British chess history.
I
Top ↑- Ivanchuk, Vassily Planet Ivanchuk
- Study for: Pure creativity. He plays every opening and understands chess on an intuitive level that defies logic. Inspiring but hard to copy.
- Ivanov, Igor The Grand Prix
- Study for: How to beat weaker players. He was a master of the "Swiss System" grind in America.
J
Top ↑- Janowski, Dawid The Bishop Pair
- Study for: Obsession with the Two Bishops. He would lose games rather than part with his bishops!
- Jobava, Baadur Unorthodox
- Study for: The Jobava London System (1.d4, 2.Nc3, 3.Bf4). He proves you can play "bad" moves (like blocking your pawns) if you have a creative plan.
- Jones, Gawain The Dragon
- Study for: The Sicilian Dragon and King's Indian. If you want to play sharp, theory-heavy chess, study Jones.
- Polgar, Judit The Attacker
- Study for: The Sicilian Defense and fearless attacking play. She proved that aggression pays off.
K
Top ↑- Kamsky, Gata The Grinder
- Study for: The London System and Stonewall. He plays solid systems but grinds opponents down with immense willpower.
- Karjakin, Sergey The Minister of Defense
- Study for: Defense. He can defend "lost" positions better than almost anyone in history.
- Karpov, Anatoly The Boa Constrictor
- Study for: Prophylaxis (stopping opponent's plans) and positional squeezing. He defeats you by taking away your squares one by one.
- Kasimdzhanov, Rustam The Prep Master
- Study for: World-class opening preparation. He was the 2004 FIDE World Champion and a second to Anand and Caruana.
- Kasparov, Garry The Boss
- Study for: Dynamic energy and opening prep. He is the model for "Energetic Chess"—always pushing forward, always taking the initiative.
- Keene, Raymond Flank Openings
- Study for: Hypermodern flank openings like the Nimzo-Larsen Attack.
- Keres, Paul The Crown Prince
- Study for: Attacking chess with classical elegance. He never became World Champion but played beautiful, instructive games.
- Keymer, Vincent German Precision
- Study for: Modern, computer-checked accuracy from a young age.
- Kieseritzky, Lionel The Immortal Loser
- Study for: Bravery. He is famous for losing the "Immortal Game" to Anderssen, but was a brilliant tactician in his own right.
- Korchnoi, Viktor Viktor the Terrible
- Study for: Counter-attacking and fighting spirit. He loved to grab pawns ("poisoned pawns") and dare opponents to checkmate him.
- Kosteniuk, Alexandra Chess Queen
- Study for: Aggressive, sharp tactical combinations. A former Women's World Champion.
- Kramnik, Vladimir The Berlin Wall
- Study for: Understanding space and solid structures. He reinvented modern chess by making the Berlin Defense a drawing weapon.
L
Top ↑- Larsen, Bent Optimist
- Study for: Flank openings (1. b3, 1. f4). He believed any position could be won and refused to play for draws.
- Lasker, Emanuel The Psychologist
- Study for: Psychological chess. He often played "second best" moves to make his opponents uncomfortable.
- Laznicka, Viktor Theoretical
- Study for: Deep opening theory and complex middlegames.
- Le Quang Liem Speed
- Study for: World Blitz Championship skills. A master of playing fast and accurate.
- Leko, Peter Solid as a Rock
- Study for: How *not* to lose. One of the hardest players to beat in the early 2000s and a World Championship challenger.
- Lobron, Eric The Yardbird
- Study for: Internet Blitz. Known as "Yardbird" on ICC, he was a legend of early online speed chess.
- Loyd, Sam The Puzzle King
- Study for: Composed problems. Not a competitive GM, but the greatest puzzle composer of all time. Teaches you to look for the "impossible" move.
M
Top ↑- Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar Romantic Aggression
- Study for: h-pawn pushes! He plays modern chess with a 19th-century attacking spirit. Peak World #2.
- Marshall, Frank The Swindler
- Study for: Tactical swindles and gambits. The Marshall Attack in the Ruy Lopez is named after his brilliance. US Champion for 27 years.
- McShane, Luke Strongest Amateur
- Study for: How to beat professionals while having a day job. Famous for his fierce fighting spirit.
- Miles, Anthony The Maverick
- Study for: Playing weird openings (like 1...a6) to confuse superior opponents. The first English Grandmaster.
- Morozevich, Alexander Chaos
- Study for: Complicating the game. If you like tactical chaos where logic breaks down, Morozevich is your guide. The genius of the Chigorin Defense.
- Morphy, Paul The First Genius
- Study for: Development and open lines. Every beginner should study Morphy to learn how to use all pieces in an attack.
- Muzychuk, Anna Tactical Attack
- Study for: Sharp attacking play in the Sicilian and open games.
N
Top ↑- Naiditsch, Arkadij Double Edged
- Study for: Playing for a win with Black. He never plays for a draw.
- Najdorf, Miguel The King's Indian
- Study for: The Sicilian Najdorf and King's Indian. Dynamic, emotional, fighting chess.
- Nakamura, Hikaru Speed Demon
- Study for: Defensive resources and speed. He never gives up and finds tricks in completely lost positions.
- Naroditsky, Daniel The Prophet
- Study for: Instructional clarity. A master of explaining complex positional concepts to amateurs.
- Navara, David The King Walker
- Study for: The famous "King Walk" game. He plays with exceptional creativity and sportsmanship.
- Nepomniachtchi, Ian The Challenger
- Study for: Intuitive speed. He plays aggressive moves instantly, putting opponents under massive clock pressure. 2-time World Championship challenger.
- Nezhmetdinov, Rashid Super Tactician
- Study for: Pure magic. He was Mikhail Tal's trainer and the only player Tal admitted was a better tactician than himself. Sacrifices queens for fun.
- Nimzowitsch, Aron The System
- Study for: Positional concepts like Blockade, Overprotection, and Prophylaxis. The father of Hypermodernism and the Nimzo-Indian.
- Nisipeanu, Liviu-Dieter The Gambler
- Study for: Unorthodox openings and creative risks.
- Nunn, John The Problem Solver
- Study for: Tactical precision and solving ability. A Grandmaster of both playing and solving, and a Ph.D. mathematician.
O
Top ↑- O'Kelly, Alberic Correspondence
- Study for: Deep strategic planning suited for long time controls.
P
Top ↑- Petrosian, Tigran Iron Tigran
- Study for: Safety. He sensed danger 20 moves away. If you want to stop losing, study Petrosian.
- Philidor, Andre Pawns
- Study for: Pawn play. "Pawns are the soul of chess."
- Pillsbury, Harry Nelson Blindfold Genius
- Study for: The Pillsbury Mate. He was a phenomenon who could play 20+ games blindfolded simultaneously.
- Pogonina, Natalia The Fighter
- Study for: Never giving up. Famous for saving lost positions in critical team events.
- Polgar, Judit The Attacker
- Study for: The Sicilian Defense and fearless attacking play. She proved that aggression pays off.
- Polugaevsky, Lev The Scientist
- Study for: The Polugaevsky Variation of the Sicilian. He spent months analyzing a single variation at home.
- Ponomariov, Ruslan Young Champion
- Study for: Endgame maturity. He became FIDE World Champion at age 18.
- Portisch, Lajos Positional Classic
- Study for: Correct, logical play in the Hungarian tradition.
- Praggnanandhaa, R. Indian Prodigy
- Study for: Fearless calculation against the world's elite.
R
Top ↑- Radjabov, Teimour King's Indian
- Study for: How to play the King's Indian Defense at the top level.
- Rapport, Richard The Artist
- Study for: Unique openings (1.b3, Chigorin). He plays moves nobody else dares to play and served as second to World Champion Ding Liren.
- Reshevsky, Samuel The Prodigy
- Study for: Positional grit. He was famous for winning despite terrible time trouble. An 8-time US Champion.
- Robson, Ray Tactical Vision
- Study for: Sharp tactical puzzles and calculation.
- Rogers, Ian Australian Legend
- Study for: The Dutch Defense and fighting spirit.
- Rossolimo, Nicolas The Artist
- Study for: The Rossolimo Sicilian (3.Bb5). He was a judo black belt and taxi driver who played beautiful, artistic chess.
- Rubinstein, Akiba Endgame God
- Study for: Rook endgames. His endgame technique is considered some of the finest ever produced. The creator of the "Polish Immortal."
- Rudenko, Lyudmila First Lady
- Study for: Classical Soviet style. The first female World Champion of the Soviet era.
S
Top ↑- Sadler, Matthew Engine Prep
- Study for: How to learn from engines. He retired, came back, and played at 2700 level using Leela Zero ideas.
- Shankland, Sam Hard Work
- Study for: Pawn play and calculation. He famously wrote the book on how to stop "busting" yourself.
- Shirov, Alexei Fire on Board
- Study for: Tactical complexity. He is the spiritual successor to Tal, finding sacrifices that computers hate but humans cannot refute.
- Short, Nigel English Dynamic
- Study for: Walking the King! His King walk against Timman is one of the most famous plans in history.
- Smyslov, Vasily Harmony
- Study for: Flow. Smyslov's pieces seem to move to the right squares effortlessly. Great for learning smooth positional play.
- So, Wesley Accuracy
- Study for: Risk-free precision. He rarely makes mistakes and punishes opponents who overpress. Fischer Random World Champion.
- Spassky, Boris Universal Style
- Study for: Everything. Spassky could attack like Tal or defend like Petrosian. The ultimate all-rounder.
- Speelman, Jon Eccentric Creative
- Study for: Weird positions. Speelman loves positions that defy standard evaluation.
- Spielmann, Rudolf Master of Sacrifice
- Study for: "The Art of Sacrifice." He taught the world the difference between a tactical combo and a positional sacrifice.
- Steinitz, Wilhelm The First Scientist
- Study for: The origins of positional play. He invented the concepts of "weak squares" and "accumulating advantages."
- Sultan Khan, Mir Natural Genius
- Study for: Intuition. A servant from India who knew barely any opening theory but beat Capablanca through pure natural talent.
- Svidler, Peter Grunfeld
- Study for: The Grunfeld Defense. An 8-time Russian Champion who blends tactical dynamism with deep opening preparation.
T
Top ↑- Taimanov, Mark The Pianist
- Study for: The Taimanov Sicilian. He was a world-class concert pianist and a candidate for the World Chess Championship.
- Tal, Mikhail The Magician
- Study for: Sacrifices and intuition. Tal teaches you that 2+2=5 if you create enough complications.
- Tarrasch, Siebert The Teacher
- Study for: Dogmatic, correct chess. His rules ("Knights on the rim are dim") are the foundation of modern positional play.
- Tartakower, Savielly The Wit of Chess
- Study for: Aphorisms and hypermodern experimentation. He invented the Catalan Opening and the Tartakower Defense in the QGD.
- Topalov, Veselin Energy
- Study for: Initiative over material. He would always sacrifice an exchange to keep the attack going. 2005 FIDE World Champion.
- Trent, Lawrence The Smith-Morra
- Study for: Attacking gambits and lively commentary.
V
Top ↑- Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime The Najdorf Specialist
- Study for: The Sicilian Najdorf and Grunfeld. He plays the same two openings his whole life and knows them better than anyone.
- Vallejo Pons, Francisco Spanish Creative
- Study for: Time trouble battles and creative resourcefulness.
- Vidmar, Milan The Amateur
- Study for: Fair play and logic. An electrical engineer who played at the level of World Champions.
W
Top ↑- Wang Hao Directness
- Study for: The Petrov Defense and pragmatic decision making.
- Wang Yue Solid Wall
- Study for: Invincibility. He once went 82 consecutive games without a loss.
- Wei Yi The King Hunter
- Study for: Beautiful mating nets. The youngest 2700 player in history and creator of the "Game of the Decade" vs Bruzon.
- Williams, Simon The Ginger GM
- Study for: The Dutch Defense and the "Harry the h-pawn" attack. He teaches you to have fun and attack!
- Wojtaszek, Radoslaw The Second
- Study for: The Najdorf. He was the engine behind Vishy Anand's World Championship victories.
Y
Top ↑- Yusupov, Artur The Trainer
- Study for: Solid, instructional chess. He is one of the world's best coaches, and his games are textbook examples of logic.
Z
Top ↑- Zukertort, Johannes The First Finalist
- Study for: The Zukertort Opening. He played Steinitz in the first official World Championship match in 1886.