# The 13 Greatest Soviet Chess Players of All Time

> One state produced most of the twentieth century's best players and then made them fight each other for everything. Household names sit here beside players only the archives remember.

*By YPB Team · Published September 16, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/the-13-greatest-soviet-chess-players-of-all-time*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **Mikhail Botvinnik** — score 1000/1000
   The patriarch of Soviet chess, who taught both Karpov and Kasparov.
2. **Garry Kasparov** — score 906/1000
   Born in Baku, world champion from 1985, and the last Soviet-trained number one.
3. **Efim Geller** — score 862/1000
   Opening theoretician with a plus score against several world champions.
4. **Nona Gaprindashvili** — score 764/1000
   Women's world champion for 16 years and the first woman awarded the grandmaster title.
5. **Tigran Petrosian** — score 647/1000
   The Armenian champion whose defensive play was decades ahead of everyone.
6. **Maia Chiburdanidze** — score 647/1000
   Women's world champion at 17 and holder of the title for 13 years.
7. **Anatoly Karpov** — score 503/1000
   The establishment champion of the Soviet era, holder of the title for a decade.
8. **Leonid Stein** — score 503/1000
   Three-time Soviet champion whose career ended when he died at 38.
9. **Mikhail Tal** — score 503/1000
   The attacking genius from Riga whose sacrifices are still analysed today.
10. **Boris Spassky** — score 503/1000
   Universal-style champion who lost Reykjavik and kept his dignity doing it.
11. **Viktor Korchnoi** — score 503/1000
   Twice a title challenger, then a defector who went on beating everyone anyway.
12. **Paul Keres** — score 503/1000
   The Estonian who finished runner-up in four Candidates cycles.
13. **Vasily Smyslov** — score 0/1000
   World champion in 1957 and one of the finest endgame players the game has had.

Tags: russia, sports, chess, players, all-time