There have been countless debates about some of the greatest chess players in history. However, we do not often talk about the most underrated players in chess. Who are some of the most underrated players in chess history?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Apart from me you mean?
Keres
Salov
Paulsen
Geller
Americans
Jackson Showalter
Arthur William Dake
Russians
Alexander Beliavsky
Alexander Tolush
Although given due credit for a variety of things I feel that Rubinstein still is not given enough credit for his genius – endgame, openings, so many of the most beautiful games… Keres, too, was oh so strong, increasingly so as rounded out his style…. Smyslov is an often overlooked champ who could have exceeded Botvinnik… and maybe a word or two could be said for Bronstein’s vast genius
Nezhmetdinov, Ljubojevic, Stein
Perhaps he was too uneven to count as a truly great player, but Albin Planinc played the most imaginative chess I have ever seen, and his best games are almost unbelievable. But now I have the impression that he is almost completely forgotten.
Who’s Albin Planic?
Dont know Planinc as well … then that mus be him …
Botvinnik.
Nezhmedinov
judit plogar
James Mason,
Edgard Colle,
Mir Sultan Kahn.
Wow what a big question…thinking…thinking…thinking…
A. Munoz
WCM Claudia’s Father
womancandidatemaster.blogspot.com
George Mackenzie
Sofia Polgar
I would vote for Leonid Stein
I confess to not understanding the love for Nezhmetdinov. The guy played some beautiful games, but he also seemed to be fixated with the idea of playing to the gallery.
J. Polgar is an interesting case. For personally significant reasons, I find the subject of world-class women game players fascinating.
smsyslov
Carl Schlechter of course. Should have ascended to the ranks of world champions in 1910.
old school: Steinitz, cannot rate him too highly for his efforts, even sacrifices, to reinvent chess
mid-1900s: have to go with Keres – great player, great man – what would have happened without WW2 nobody knows
today: Karjakin – seems to lose the media awareness to Carlsen, however one one ELO point behind..
Mir Sultan Kahn
Excellent picks by everyone above.
I would add Carlos Torre and Pillsbury to list.
Vishy Anand
I agree that many of the above posts are very insightful. A pleasant surprise!
I’d have to agree with the ones that name Leonid Stein. He was one of the fear-inducing top Soviet GMs, in the same league as Bronstein, Geller, Keres, and others, but he died so young that he didn’t get his proper acclaim. A towering genius of the chessboard.
Ray Gordon, the first Internet Grandmaster.
“Anonymous said…
Ray Gordon, the first Internet Grandmaster.”
And dictionary icon…
Look up “pathetic loser” in the dictionary and there is a picture of him listed with the definition
All Munoz family.
I scanned http://tinyurl.com/38zb67 and made a little list: Pillsbury, Maroczy, Salov, Gunsberg, A. Sokolov (very unusual performance record!), Neumann, Weiss.
The first two players have very big reps, but perhaps not as big as the rep they deserve. I know next to nothing about Neumann’s or Weiss’s chess career.
Sultan Khan & Planinc were not bad choices, either.
Sentimental choice: Rotlevi.
“Anonymous said…
All Munoz family.”
Awww, isn’t that cute?
Claudia has her own little deranged chess stalker! I bet it is Sloan Jr.
I think the answer is obvious:
Boris Gelfand: he has been a top 10 (or top 20 at some preiods), for ever without people even noticing him until he took second place in the last WC.
The other underated player in my opinion is Ivanchuk: he wasn’t invited to elite tournaments for a long period despite the fact that he is one the top 5 players in the world for almost 20 years now..
I like Seirawan. Wrote some good books, beat most everybody,geat commentator, I like Seirawan, Nigel Short too, he’s been getting short shrift lately.
I think Fischer admired Staunton….; Showalter and Schlechter adn Dake are excellent choices. There is a little known player who could have been great…but chose another route. Jacob Yuchtman…Shamkovich was writing a book about him but alas Leonid passed away. Perhaps Susan you might take up the challenge to let the world know about this unsung Master who beat some of the greats.
Fischer admired Fischer.
I think young children and teenagers are the most underrated people in the USA.
They improve so quickly!!
Maybe add two of Capa’s favorite victims, Janowsky & Kostić.
Charousek
Claudia Munoz for sure, the candidate master lol.
Moe, Larry, and Curly. But not Schemp! Schemp was a checkers player!
Pascal Charbonneau? and no! I am not canadian.
Nigel D. Short
Anonymous (February 24 12:57:00 PM) mentioned Bronstein and Rubenstein. I definitely ageree with both of these choises.
Somebody mentioned Pillsbury, of who I am a HUGE fan, but do not think history underrates him. There are several books written on him and he has been called the best player to never win the title due to his early demise.
“I think Fischer admired Staunton.”
I don’t think so.
“Pascal Charbonneau? and no! I am not canadian.”
Has to be Paul Hoffman or Irina Krush posting this.
Bogolyubov
Sammy Reshevsky — He had a technical understanding of chess the reminds one of Smyslov or Capablanca. Had he the resources available to him that Botvinik and Smyslov had at the same time he would have been a contender.
Rook house said:
“I think Fischer admired Staunton.”
I don’t think so.
In fact, Fischer gave two different lists of the 10 all time greats. (My memory is that there was great offense caused by the exclusion of Botvinnik).
One of those lists did include Staunton.
Thanks anonymous….9.49 CST. I am exonerated..:) Does anyone here know about Jacob Yuchtman? I know the newbies are saying …who??!!!But perhaps the old-timers know.
Im my opinion, Smyslov is very underrated. He has been the least spoken world champion.
Among the current crop, I feel Gelfand, Ivanchuk, Adams are very underrated.
Kasparov, politicwise
“In fact, Fischer gave two different lists of the 10 all time greats. (My memory is that there was great offense caused by the exclusion of Botvinnik).
One of those lists did include Staunton.”
That is correct, his first list did include Staunton in 1964. He came to his senses in his 1970 list, leaving out the cowardly Staunton.
Alekhine was also left out of his 1970 list.
I guess in 1970 he didn’t have have much respect for cowards, which is what both of these players were (disgracefully “ducking” Morphy and Capablanca).
Euwe — he’s so underrated no one here has even mentioned him!
Great picks. I’d summon with: Schlechter, Duras, Bronstein, Polugaevsky, L. Stein, Salov…
Someone also mentinoed Albin Planinc. Yeah, the guy was a chess genius, a fantastic player with wit and imagination!
He’s living in Slovenia, now (he must be around 60) and he’s a successful businessman.
Nobody mentioned Korchnoi.
I “nominate” him for the most underrated player ever. The man played for the WC title twice, he was a Candidate for the title TEN times.
Despite that for many years he had to fight deep personal problems with the Soviet authorities.
Then, at age 76 he is not only still an active player, he still has a rating over 2600. Nobody even comes close in age-rating-activity combination. I understand he is a harsh unfriendly SOB, but as far as chess goes, I think he is great.
I agree with Planinc, Rubinstein, Stein, Ljubo…, Chuky…Larse,,,
Winawer