Which is the greatest player never to become World Champion?
1. Korchnoi
2. Geller
3. Bronstein
4. Keres
5. Other
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I like the Estonian!
I would say Grandmaster Other. I’ve been very impressed by Grandmaster Other…magnificently played games. Grandmaster Other is certainly one of history’s best, wouldn’t you all agree? (lol)
My vote is for Akiba Rubinstein
I like Keres games although Korchnoi definitely deserves respect for being so high ranked in the world at his age.
I second the vote for Akiba Rubinstein. From 1907 to 1914 Rubinstein was as strong, or stronger, than Lasker. There is an interesting analysis at http://www.chessmetrics.com that supports this conclusion.
Korchnoi certainly holds all records for longevity and consistency, but it arguable whether he was the best player in the world at any given time.
Keres was extremely talented but lacked the consistency and nerves to earn a spot as the challenger for the chess crown.
I think Victor Korchnoi is the greatest non-World Champion without a doubt. He usually excelled against former World Champions OTB. His record vs Fischer I believe was = 3 wins apiece and 3 draws each. He played Karpov extremely tough and defeated Mikhail Tal an unbelievable number of games! This said he also is still competing and beating good opponents in his 70’s.
TFK
you have also Larsen and Schlechter
Rubinstein
Judit Polgar!!
Morphy, Shlecter, Rubenstein, Nimzovitch, Keres, Reshevsky, Fine, Geller, Korchnoi, Anand and Judit Polgar.
As of today (each weighed in their own day, and not against each other):
1) Keres – For a sample of his true chess prowess, investigate game 37 of the AVRO Tournament, Amsterdam, 1938, where he systematically took apart arguably chess’s greatest genius, Capablanca, like a novice while playing white.
tie (all listed alphabetically)
2) Korchnoi
2) Rubinstein
2) Schlecter
tie-
5) Anand
5) Geller
tie-
(7) Nimzovitch
(7) Reshevsky
I’d say Korchnoi.
Probably Keres, but as Kasparov once said, Anand is about to overtake him.
Victor Korchnoi is the greatest non-World Champion, without a doubt !
Geza Maroczy?
I thought Anand was a world champion already. Doesn’t the FIDE championship mean anything.
I like Reshevesky myself.
My personal humble opinion on why people like Keres, Rubinstein and Korchnoi never became world champion is character.
Botvinnik and Alekhine worked like crazy to correct their weak areas whereas these so called almost world champions refused to work at a few missing links.
Botvinnik once said “Reshevesky is more talented, but I outworked him”..one of my favorite quotes in chess…
I am sure others may think differently but at least this is food for thought.
Mikhail Tschigorin, Siegbert Tarrasch, Akiba Rubinstein, Paul Keres, Samuel Reshevsky,David Bronstein,Victor Korchnoi
nowadays there is an inflating flood of world champions starting with Khalifman, Anand, Kasimdshanov, Topalov and the unforgetable, braingames rsp. dannemann world smokers champ Vladimir Kramnik.
but in the whole line – to me – Siegbert Tarrasch is the greatest player who has never been world champion. his matches against Lasker met him far beyond his zenith – he is – in my eyes – the one and only real tragic figure in chess history …
“what the heck is a world champ? A world champ is simply someone, who has won a world champion match …!”
(Michail Botwinnik, chess world champion 1948 – 1957, 1958 – 1960 and 1961 – 1963)
sincerly, :-)) Vohaul
Keres, Kortchnoi, y Carlos Torre Repetto, et al.
Paul Morphy
– Enrique
Susan 🙂
Kramnik…?
I am sorry I couldn’t resist 😀
I agree with the Korchnoi nomination 🙂
Mikhail Chigorin.
To approach the question without any bias I decided to take a look at players peak performances over 10 years span.
To my amazement the following non-champions had astouding performances:
#7 Viswanathan Anand 2805 1995-Jan through 2004-Dec
#10 Vassily Ivanchuk 2781 1989-Jan through 1998-Dec
#12 Viktor Korchnoi 2773 1973-Jan through 1982-Dec
#13 Harry Pillsbury 2773 1896-Jan through 1905-Dec
#14 Geza Maroczy 2772 1900-Jan through 1909-Dec
#15 Siegbert Tarrasch 2763 1958-Jan through 1967-Dec
#19 Paul Keres 2761 1954-Jan through 1963-Dec
Bronstein w/o a doubt!
Bogoljubow