List of notable chess players

This is a list of chess players.

Chess players by vocation

The people in this list are men and women who are primarily known as chess players.

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A

• Gerald Abrahams (England, 1907–1980)
• Michael Adams (England, 1971– )
• Utut Adianto (Indonesia, 1965– )
• Andras Adorjan (Hungary, 1950– )
• Simen Agdestein (Norway, 1967– )
• Vladimir Akopian (Armenia, 1971– )
• Semyon Alapin, (Latvia 1856–1923)
• Adolf Albin (Romania, 1848–1920)
• Lev Alburt (Russia, USA, 1945– )
• Alexander Alekhine (Russia, 1892–1946)
• Boris Alterman (Israel, 1970– )
• Friedrich Amelung (Latvia, 1842–1909)
• Viswanathan Anand (India, 1969– )
• Adolf Anderssen (Germany, 1818–1879)
• Ulf Andersson (Sweden, 1951– )
• Levon Aronian (Armenia, 1982– )
• Konstantin Aseev (Russia, 1960– 2004)
• Maurice Ashley (Jamaica, USA, 1966– )
• As-Suli (Abbasid Caliphate, circa 880–946)
• Henry Atkins (England, 1872–1955)
• Yuri Averbakh (Russia, 1922– )
• Zurab Azmaiparashvili (Georgia, 1960– )
• Hipólito Asis Gargatagli (Spain, 1986– )

B

• Etienne Bacrot (France, 1983– )
• Gerardo Barbero (Argentina, Hungary, 1961–2001)
• Curt von Bardeleben (Germany, 1861–1924)
• Leonard Barden (England, 1929– )
• Evgeny Bareev (Russia, 1966– )
• Thomas Wilson Barnes (England, 1825–1874)
• Anjelina Belakovskaia (Ukraine, USA, 1969– )
• Alexander Beliavsky (Ukraine, Slovenia, 1953– )
• Joel Benjamin (USA, 1964– )
• Pal Benko (Hungary, USA, 1928– )
• Hans Berliner (USA, 1929– )
• Ossip Bernstein (Ukraine, France, 1882–1962)
• Istvan Bilek (Hungary, 1932– )
• Henry Bird (England, 1830–1908)
• Arthur Bisguier (USA, 1929– )
• Roy Turnbull Black (USA)
• Joseph Henry Blackburne (England, 1841–1924)
• Dr Ludwig E Bledow (Germany, 1795–1846)
• Claude Bloodgood (USA, 1937–2001)
• Samuel Boden, (England, 1826–1882)
• Efim Bogoljubov (Ukraine, Germany, 1889–1952)
• Paolo Boi (Italy, 1528–1598)
• Julio Bolbochan (Argentina, 1920–1996)
• Isaac Boleslavsky (Soviet Union, 1919–1977)
• Eero Böök (Finland, 1910–1990)
• Mikhail Botvinnik (Russia, 1911–1995)
• Louis Charles de la Bourdonnais (France, 1795–1840)
• Gyula Breyer (Hungary, 1893–1921)
• David Bronstein (Russia, 1924– )
• Walter Browne (Australia/USA, 1949– )
• Xiangzhi Bu (China, 1985– )
• Amos Burn (England, 1848–1925)
• Donald Byrne (USA, 1930–1976)
• Robert Byrne (USA, 1928– )
• Elizaveta Ivanovna Bykova (Russia, 1913–1989)

C

• Esteban Canal (Peru, Italy, 1896–1981)
• José Raúl Capablanca (Cuba, 1888–1942)
• Magnus Carlsen (Norway, 1990– )
• Pietro Carrera (Sicily, 1573–1647)
• Murray Chandler (New Zealand, 1960– )
• Rudolf Charousek (Hungary, 1873–1900)
• Zhu Chen (China, 1976– )
• Irving Chernev (USA, 1900–1981)
• Maia Chiburdanidze (Georgia, USSR, 1961– )
• Mikhail Chigorin (Russia, 1850 - 1908)
• Larry Christiansen (USA, 1956– )
• John Cochrane (England, 1798–1878)
• Edgard Colle (Belgium, 1897–1932)
• Juan Corzo (Cuba, 1873–1941)
• Pia Cramling (Sweden, 1963– )

D

• Arthur Dake (USA, 1910– )
• Pedro Damiano (Portugal, –1544)
• Nigel Davies (England, 1960– )
• Nick de Firmian (USA, 1957– )
• Boris De Greiff (Colombia, 1930– )
• Adriaan de Groot (Netherlands, 1914– )
• Arnold Denker (USA, 1914–2005)
• Alexandre Deschapelles (France, 1780–1847)
• Rune Djurhuus (Norway, 1970– )
• Sergey Dolmatov (USSR, 1959– )
• "Jan Hein" Donner (Netherlands, 1927–1988)
• Alexey Dreev (Russia, 1969– )
• Serafino Dubois (Italy, 1817–1899)
• Jean Dufresne (Germany, 1829–1893)
• Oldrich Duras (Czechoslovakia, 1882–1957)
• Nana Dzagnidze (Georgia, 1987– )
• Roman Dzindzichashvili (Georgia, USA, 1944– )

E

• Jaan Ehlvest (Estonia, 1962– )
• Erich Eliskases (Austria, Argentina, 1913–1997)
• John Emms (Britain, 1967– )
• Berthold Englisch (Austria, 1851–1897)
• Yakov Estrin (USSR, 1923–1987)
• Max Euwe (Netherlands, 1901–1981)
• Larry Evans (USA, 1932– )
• Captain William Davies Evans (Wales, 1790–1872)

F

• Ernst Falkbeer (Austria, 1819–1885)
• Miroslav Filip (Czech Republic, 1928– )
• Reuben Fine (USA, 1914–1993)
• Bobby Fischer (USA, 1943– )
• Salo Flohr (Czechoslovakia, 1908–1983)
• Lubomir Ftacnik (Slovakia, 1957– )
• Semen Furman (USSR, 1920–1978)

G

• Joseph Gallagher (England, Switzerland, 1964– )
• Nona Gaprindashvili (Georgia, USSR, 1941– )
• Timur Gareev (Uzbekistan, 1988– )
• Einar Gausel (Norway, 1963– )
• Boris Gelfand (Belarus, USSR, Israel, 1968– )
• Efim Geller (Ukraine, USSR, 1925–1998)
• Kiril Georgiev (Bulgaria, 1965– )
• Ehsan Ghaemmaghami (Iran, 1981– )
• Florin Gheorghui (Romania, 1944– )
• Ellen E Strong Gilbert (USA)
• Aivars Gipslis (Latvia, 1937–2000)
• Svetozar Gligoric (Yugoslavia, 1923– )
• Harry Golombek (England, 1911–1995)
• Sonja Graf (Germany, Argentina, USA, 1908–1965)
• Gioacchino Greco (Italy, 1600–c.1634)
• Gisela Kahn Gresser (USA, 1906–2000)
• Alexander Grischuk (Russia, 1983– )
• Richard Griffith (England, 1872–1955)
• Ernst Grünfeld (Austria, 1893–1962)
• Eduard Gufeld (Ukraine, USA, 1936–2002)
• Boris Gulko (USSR, USA, 1947–)
• Isidor Gunsberg (Hungary, England, 1854–1930)

H

• Wilhelm Hanstein (Germany, 1811–1850)
• Pentala Harikrishna (India, 1986– )
• Max Harmonist (Germany, 1864–1907)
• Daniel Harrwitz (Germany, France, 1823–1884)
• William Hartston (England, 1947– )
• Jonny Hector (Sweden, 1964– )
• Vlastimil Hort (Czechoslovakia, Germany, 1944– )
• Israel Horowitz (US, 1907–1973)
• Bernhard Horwitz (Germany, England, 1807–1885)
• Robert Hübner (Germany, 1948– )

I

• Vassily Ivanchuk (Ukraine, 1969– )
• Sergey Ivanov (Russia, 1960– )
• Borislav Ivkov (Yugoslavia, 1933– )

J

• Carl Jaenisch (Russia, 1813–1872)
• David Janowski (Poland, France 1868–1927)
• Darryl Johansen (Australia, 1959– )
• Paul Johner (Switzerland, 1887–1938)

K

• Gata Kamsky (Russia, USA, 1974– )
• Mona May Karff (Palestine, USA, 1914–1998)
• Sergey Karjakin (Ukraine, 1990– )
• Anatoly Karpov (Russia, 1951– )
• Rustam Kasimdzhanov (Uzbekistan, 1979– )
• Garry Kasparov (Russia, 1963– )
• Lubomir Kavalek (Czechoslovakia, US, 1943– )
• Raymond Keene (England, 1948– )
• Paul Keres (Estonia, 1916–1975)
• Alexander Khalifman (Russia, 1966– )
• Lionel Kieseritzky (Poland and Germany, 1806–1853)
• Ernst Klein (England, 1910–1990)
• Janis Klovans (Latvia, 1935– )
• Georges Koltanowski (Belgian and American, 1903–2000)
• Koneru Humpy (India, 1987– )
• Viktor Korchnoi (Russia, Switzerland, 1931– )
• Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia, 1984– )
• Borislav Kosti? (Yugoslavia, 1887–1963)
• Vassilios Kotronias (Greece, 1964– )
• Alexander Kotov (USSR, 1913–1981)
• Vladimir Kovacevic (Croatia, 1942– )
• Vladimir Kramnik (Russia, 1975– )
• Michal Krasenkow (Poland, 1963– )
• Irina Krush (Ukraine, USSR, USA, 1983– )
• Bojan Kurajica (Bosnia & Herzegovenia, 1947– )

L

• Kateryna Lahno (Ukraine, 1989– )
• Bent Larsen (Denmark, 1935– )
• Baron Tassilo von Heydebrand und der Lasa (Prussia, 1818–1899)
• Edward Lasker (Germany, USA, 1885–1981)
• Emanuel Lasker (Germany, USA, 1868–1941)
• Joel Lautier (France, 1973– )
• Legall de Kermeur (1702–1792)
• Péter Lékó (Hungary, 1979– )
• Giovanni Leonardo (Italy, 1542–1587)
• Alexandre Lesiege (Canada, 1975– )
• Kjetil Aleksander Lie (Norway, 1980 – )
• Andor Lilienthal (Hungary, Russia, 1911– )
• John Littlewood (England, 1931– )
• Ljubomir Ljubojevic (Yugoslavia, 1950– )
• William Lombardy (USA, 1937– )
• Ruy López de Segura (Spain, c.1530 – c.1580)
• Johann Löwenthal (Hungary, 1810–1876)
• Luis Ramirez Lucena (Spain, c.1465 – c.1530)

M

• Georg Marco (Austria, 1863–1923)
• Geza Maroczy (Hungary, 1870–1951)
• Frank Marshall (USA, 1877–1944)
• Hermanis Matisons (Latvia, 1894–1932)
• Karl Mayet (Germany, 1810–1868)
• Alexander McDonnell (Ireland, 1798–1835)
• Colin McNab (Scotland, 1961– )
• Luke McShane (England, 1984– )
• Henrique Mecking (Brazil, 1952– )
• Susanto Megaranto (Indonesia, 1987– )
• Vera Menchik-Stevenson (Czech Republic, England, 1906–1944)
• Jacques Mieses (Germany, England 1865–1954)
• Vladas Mikenas (Lithuania, 1910–1992)
• Tony Miles (England, 1955–2001)
• Augustus Mongredien (England, 1807–1888)
• Iván Morovic (Chile, 1963– )
• Alexander Morozevich (Russia, 1977– )
• Paul Morphy (USA, 1837–1884)
• Paul Motwani (Scotland, 1962– )
• Alexander Motylev (Russia, 1979–)
• Anna Muzychuk (Ukraine, 1990– )

N

• Arkadij Naiditsch (Germany, 1985– )
• Miguel Najdorf (Argentina, 1910–1997)
• Hikaru Nakamura (USA, 1987– )
• Rashid Nezhmetdinov (Russia, 1912–1974)
• Peter Heine Nielsen (Denmark, 1973– )
• Aaron Nimzowitsch (Latvia, 1886–1935)
• Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu (Romania, 1976– )
• John Nunn (England, 1955– )

O

• Fridrik Olafsson (Iceland, 1935– )
• John Owen (England, 1827–1901)

P

• Lud?k Pachman (Czechoslovakia, Germany, 1929–2003 )
• Oscar Panno (Argentina, 1935– )
• Vasily Panov (USSR, 1906–1973)
• Mark Paragua (Philippines, 1984– )
• Bruno Parma (Slovenia, 1941– )
• Louis Paulsen (Germany, 1833–1891)
• Jonathan Penrose (England, 1933– )
• Tigran Petrosian (Armenia, Georgia, USSR, 1929–1984)
• Helmut Pfleger (Germany, 1943– )
• François-André Danican Philidor (France, 1726–1795)
• Jeroen Piket (Netherlands, 1969– )
• Harry Nelson Pillsbury (USA, 1872–1906)
• Hermann Pilnik (Germany, Argentina, 1914–1981)
• Vasja Pirc (Slovenia, 1907–1980)
• Giulio Polerio (Italy, c.1550–c.1610)
• Judit Polgar (Hungary, 1976– )
• Susan Polgar (Hungary, USA, 1969– )
• Zsófia Polgár (Hungary, Israel, 1974– )
• Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukraine, 1983– )
• Lajos Portisch (Hungary, 1937– )
• C.J.S. Purdy (Australia, 1906–1979)

Q

• Miguel Quinteros (Argentina, 1947– )

R

• Abram Rabinovich (Russia, 1878–1943)
• Teimour Radjabov (Azerbaijan, 1987– )
• Yuri Razuvayev (Russia, 1945– )
• Hans Ree (Netherlands, 1944– )
• Fred Reinfeld (USA, 1910–1964)
• Samuel Reshevsky (Poland, USA, 1911–1992)
• Richard Réti (Czechoslovakia, 1889–1929)
• Zoltan Ribli (Hungary, 1951– )
• Jules Arnous de Rivière (France, 1830–1905)
• Ian Rogers (Australia, 1960– )
• Michael Rohde (USA, 1959– )
• Nicolas Rossolimo (France, USA, 1910–1975)
• Eugène Rousseau (France, c.1810 – c.1870)
• Jonathan Rowson (Scotland, 1977– )
• Akiba Rubinstein (Poland, 1882–1961)
• Sergei Rublevsky (Russia, 1974– )
• Olga Rubtsova (Russia, 1909–1994)
• Lyudmila Rudenko (Russia, 1904–1986)

S

• Pierre St. Amant (France, 1800–1872)
• Valery Salov (Russia, 1964– )
• Friedrich (Fritz) Sämisch (Germany, 1896–1975)
• Jonathan Sarfati (Australia, New Zealand, 1964– )
• Krishnan Sasikiran (India, 1981– )
• Gyula Sax (Hungary, 1951– )
• Emmanuel Schiffers (Russia, 1850–1904)
• Carl Schlechter (Austria, 1874–1918)
• Yasser Seirawan (Syria, USA, 1960– )
• Alexander Shabalov (Latvia, USA, 1967– )
• Jennifer Shahade (USA, 1980– )
• Leonid Shamkovich (Russian, USA, 1923–2005)
• Alexei Shirov (Latvia, Spain, 1972– )
• Nigel Short (England, 1965– )
• Jackson Showalter (USA, 1860–1935)
• Yury Shulman (Belarus, 1975
• Almira Skripchenko (France, 1976– )
• Jan Smejkal (Czechoslovakia, 1946 – )
• Vasily Smyslov (Russia, 1921– )
• Ivan Sokolov (Yugoslavia, Netherlands, 1968– )
• Andrew Soltis (USA, 1947– )
• Boris Spassky (Russia, France, 1937– )
• Jon Speelman (England, 1956– )
• Rudolf Spielmann (Austria, 1883–1942)
• Kevin Spraggett (Canada, 1954– )
• Gideon Stahlberg (Sweden, 1908–1967)
• Phillip Stamma (Syria, England, France, 1705–1755)
• Charles Stanley (England,USA 1819–1901)
• Nava Starr (Latvia, Canada, 1949– )
• Howard Staunton (England, 1810–1874)
• Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria, 1979– )
• Leonid Stein (Ukraine, 1934–1973)
• Herman Steiner (USA, 1905–1955)
• Wilhelm Steinitz (Bohemia, USA, 1836–1900)
• Daniel Stellwagen (Netherlands, 1987– )
• Gosta Stoltz (Sweden, 1904–1963)
• Alexey Suetin (USSR, 1926– )
• Mir Sultan Khan (Pakistan, 1905–1966)
• Emil Sutovsky (Israel, 1977– )
• Evgeny Sveshnikov (Latvia, 1950– )
• Peter Svidler (Russia, 1976– )
• Laszlo Szabo (Hungary, 1917–1998)

T

• Mark Taimanov (Russia, 1926– )
• Mikhail Tal (Latvia, USSR, 1936– 1992)
• Siegbert Tarrasch (Germany, 1862–1934)
• Ksawery Tartakower (Poland, France, 1887–1956)
• Richard Teichmann (Germany, 1868–1925)
• Jan Timman (Netherlands, 1951– )
• Alexander Tolush (Russia, 1910–1969)
• Veselin Topalov (Bulgaria, 1975– )
• Eugenio Torre (Philippines, 1951– )
• Carlos Torre Repetto (México,1902–1978)
• Karel Traxler (Czechoslovakia, 1866–1936)
• Karel Treybal (Czechoslovakia, 1885–1941)
• Petar Trifunovic (Croatia, 1910–1980)
• Vitaly Tseshkovsky (Russia, 1944– )
• Theodore Tylor (England, 1900–1968)

U

• Wolfgang Uhlmann (GDR, 1935– )
• Wolfgang Unzicker (Germany, 1925– )

V

• Loek Van Wely (Netherlands, 1972– )
• Milan Vidmar (Slovenia, 1885–1962)
• Evgeny Vladimirov (Kazakhstan, 1957– )

W

• Peter Winston (USA)
• Szymon Winawer (Poland, 1838–1920)
• Patrick Wolff (USA, 1968– )
• Marmaduke Wyvill (England, 1814–1896)

X

• Bu Xiangzhi (China, 1985– )
• Jun Xie (China, 1970– )
• Jun Xu (China, 1962– )

Y

• Daniel Yanofsky (Poland, Canada, 1925–2000)
• Frederick Yates (England, 1884–1932)
• Jiangchuan Ye (China, 1960– )
• Alex Yermolinsky (USA, 1958– )
• Leonid Yudasin (USSR, Israel, 1959– )
• Leonid Yurtaev (Kyrgyzstan, 1959– )
• Artur Yusupov (Russia, Germany, 1960– )

Z

• Alexander Zaitsev (USSR, 1935–1971)
• Zhong Zhang (China, 1978– )
• Eugene Znosko-Borovsky (Russia, France 1884–1954)
• Johannes Zukertort (Poland, 1842–1888)

Ø

• Berge Østenstad (Norway, 1967– )