The school that dominated the second half of the twentieth century.
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The Soviet school produced no single style of chess. Its strength came from the range of ideas developed by very different players.
Botvinnik brought rigorous preparation and structured planning. Tal pushed initiative and tactical imagination to extraordinary levels. Petrosian became one of the great masters of prevention and defence. Smyslov stood for harmony and technical clarity. Stein combined positional strength with sudden attacking energy.
Played together, the five personalities offer a compact tour through several of the most influential approaches of Soviet chess.
The Iron Man. Three-time World Champion and father of Soviet chess school. Trained Karpov, Kasparov, and Kramnik.
The Magician from Riga. Brilliant attacker who sacrificed pieces with abandon. World Champion 1960–1961.
Iron Tigran. World Champion 1963–1969. The greatest defensive player who ever lived.
The Hand. Endgame virtuoso with perfect piece placement. World Champion 1957–1958.
The Comet. Three-time Soviet Champion who burned bright and died young at 38. Fischer considered him one of the most dangerous opponents in the world.