Introduction
Chess is a game that has captured the minds and hearts of people for centuries. It is a game of strategy, intellect, and patience, and has been played by people of all walks of life. In the world of chess, there are many well-known players who have achieved great success and fame. However, there are also many underrated players who have made significant contributions to the game but do not receive the recognition they deserve. In this article, we will explore the forgotten legends of chess, the underrated players who have left their mark on the game but are often overshadowed by their more famous counterparts.
Paul Keres
Paul Keres was an Estonian chess grandmaster who was born in 1916. He is often referred to as the “Estonian Chess Wonder” due to his exceptional skills at a young age. Keres was one of the top players in the 1930s and 1940s, but his career was overshadowed by World War II. Despite this, he managed to win or share first place in over 30 international tournaments in his career.
Keres competed in eight Chess Olympiads and won seven medals, including five gold. He also had a remarkable record against some of the greatest chess players of all time, including victories against Mikhail Botvinnik, Boris Spassky, and Vasily Smyslov. Keres was known for his positional play and his impeccable endgame skills. He was also a great analyst and contributed significantly to the theory of chess openings.
Despite his impressive achievements, Keres was never able to become a world champion. In both 1948 and 1959, he was considered the top contender for the world title, but both times he lost in the Candidates´ tournament. Some believe that his loss in the 1948 tournament, which determined the successor to Alexander Alekhine as world champion, was due to political interference.
Svetozar Gligoric
Svetozar Gligoric was a Yugoslav chess grandmaster who was born in 1923. He was one of the strongest players of his generation and is considered one of the best players in Yugoslav history. Gligoric was a fierce competitor and a skilled tactician. He was also known for his sportsmanship and was highly respected by his opponents.
Gligoric competed in 15 Chess Olympiads, winning 12 medals (including six gold) for Yugoslavia. He also had a remarkable record in international tournaments, winning first place or sharing first place in over 40 tournaments in his career. He defeated some of the greatest players of his time, including Bobby Fischer, Mikhail Tal, and Tigran Petrosian.
Gligoric´s biggest accomplishment was his victory in the 1958 Candidates´ tournament, which qualified him to challenge Mikhail Botvinnik for the world title. However, he was unable to defeat Botvinnik in the match, losing by a score of 12-6. This was the closest Gligoric ever got to becoming world champion, and it remains a great achievement in his career.
Harold Dondis
Harold Dondis was an American chess master who was born in 1925. He was a fierce competitor and a talented strategist, known for his creative and unorthodox playing style. Dondis was a six-time Massachusetts State Chess Champion, and he competed in four U.S. Chess Championships, finishing in fourth place in 1957.
Dondis´ most notable achievement was his victory in the 1962 U.S. Open Championship, where he defeated some of the top players in the country. He also had a strong record in international tournaments, winning or sharing first place in multiple events. Dondis´ creativity and unique approach to the game made him a formidable opponent, and he left a lasting impact on the chess world.
However, despite his success, Dondis is often overlooked and forgotten in the world of chess. This could be due to his untimely death in 1977, which cut short his promising career and prevented him from achieving even greater success.
Samuel Reshevsky
Samuel Reshevsky was an American chess grandmaster who was born in 1911. He had a remarkable talent for the game and was considered a chess prodigy from a young age. Reshevsky was a fierce competitor, and his playing style was marked by his exceptional endgame skills and tactical abilities.
Reshevsky had a remarkable record in international tournaments, winning or sharing first place in over 50 events in his career. He also competed in eight Chess Olympiads for the United States, winning three gold medals and one silver. He had a positive record against many top players, including victories against Mikhail Botvinnik and Tigran Petrosian.
Despite his impressive achievements, Reshevsky never became a world champion. On two occasions, he reached the Candidates´ tournament but was unable to secure the world title. This may have been due to his uncompromising style, which often led to drawn games and made it challenging for him to win the required number of games in the Candidates´ tournament.
Conclusion
The world of chess is filled with many underrated players who have contributed significantly to the game. Paul Keres, Svetozar Gligoric, Harold Dondis, and Samuel Reshevsky are just a few of the forgotten legends whose names may not be as well-known as Bobby Fischer or Garry Kasparov, but their achievements on the chessboard are no less impressive. These players may have not reached the pinnacle of becoming world champion, but their passion, talent, and dedication to the game have left a lasting impact on the chess world and continue to inspire those who follow in their footsteps.
