Efim Petrovich Geller (March 2, 1925 – November 17, 1998) was a Soviet chess player. March 2 is the 61st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (62nd in leap years). ... 1925 (MCMXXV) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will take you to calendar). ... 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece. ... 1998 (MCMXCVIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year of the Ocean. ... State motto (Russian): Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь! (Transliterated: Proletarii vsekh stran, soedinyaytes!) (Translated: Workers of the world, unite!) Capital Moscow Official language None; Russian (de facto) Government Federation of Socialist republics/ Communist state Area  - Total  - % water Largest on the planet 22,402,200 km² ?% Population  - Total  - Density 3rd before collapse 293,047,571 (July... A chess table is a table with a chessboard painted or engraved on it. ...

He is reckoned to have been among the best ten players in the world for around twenty years. He was awarded the International Master title in 1951, and the International Grandmaster title the following year. The title International Master is awarded to outstanding chess players by the world chess organization FIDE. The title is open to both men and women. ... The five original grandmasters of chess, from left to right: Lasker (seated), Alekhine, Capablanca, Marshall, Tarrasch (seated) The title International Grandmaster is awarded to world-class chess masters by the world chess organization FIDE. Apart from World Champion, Grandmaster is the highest title a chess player can attain. ...

He played in 23 USSR Chess Championships, a record equalled by Mark Taimanov, achieving good results in many and winning in 1979 and 1955 when, despite losing five games, he finished with 12/19 and then defeated Vassily Smyslov in a playoff match. Among his best results in other tournaments were equal first with Mikhail Botvinnik at Wijk aan Zee 1969 (ahead of Paul Keres), first at Moscow 1975 (ahead of Boris Spassky, Viktor Korchnoi and Tigran Petrosian) and equal first with Vassily Smyslov at Wijk aan Zee 1977. Winner list: 1991 (58th,Moscow) Minasian, Artashes 1990 (57th,Leningrad) Beliavsky, Alexander / Yudasin, Leonid / Bareev, Evgeny / Vyzmanavin, Alexey ex aequo 1989 (56th,Odessa) Vaganian, Rafael 1988 (55th,Moscow) Karpov, Anatoly / Kasparov, Garry ex aequo 1987 (54th,Minsk) Beliavsky, Alexander 1986 (53rd,Kiev) Zeshkovsky, Vitaly 1985 (52nd,Riga) Gavrikov, Viktor / Gurevich... Mark Evgenievich Taimanov (Марк Евгеньевич Тайманов) (born February 7, 1926) is a leading Russian chess player and concert pianist. ... Vasily Smyslov Vasily Vasiliyevich Smyslov (Васи́лий Смысло́в) (born March 24, 1921) is a chess player. ... Mikhail Moiseevich Botvinnik (Михаи́л Моисе́евич Ботви́нник) (August 17, 1911 - May 5, 1995) was a Russian International Grandmaster and long-time World Champion of chess. ... Paul Keres Paul Keres (January 7, 1916 – June 5, 1975) (approximate pronunciation CARE-ess) was an Estonian chess grandmaster (born in Narva), one of the strongest chess players of all time, apart from the World chess champions. ... Boris Spassky Boris Vasilievich Spassky (also Spasski) (Бори́с Васи́льевич Спа́сский) (born January 30, 1937) is a Russian chess player and former world champion. ... Viktor Korchnoi (also Korchnoy, Kortchnoy, Kortschnoj, etc) (Ви́ктор Льво́вич Корчно́й) (born March 23, 1931) is a professional chess player. ... Tigran Petrosian Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian (June 17, 1929 – August 13, 1984) is a former world chess champion. ... Vasily Smyslov Vasily Vasiliyevich Smyslov (Васи́лий Смысло́в) (born March 24, 1921) is a chess player. ...

He reached the later stages of the World Championship several times, most notably finishing just half a point short of playing in the final match when he scored 17/27 at the 1962 Candidates Tournament in Curaçao. (The event was won by Tigran Petrosian who went on to win the title.) The 1984 World Chess Championship was between Anatoly Karpov (right) and Garry Kasparov (left). ... Curaçao (pronounced [kurasão]) is an island in the southern part of the Caribbean Sea off the coast of Venezuela. ... Tigran Petrosian Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian (June 17, 1929 – August 13, 1984) is a former world chess champion. ...

According to Jeff Sonas' Chessmetrics rating system, Geller was ranked #3 in the world from 1962-3, and was in the world's top 10 for much of the 50s and 60s, and broke back into the top 10 in 1973, 1975–7 and 1979–80.[1] Geller also had an overall plus score against world champions, +40 -32 =123, comprising Max Euwe +1 -1 =0, Mikhail Botvinnik +4 -1 =5, Vasily Smyslov +11 -7 =31, Mikhail Tal +6 -6 =22, Tigran Petrosian +6 -2 =33, Boris Spassky +6 -9 =22, Bobby Fischer +5 -3 =2, Anatoly Karpov +1 -2 =5, Gary Kasparov +0 -1 =3. Max Euwe Machgielis (Max) Euwe (last name is pronounced /ø:wə/) (May 20, 1901 – November 26, 1981) was a Dutch chess player. ... Mikhail Moiseevich Botvinnik (Михаи́л Моисе́евич Ботви́нник) (August 17, 1911 - May 5, 1995) was a Russian International Grandmaster and long-time World Champion of chess. ... Image:Smyslov. ... Mikhail Tal Mikhail Nekhemievich Tal (Latvian: Mihails Tāls, Russian: Михаил Нехемьевич Таль) (November 9, 1936 - June 28, 1992), born in Riga, Latvia, was the eighth World Chess Champion. ... Tigran Petrosian Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian (June 17, 1929 – August 13, 1984) is a former world chess champion. ... Boris Spassky Boris Vasilievich Spassky (also Spasski) (Бори́с Васи́льевич Спа́сский) (born January 30, 1937) is a Russian chess player and former world champion. ... Bobby Fischer. ... Anatoli Yevgenyevich Karpov (Анато́лий Евге́ньевич Ка́рпов) (born May 23, 1951) is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. ... Garry Kimovich Kasparov (Гарри Кимович Каспаров) (born April 13, 1963) is a chess grandmaster and the strongest chess player in the world. ...

Geller is best remembered today for the tactical ability and original attacking style which characterised the earlier part of his career. In later years he became a more rounded player. He was noted as an openings expert, and acted as second (assistant) to Boris Spassky in the World Championship match of 1972 against Bobby Fischer, later seconding Anatoly Karpov. His books included an autobiography, translated by Bernard Cafferty as Grandmaster Geller at the Chessboard (1969). The first moves of a chess game are the opening moves, collectively referred to as the opening. ... Boris Spassky Boris Vasilievich Spassky (also Spasski) (Бори́с Васи́льевич Спа́сский) (born January 30, 1937) is a Russian chess player and former world champion. ... The World Chess Championship match between challenger Bobby Fischer and defending champion Boris Spassky in Reykjavík, 1972, has been dubbed the Match of the Century. ... Bobby Fischer. ... Anatoli Yevgenyevich Karpov (Анато́лий Евге́ньевич Ка́рпов) (born May 23, 1951) is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. ...

External links

• 50 crucial positions from his games