Chess Players to Study – 8 Greats and What You’ll Learn From Each
One of the most effective ways to improve is to stand on the shoulders of giants. Studying the games of the legends reveals the evolution of chess thought. This curated list profiles eight great players—from the positional purity of Capablanca to the tactical chaos of Tal—highlighting the specific skills you can learn from each to incorporate into your own game.
One of the fastest ways to improve is to study model games from great players. To make this practical, here are eight legendary players — and the specific skills you can focus on when studying each of them.
1) Akiba Rubinstein
- Endgame mastery: converting small advantages and simplifying correctly.
- Rook & pawn endgames: activity, king placement, and technique.
- Opening ideas: classical structures (especially queen’s pawn openings).
- Positional clarity: coordination, pawn structure, exploiting weaknesses.
2) Vladimir Kramnik
- Opening preparation: deep, precise opening work (e.g., Berlin / Catalan themes).
- Positional mastery: small edges, strong piece placement, subtle plans.
- Prophylaxis: preventing opponent counterplay before it starts.
- Endgame technique: accuracy in “technical” positions.
3) Garry Kasparov
- Attacking chess: initiative, pressure, and forcing play.
- Tactical vision: sharp combinations and dynamic calculation.
- Opening innovation: ambitious opening approaches and energetic middlegames.
- Adaptability: switching between positional squeeze and tactical storm.
- Competitive edge: practical decision-making and fighting spirit.
4) José Raúl Capablanca
- Simplicity: making strong moves without unnecessary complications.
- Intuition: improving your “feel” for good squares and piece harmony.
- Positional play: clean piece placement and structural understanding.
- Endgames: technique, clarity, and converting advantages smoothly.
- Classical openings: solid foundations and natural development.
5) Anatoly Karpov
- Positional advantages: weak squares, pawn structure, and piece activity.
- Prophylaxis: stopping counterplay while improving your own position.
- Grinding technique: winning “equal-looking” positions with patience.
- Defense & counterplay: resilience and resourcefulness.
- Strategic openings: learning plans, not memorising moves.
6) Mikhail Tal
- Tactical creativity: unexpected ideas and sacrifice patterns.
- Attacking momentum: keeping pressure and forcing difficult choices.
- Psychology: practical pressure and confidence in complications.
- Calculated risk: when initiative is worth material.
- Sharp openings: dynamic systems and initiative-based play.
7) Bobby Fischer
- Opening understanding: principled development and strong middlegame setups.
- Middlegame structure: pawn structures and strong piece coordination.
- Tactics: spotting precise winning ideas.
- Endgames: accuracy, technique, and conversion.
- Competitive focus: discipline and fighting for the full point.
8) Magnus Carlsen
- Universal style: playing well in all types of positions.
- Endgame excellence: converting small edges and outplaying opponents.
- Practical decision-making: choosing the best “human” plan, not just the flashiest line.
- Resilience: staying resourceful and calm under pressure.
- Opening flexibility: understanding plans and transpositions.
By studying the games of Rubinstein, Kramnik, Kasparov, Capablanca, Karpov, Tal, Fischer, and Carlsen, you’ll build a well-rounded foundation — endgames, strategy, tactics, openings, and practical mindset — and become more adaptable in real games.