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  3. /Geller, Efim

Geller, Efim

classical era

Efim Geller (1925-1998) was a Soviet grandmaster who ranked among the world's top ten players for nearly two decades and qualified for the Candidates Tournament six times between 1953 and 1971. Known for his deep theoretical knowledge and sharp tactical play, Geller later served as trainer to World Champions Boris Spassky and Anatoly Karpov, cementing his legacy as both player and coach.

Total Games

2198

Wins

791

Draws

1069

Losses

338

36.0% wins48.6% draws15.4% losses

Most Played Openings

D58 - Queen's Gambit Declined: Tartakower Defense44C93 - Ruy Lopez: Closed, Smyslov Defense43B85 - Sicilian Defense: Scheveningen Variation, Classical Main Line40D55 - Queen's Gambit Declined: Pillsbury Attack39C88 - Ruy Lopez: Closed39C92 - Ruy Lopez: Closed36B92 - Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation, Opocensky Variation34E05 - Catalan Opening: Open Defense, Classical Line32D31 - Semi-Slav Defense: Gunderam Gambit28E92 - King's Indian Defense: Exchange Variation27

Most Faced Opponents

Smyslov, Vassily52 gamesPetrosian, Tigran V39 gamesSpassky, Boris V37 gamesPolugaevsky, Lev34 gamesKeres, Paul34 gamesTal, Mihail34 gamesKortschnoj, Viktor31 gamesIvkov, Borislav28 gamesTaimanov, Mark E27 gamesGligoric, Svetozar27 games

Featured Games

FCGFCG
0-1

Longo, E. vs Geller, Efim P

Wch Seniors

1991

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FCGFCG
0-1

Usachyi, Mark vs Geller, Efim P

Wch Seniors

1991

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FCGFCG
1-0

Reshevsky, Samuel Herman vs Geller, Efim P

Sousse Interzonal

1967

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FCGFCG
1-0

Geller, Efim P vs Pachman, Ludek

Wch Seniors

1992

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FCGFCG
0-1

Blank, Alexander vs Geller, Efim P

Wch Seniors

1992

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FCGFCG
1-0

Bronstein, David I vs Geller, Efim P

Gothenburg Interzonal

1955

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FCGFCG
1-0

Geller, Efim P vs Ljubojevic, Ljubomir

Petropolis Interzonal

1973

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FCGFCG
0-1

Winiwarter, Felix vs Geller, Efim P

Wch Seniors

1991

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FCGFCG
1-0

Geller, Efim P vs Krogius, Nikolai V

Wch Seniors

1992

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FCGFCG
0-1

Jahr, Ulrich vs Geller, Efim P

Wch Seniors

1991

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Games (2198)

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Geller, Efim P vs Keres, Paul
1-0
URS-ch26 1959 E45
Geller, Efim P vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
URS-chT 1959 B42
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-ch26 1959 D59
Bronstein, David I vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-ch26 1959 E43
Spassky, Boris V vs Geller, Efim P
1-0
URS-ch26 1959 C77
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-ch25 1958 D79
Polugaevsky, Lev vs Geller, Efim P
1-0
URS-ch25 1958 D71
Tal, Mihail vs Geller, Efim P
1-0
URS-ch25 1958 C96
Geller, Efim P vs Spassky, Boris V
1-0
URS-ch25 1958 C95
Geller, Efim P vs Bronstein, David I
1/2-1/2
URS-ch25 1958 E97
Geller, Efim P vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
URS-ch sf 1957 B11
Bronstein, David I vs Geller, Efim P
1-0
Candidats Tournament 1956 D54
Spassky, Boris V vs Geller, Efim P
0-1
Candidats Tournament 1956 D40
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Candidats Tournament 1956 D34
Smyslov, Vassily vs Geller, Efim P
1-0
Candidats Tournament 1956 E60
Keres, Paul vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Candidats Tournament 1956 A14
Geller, Efim P vs Smyslov, Vassily
0-1
Candidats Tournament 1956 E26
Geller, Efim P vs Bronstein, David I
1/2-1/2
Candidats Tournament 1956 D71
Geller, Efim P vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1-0
Candidats Tournament 1956 E58
Geller, Efim P vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2
Candidats Tournament 1956 C99
Geller, Efim P vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2
Candidats Tournament 1956 E59
Geller, Efim P vs Sliwa, Bogdan
1-0
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 E58
Geller, Efim P vs Stahlberg, Gideon
1-0
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 C07
Filip, Miroslav vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 A07
Geller, Efim P vs Pachman, Ludek
1/2-1/2
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 A85
Keres, Paul vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-ch22 1955 D59
Bisguier, Arthur Bernard vs Geller, Efim P
0-1
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 A48
Unzicker, Wolfgang vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 B22
Geller, Efim P vs Spassky, Boris V
0-1
URS-ch22 1955 E26
Smyslov, Vassily vs Geller, Efim P
1-0
URS-ch22 1955 D50
Szabo, Laszlo vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 C01
Geller, Efim P vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Zagreb 1955 D19
Geller, Efim P vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
URS-ch22 playoff-1pl 1955 D19
Botvinnik, Mikhail vs Geller, Efim P
0-1
URS-ch22 1955 D35
Smyslov, Vassily vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-ch22 playoff-1pl 1955 D78
Smyslov, Vassily vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-ch22 playoff-1pl 1955 D53
Geller, Efim P vs Panno, Oscar
1-0
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 B98
Pilnik, Herman vs Geller, Efim P
0-1
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 B59
Rabar, Braslav vs Geller, Efim P
1-0
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 B64
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-ch22 1955 A38
Geller, Efim P vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
URS-ch22 playoff-1pl 1955 D18
Geller, Efim P vs Ilivitzki, Georgi A
0-1
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 D58
Geller, Efim P vs Medina Garcia, Antonio Angel
1-0
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 C76
Geller, Efim P vs Donner, Jan Hein
1/2-1/2
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 C11
Smyslov, Vassily vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-ch22 playoff-1pl 1955 D35
Geller, Efim P vs Fuderer, Andrija
1-0
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 D29
Guimard, Carlos E vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Gothenburg Interzonal 1955 A48
Geller, Efim P vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
URS-ch22 playoff-1pl 1955 D19
Smyslov, Vassily vs Geller, Efim P
0-1
URS-ch22 playoff-1pl 1955 E89
Geller, Efim P vs Spassky, Boris V
0-1
Leningrad 1954 B95
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