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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 Larsen, Bent
1/2-1/2
Copenhagen cm-3pl 1966 C81
Geller, Efim P vs Fischer, Robert James
1-0
Capablanca mem 1965 E81
Geller, Efim P vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Candidats qf4 1965 E55
Geller, Efim P vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
Capablanca mem 1965 E54
Portisch, Lajos vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Hoogovens 1965 A38
Smyslov, Vassily vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Candidats qf4 1965 A37
Geller, Efim P vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2
Candidats sf2 1965 D34
Smyslov, Vassily vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Candidats qf4 1965 A39
Geller, Efim P vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
Candidats qf4 1965 E41
Geller, Efim P vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2
Candidats sf2 1965 E51
Geller, Efim P vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
Candidats qf4 1965 E50
Smyslov, Vassily vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Candidats qf4 1965 A38
Geller, Efim P vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
Candidats qf4 1965 D87
Spassky, Boris V vs Geller, Efim P
1-0
Candidats sf2 1965 C89
Geller, Efim P vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2
Candidats sf2 1965 D32
Smyslov, Vassily vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Santiago 1965 A39
Spassky, Boris V vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Candidats sf2 1965 C92
Spassky, Boris V vs Geller, Efim P
1-0
Candidats sf2 1965 C92
Spassky, Boris V vs Geller, Efim P
1-0
Candidats sf2 1965 B75
Smyslov, Vassily vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Candidats qf4 1965 E08
Geller, Efim P vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2
Candidats sf2 1965 E44
Spassky, Boris V vs Geller, Efim P
0-1
Moscow zt 1964 C85
Bronstein, David I vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Moscow zt 1964 A33
Geller, Efim P vs Bronstein, David I
1/2-1/2
Moscow zt 1964 A13
Tal, Mihail vs Geller, Efim P
1-0
URS Spartakiad 1964 C92
Geller, Efim P vs Spassky, Boris V
0-1
Moscow zt 1964 C72
Geller, Efim P vs Smyslov, Vassily
1-0
URS Spartakiad 1964 B17
Bronstein, David I vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-ch31 1963 C77
Geller, Efim P vs Keres, Paul
1-0
URS-chT 1963 A09
Geller, Efim P vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2
URS-ch31 1963 C88
Geller, Efim P vs Tal, Mihail
0-1
Capablanca mem 1963 C88
Geller, Efim P vs Polugaevsky, Lev
0-1
URS-ch31 1963 E54
Geller, Efim P vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1-0
URS Spartakiad 1963 C16
Polugaevsky, Lev vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-chT 1963 D93
Geller, Efim P vs Kortschnoj, Viktor
1/2-1/2
Stockholm Interzonal 1962 B05
Aaron, Manuel vs Geller, Efim P
0-1
Stockholm Interzonal 1962 D75
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Candidats Tournament 1962 E12
Geller, Efim P vs Benko, Pal C
1-0
Stockholm Interzonal 1962 B13
Geller, Efim P vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2
Candidats Tournament 1962 D41
Keres, Paul vs Geller, Efim P
0-1
Candidats playoff 2pl 1962 A56
German, Eugenio Maciel vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Stockholm Interzonal 1962 C96
Fischer, Robert James vs Geller, Efim P
1-0
Candidats Tournament 1962 B88
Filip, Miroslav vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Stockholm Interzonal 1962 A49
Keres, Paul vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Candidats Tournament 1962 B65
Geller, Efim P vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2
Candidats playoff 2pl 1962 E55
Geller, Efim P vs Cuellar Gacharna, Miguel
0-1
Stockholm Interzonal 1962 A49
Smyslov, Vassily vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-chT 1962 B92
Geller, Efim P vs Tal, Mihail
1-0
Candidats Tournament 1962 B48
Geller, Efim P vs Yanofsky, Daniel Abraham
1-0
Stockholm Interzonal 1962 E66
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Candidats Tournament 1962 D58
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