Keres, Paul
Paul Keres (1916-1975) was an Estonian grandmaster known as the "Crown Prince of Chess" for being arguably the strongest player never to become World Champion, finishing runner-up in the Candidates Tournament four consecutive times from 1953-1962. After winning the prestigious AVRO 1938 tournament ahead of future world champions, his title chances were derailed by World War II, beginning a career-long pattern of near-misses at the ultimate prize.
Total Games
1570
Wins
696
Draws
708
Losses
166
44.3% wins45.1% draws10.6% losses
Most Played Openings
C86 - Ruy Lopez: Closed, Worrall Attack26E14 - Queen's Indian Defense: Spassky System25C84 - Ruy Lopez: Closed23C99 - Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense, Panov System22C87 - Ruy Lopez: Closed, Averbakh Variation22D41 - Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense21C71 - Ruy Lopez: Noah's Ark Trap21C73 - Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Modern Steinitz Defense19C92 - Ruy Lopez: Closed18E19 - Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation, Main Line17
Featured Games
0-1
Reshevsky, Samuel Herman vs Keres, Paul
World Championship 18th
1948
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Keres, Paul vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
World Championship 18th
1948
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Keres, Paul vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
World Championship 18th
1948
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Reshevsky, Samuel Herman vs Keres, Paul
World Championship 18th
1948
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Euwe, Max vs Keres, Paul
World Championship 18th
1948
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Keres, Paul vs Najdorf, Miguel
Gothenburg Interzonal
1955
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Smyslov, Vassily vs Keres, Paul
World Championship 18th
1948
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Keres, Paul vs Botvinnik, Mikhail
World Championship 18th
1948
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Portisch, Lajos vs Keres, Paul
Petropolis Interzonal
1973
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Smyslov, Vassily vs Keres, Paul
World Championship 18th
1948
View PrintGames (1570)
Search & Filter All Games →Walther, Edgar vs Keres, Paul
0-1Zuerich training 1968 E69
Shamkovich, Leonid vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1968 C79
Keres, Paul vs Glauser, Hansruedi
1-0Zuerich training 1968 C96
Keres, Paul vs Stein, Leonid
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1968 A38
Keres, Paul vs Glauser, Hansruedi
1-0Zuerich training 1968 D86
Hermlin, Aarne vs Keres, Paul
0-1URS-chT 1968 C79
Keres, Paul vs Glauser, Hansruedi
1-0Zuerich training 1968 D86
Keres, Paul vs Kupper, Josef
1-0Zuerich training 1968 E43
Walther, Edgar vs Keres, Paul
0-1Zuerich training 1968 E88
Blau, Max vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Zuerich training 1968 C85
Keres, Paul vs Keller, Dieter
1-0Zuerich training 1968 C03
Keres, Paul vs Keller, Dieter
1-0Zuerich training 1968 C61
Keres, Paul vs Bhend, Edwin
1-0Zuerich training 1968 C61
Keres, Paul vs Blau, Max
1-0Zuerich training 1968 C67
Keres, Paul vs Bhend, Edwin
1-0Zuerich training 1968 C11
Keres, Paul vs Mikenas, Vladas
1-0URS-chT 1968 B02
Keres, Paul vs Kholmov, Ratmir D
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1968 C42
Gipslis, Aivars vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Moscow 1967 C81
Gheorghiu, Florin vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Moscow 1967 E20
Keres, Paul vs Bilek, Istvan
1/2-1/2Moscow 1967 B50
Szabo, Laszlo vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Winnipeg 1967 E03
Keres, Paul vs Yanofsky, Daniel Abraham
1-0Winnipeg 1967 B11
Keres, Paul vs Bobotsov, Milko G
1/2-1/2Moscow 1967 B50
Grigorian, Levon Ashotovich vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1967 E15
Keres, Paul vs Benko, Pal C
1/2-1/2Winnipeg 1967 B09
Gheorghiu, Florin vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Winnipeg 1967 C69
Keres, Paul vs Kortschnoj, Viktor
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1967 D41
Keres, Paul vs Ufimtsev, Anatoly
1-0URS-chT 1967 B07
Gligoric, Svetozar vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Moscow 1967 D33
Maslov, Leonid P vs Keres, Paul
0-1URS-chT 1967 E43
Stein, Leonid vs Keres, Paul
1-0Moscow 1967 C82
Darga, Klaus vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Winnipeg 1967 D41
Uhlmann, Wolfgang vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Moscow 1967 E15
Bagirov, Vladimir vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1967 C69
Keres, Paul vs Matanovic, Aleksandar
1/2-1/2Winnipeg 1967 C94
Keres, Paul vs Filip, Miroslav
1/2-1/2Moscow 1967 B10
Keres, Paul vs Pachman, Ludek
1-0Moscow 1967 B10
Keres, Paul vs Kagan, Shimon
1-0Winnipeg 1967 B11
Keres, Paul vs Borisenko, Georgy K
1-0URS-chT 1967 C99
Keres, Paul vs Birbrager, Isaak
1-0URS-chT 1966 E01
Velimirovic, Dragoljub vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2URS-JUG 1966 C44
Bertok, Mario vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2URS-JUG 1966 D34
Keres, Paul vs Chernikov, Oleg L
1-0URS-chT 1966 D30
Keres, Paul vs Matanovic, Aleksandar
1/2-1/2URS-JUG 1966 A39
Stein, Leonid vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1966 D34
Keres, Paul vs Matulovic, Milan
1/2-1/2URS-JUG 1966 B45
Keres, Paul vs Lutikov, Anatoly S
0-1URS-chT 1966 C86
Keres, Paul vs Taimanov, Mark E
0-1URS-ch33 1965 A48
Pirc, Vasja vs Keres, Paul
0-1Marianske Lazne 1965 A37
Keres, Paul vs Filip, Miroslav
1/2-1/2Marianske Lazne 1965 C98