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
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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 →Smyslov, Vassily vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Moscow 1967 E03
Geller, Efim P vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Moscow 1967 A14
Geller, Efim P vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1966 D41
Keres, Paul vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1966 C49
Smyslov, Vassily vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1966 E18
Keres, Paul vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1966 E19
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1966 D41
Spassky, Boris V vs Keres, Paul
1-0Candidats qf3 1965 E31
Keres, Paul vs Spassky, Boris V
1-0Candidats qf3 1965 E43
Spassky, Boris V vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Candidats qf3 1965 E12
Keres, Paul vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2Candidats qf3 1965 A21
Keres, Paul vs Spassky, Boris V
0-1Candidats qf3 1965 A68
Spassky, Boris V vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Candidats qf3 1965 C80
Spassky, Boris V vs Keres, Paul
1-0Candidats qf3 1965 C99
Keres, Paul vs Polugaevsky, Lev
1/2-1/2URS-ch33 1965 E14
Keres, Paul vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2Candidats qf3 1965 C93
Keres, Paul vs Spassky, Boris V
0-1Candidats qf3 1965 C93
Spassky, Boris V vs Keres, Paul
0-1Candidats qf3 1965 E12
Bronstein, David I vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2URS-ch33 1965 C92
Keres, Paul vs Larsen, Bent
1/2-1/2Hoogovens 1964 B35
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Buenos Aires 1964 A09
Portisch, Lajos vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Hoogovens 1964 E18
Najdorf, Miguel vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Buenos Aires 1964 D25
Najdorf, Miguel vs Keres, Paul
1-0Piatigorsky Cup 1963 A85
Keres, Paul vs Reshevsky, Samuel Herman
0-1Piatigorsky Cup 1963 C87
Smyslov, Vassily vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Alekhine mem 1963 E39
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Piatigorsky Cup 1963 A28
Keres, Paul vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2Piatigorsky Cup 1963 B18
Geller, Efim P vs Keres, Paul
1-0URS-chT 1963 A09
Tal, Mihail vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Alekhine mem 1963 C96
Keres, Paul vs Najdorf, Miguel
1/2-1/2Piatigorsky Cup 1963 B43
Tal, Mihail vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1963 E18
Reshevsky, Samuel Herman vs Keres, Paul
1-0Piatigorsky Cup 1963 A23
Keres, Paul vs Geller, Efim P
0-1Candidats playoff 2pl 1962 A56
Keres, Paul vs Fischer, Robert James
1/2-1/2Candidats Tournament 1962 B20
Geller, Efim P vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Candidats playoff 2pl 1962 E54
Keres, Paul vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2Candidats Tournament 1962 D59
Keres, Paul vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2Candidats Tournament 1962 B65
Keres, Paul vs Fischer, Robert James
1/2-1/2Candidats Tournament 1962 D35
Keres, Paul vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1962 C87
Geller, Efim P vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Candidats Tournament 1962 A34
Keres, Paul vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2Candidats playoff 2pl 1962 A46
Tal, Mihail vs Keres, Paul
0-1Candidats Tournament 1962 C96
Tal, Mihail vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2URS-chT 1962 C87
Tal, Mihail vs Keres, Paul
0-1Candidats Tournament 1962 C96
Keres, Paul vs Geller, Efim P
1-0Candidats playoff 2pl 1962 D41
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Candidats Tournament 1962 D19
Fischer, Robert James vs Keres, Paul
0-1Candidats Tournament 1962 C96
Keres, Paul vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2Candidats playoff 2pl 1962 B36
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Keres, Paul
1/2-1/2Candidats Tournament 1962 E41