Petrosian, Tigran

World Champion

classical era

Tigran Petrosian, known as "Iron Tigran," was the ninth World Champion (1963-1969), famous for his nearly impenetrable defensive style inspired by Aron Nimzowitsch's concept of prophylaxis. Rather than attacking directly, he excelled at neutralizing his opponents' plans through subtle, patient maneuvering, making him one of the hardest players to beat in chess history. Orphaned during World War II, he rose from sweeping streets in Tbilisi to become a national hero in Armenia, where his image was placed on the country's currency.

Total Games

2017

Wins

691

Draws

1113

Losses

213

34.3% wins55.2% draws10.6% losses

Most Played Openings

B06 - Modern Defense34A07 - King's Indian Attack31E14 - Queen's Indian Defense: Spassky System27E12 - Queen's Indian Defense27D27 - Queen's Gambit Accepted: Furman Variation26E92 - King's Indian Defense: Exchange Variation26C07 - French Defense: Tarrasch Variation, Open System23D41 - Queen's Gambit Declined: Semi-Tarrasch Defense22A30 - English Opening: Wing Gambit22E19 - Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation, Main Line20

Most Faced Opponents

Spassky, Boris V73 gamesKortschnoj, Viktor66 gamesTal, Mihail40 gamesPortisch, Lajos39 gamesGeller, Efim P39 gamesGligoric, Svetozar38 gamesKeres, Paul32 gamesSmyslov, Vassily30 gamesFischer, Robert James29 gamesBotvinnik, Mikhail27 games

Featured Games

FCGFCG
1-0

Spassky, Boris V vs Petrosian, Tigran V

World Championship 26th

1966

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FCGFCG
0-1

Portisch, Lajos vs Petrosian, Tigran V

Tilburg

1982

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FCGFCG
0-1

Petrosian, Tigran V vs Spassky, Boris V

World Championship 27th

1969

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FCGFCG
0-1

Spassky, Boris V vs Petrosian, Tigran V

World Championship 27th

1969

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FCGFCG
0-1

Kasparov, Gary vs Petrosian, Tigran V

Tilburg

1981

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FCGFCG
1-0

Spassky, Boris V vs Petrosian, Tigran V

World Championship 27th

1969

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FCGFCG
1-0

Petrosian, Tigran V vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 25th

1963

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FCGFCG
1-0

Larsen, Bent vs Petrosian, Tigran V

Portoroz Interzonal

1958

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FCGFCG
1-0

Petrosian, Tigran V vs Botvinnik, Mikhail

World Championship 25th

1963

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FCGFCG
0-1

Spassky, Boris V vs Petrosian, Tigran V

World Championship 27th

1969

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Games (2017)

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Ljubojevic, Ljubomir vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Bugojno 1982 D13
Tukmakov, Vladimir B vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1-0
Las Palmas Interzonal 1982 E18
Ribli, Zoltan vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Las Palmas Interzonal 1982 E13
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2
Bugojno 1982 E07
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Najdorf, Miguel
1/2-1/2
Bugojno 1982 E05
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Karpov, Anatoly
1/2-1/2
Moscow 1981 D30
Portisch, Lajos vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Moscow 1981 E14
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Miles, Anthony J
1-0
Tilburg 1981 E48
Kasparov, Gary vs Petrosian, Tigran V
0-1
Moscow 1981 E12
Huebner, Robert vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Tilburg 1981 C42
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Sosonko, Gennadi
1-0
Tilburg 1981 A01
Andersson, Ulf vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Tilburg 1981 E19
Geller, Efim P vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Moscow 1981 B06
Smyslov, Vassily vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Moscow 1981 A49
Polugaevsky, Lev vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1-0
Moscow 1981 E12
Timman, Jan H vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Moscow 1981 E12
Beliavsky, Alexander G vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1-0
Moscow 1981 C16
Jussupow, Artur vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Vrbas 1980 A29
Ivkov, Borislav vs Petrosian, Tigran V
0-1
Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 E81
Sax, Gyula vs Petrosian, Tigran V
0-1
Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 C08
Sunye Neto, Jaime vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 E61
Torre, Eugenio vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 C99
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Vaganian, Rafael A
1/2-1/2
Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 D59
Larsen, Bent vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1-0
Clarin 1979 A12
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Bronstein, David I
1-0
Tallinn 1979 E48
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Shamkovich, Leonid
1/2-1/2
Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 A04
Balashov, Yuri S vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 C16
Kasparov, Gary vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Banja Luka 1979 C97
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2
URS Spartakiad 1979 D55
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Spassky, Boris V
1/2-1/2
Clarin 1979 D37
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Garcia Gonzales, Guillermo
1-0
Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 E91
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Smejkal, Jan
1/2-1/2
Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 A34
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Tallinn 1979 D59
Velimirovic, Dragoljub vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 C97
Hebert, Jean vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 B06
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Huebner, Robert
1/2-1/2
Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 D54
Kagan, Shimon vs Petrosian, Tigran V
0-1
Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 B81
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Najdorf, Miguel
1/2-1/2
Clarin 1979 E49
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Harandi, Khosro
1-0
Rio de Janeiro Interzonal 1979 E12
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Polugaevsky, Lev
1/2-1/2
Lone Pine op 1978 E16
Beliavsky, Alexander G vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1-0
Vilnius 1978 E19
Portisch, Lajos vs Petrosian, Tigran V
0-1
Lone Pine op 1978 E52
Reshevsky, Samuel Herman vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
Vilnius 1978 E61
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Polugaevsky, Lev
1/2-1/2
URS-ch45 1977 A46
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-ch45 1977 D58
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
Sochi 1977 E92
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Tal, Mihail
1/2-1/2
Sochi 1977 E18
Tal, Mihail vs Petrosian, Tigran V
1/2-1/2
URS-ch45 1977 C16
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Smyslov, Vassily
1/2-1/2
URS-ch45 1977 E19
Petrosian, Tigran V vs Geller, Efim P
1/2-1/2
URS-ch44 1976 E89
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