Just thought I'd open this up for discussion. Who was the best player in history who never got to be world champion? My personal vote is either Bronstein (indeed, there are some who believe he was pressured by the government into losing his match against Botvinnik) or Schlechter (who was only one draw away from being WC, but played for a win anyway and lost)

Paul Keres

Napoleon Bonaparte

I have two names- Paul Keres and David Bronstein at the time of his match with Botvinik... Maybe Reuben Fine would have had a real chance as well, at the time of Alekhine's death at the hands of USSR's secret police in Estoril, Portugal ! 

And another player a lot of times underated was Pilsbury...Lord knows where he could have got had he not died...

Viktor Korchnoi

herbanmusic: I agree with you on Pilsbury. In fact, I think Pilsbury was one of the few players who really could have challenged Lasker at that time. If he hadn't died so soon, Lasker might have been dethroned before Capablanca got around to it.

Magnus Carlsen

Andriy Slyusarchuk !

Ah ah ah , of course comedy and good humour is allways welcome...so we can forget for a bit the problems in the world..

What a con, he brought us all... And the worst of it all is the fact that the press did indeed believed him as if it was even possible?!? Lord have mercy- How gullible people have become in these ages of hard times !!!

At least we have a good laugh at his costs !! lol eh eh eh ah ah ah 

Lasker,Capablanca,Tal and of course Anand

what did he do?

"The Best Player Never to Become World Champion"

We all wish Anand luck in his quest for the title.

Ivanchuk, J.Polgar, Shirov, Gelfand, Korchnoi

 Agreed, Go Anand! you can do it!

Anand is a world champion ?!?! So why did you include him in the answer?!? And Lasker?! And Tal?!? 

 LOL, nice list

YESSS>>>>YESSSS : Definitely "DCHESSTRAINOR" and his 1.Na3 opening lol lol Lord Im loving this thread allready ! ah ah ah ah

Paul Keres

I vote for Viktor Korchnoi