who is the greatest chess player of all time?

A tournament between Morphy, Fischer, Capablanca, Kasparov, and Lasker at their peak would be amazing. Some of these players could really hang on in inferior positions, and some rarely got into inferior positions. Some had really great endgame technique, and some rushed the endgame. Some were pragmatic and some were principled. And then there is Carlson...

Yes, and, yes.

I have had similar discussions about greats in sports I have followed. There is almost never a point where there is consensus.

Michael Jordan, the best? How about Bill Russell.

Tiger Woods? Jack, Hogan, and a few others are in the conversation.

Willie Mays or Babe Ruth? Or Stan The Man? Or Marichal, or Koufax?

Comparing players from different eras is interesting, yes. However, they didn't compete against each other, so, any comparison is only our opinion.

Being the greatest has little to do with for example Morphy catching up with today's top players after a few years if he was sent here at his peak. Karjakin has trained like a pro since he was a child, with all advantages available for a modern player. It's not just to adjust to that for an amateur from the 1850s and start playing on the same level, and it isn't particularly fair on Morphy to demand that of him either.

To me greatness has more to do with achievements during the time of the player himself, and then I can only see Kasparov and Lasker as serious candidates for the greatest ever spot. Both dominated for decades, were clear #1 for 20 years or more after becoming World Champions, played eight title matches, won the strongest tournaments also in their 40s or 50s, went a decade or more without even finishing second once, etc.

Fischer

Why do all the dumb americans say Fischer. Kasparov is way better you noobs.

hhh

Best player of all time y'all ?

How far back do we have to go ?

Sasha was the best. :)

He come back to throne in difficult time.

That Senator dude was pretty good, but, I bet Chris_R would have whupped 'em.

I agree, Bobby Fischer was the greatest chess player of all times!

I know you're a troll, but this is a good post.

Some of them even think Fischer defended his title. It's hilarious.

A couple of the most important greatest ever criteria :-)

Number of title matches: Lasker 8, Kasparov 8, Fischer 1

Years of #1 chess after title win: Lasker 20+, Kasparov 20, Fischer 0

Kasparov could well be the best of all time.

How many games did it take him to eventually get a win against Karpov ?

And how many games did he win in his match against Kramnik ?

He was past his best when he played Kramnik. How did Muhammed Ali do against Berbick? Not particularly relevant.

It was after a reign Fischer could only dream of.

Also, why do you have a new account every 5 minutes? It's suspicious.

Every five minutes ? Your clock is fast. And Messi is no Georgie Best.

No, he's much better.

"How many games did it take him to eventually get a win against Karpov ? And how many games did he win in his match against Kramnik ?"

Fischer didn't win against Spassky until he was 29 years old, but that is less relevant than his overall achievements. Kasparov won his first and only qualification cycle and faced the maybe greatest player ever that far when he just had turned 21. No wonder that he didn't win more than three games in the first match before it was stopped. But then he won fairly easily the next year.

Against Kramnik, well, Kasparov had played seven long title matches 1984-1995 and even the greatest players have bad events. For example Lasker is too often evaluated by looking at his match loss to Capa, but then he was in his 50s and still continued to finish ahead of Capa in tournaments for many years more.

Mikhail Tal all the way

Magnus Carlsen;)

Everyone asks, who the greatest chess player and of course everyone has a fav, can someone ask:

who is the fattest?

who is the smartest?

who is the shortest?

who is the richest/poorest?

who is the happiest?