Your favorite Russian player of all time

I recently came accross someone whose favorite Russian player is Spassky. I am a bit surprised because even though he is a great chess champion, I personally have more admiration for Kasparov or Botvinnik.

What about you? Who is your favorite Russian player of all time?

Oh and by the way, if I had to choose an active player, I would probably pick Svidler.

Also, if you want some inspiration about your favorite Russian player, here is a list of Russian players who were world champions: http://seekyt.com/list-of-russian-chess-players-who-were-world-champions/

Of active players, Korchnoi, assuming he is actually still playing (he was last I checked).

Obviously I like Alekhine, more for his drinking than his playing.

Stalin, apparently he beat every GM he played

Tschigorin, of course.

Didn't Korchnoi beat Caruana a year or two ago?

Nimzowitsch, who else?

actually i would like Spasskis play  but i hate his personality, yes some like him just for that, but i hate it.

Napoleon because he wanted to be Russian but found the reception over the Russian border to be a tad too frosty.

Alex Zelner who is my coach. May not be the best Russian player but he is a good teacher.

What's wrong with his personality?

My favorite Russian GM is Smyslov

Heh I'm just starting to play over games from his 125 Selected.

Spassky had a cool way of moving his pieces. I like Karpov, and Kasparov also. Too many great players to choose between them.

Those guys aren't Russian. Everyone knows they're from the former Azerbaijani SSR.

+1!

A Russian chess player, who doesn't know (or hold an opinion) about the great Russian players of the past.

You couldn't make it up.

p.s. If I have to choose just one, then Mikhail Tal is my choice. I just love the way he managed to bamboozle so many staid and correct players.

he had the tremendous gift and then just through it away later with lazyness??

even though he didnt play chess, i like nezhmetdinov

I really like Alekhin for great mix of strategy and attacking style and Smyslov for natural feel of harmony. That is why Smyslov played as a first rank GM in his sixties when Botvinnik had already retired.

alekhines games were a bit to heavy for me too enjoy, but maybe i just watched the wrong games. For that reason and that i saw him with the cat, i dont know its hard to put him as my favourite player. Nothing against people with cats, but the pic was just way too much.

but yeah i like the alekhine defense though.