Hardest to beat players

Sort:
vfdagafdgdfagfdagafdgdaf

Hello! What are (were) the hardest to beat players in history (i.e. the ones who not necessarily win often, but the ones who lose very rarely)? I will start with iron Tigran Petrosian.

fabelhaft

Capablanca.

SocialPanda

Ulf Andersson

vfdagafdgdfagfdagafdgdaf

Thank you. Let's compare (www.chessgames.com):

- Petrosian 159 loses / 1938 games = 8 %

- Capablanca 49 loses / 818 games = 6 %

- Ulf Andersson 234 loses / 2311 games = 10 %

Who else ???

I_Am_Second

Petrosian.  Anyone that can go 2 years in a row without losing a game in the USSR championship, is hard to beat.

Capablanca.

General-Mayhem

Well Kramnik didn't lose a single game to Kasparov in the 2000 world championship, so I'd say he probably qualifies :P

vfdagafdgdfagfdagafdgdaf

Ok, so we have (I've added Kramnik (and Karpov) and re-ordered players by the percentage of loses):

(1) Kramnik 139 loses / 2495 games = 5.6 %

(2) Capablanca 49 loses / 818 games = 6.0 %

(3) Karpov 235 loses / 3559 games = 7 %

(4) Petrosian 159 loses / 1938 games = 8 %

(5) Ulf Andersson 234 loses / 2311 games = 10 %

Indirect

How about Fischer?

vfdagafdgdfagfdagafdgdaf

(1) Kramnik 139 loses / 2495 games = 5.6 %

(2) Capablanca 49 loses / 818 games = 6.0 %

(3) Karpov 235 loses / 3559 games = 7 %

(4) Petrosian 159 loses / 1938 games = 8.2 %

(5) Fischer 86 loses / 992 games = 8.7 %

(6) Ulf Andersson 234 loses / 2311 games = 10 %

ViktorHNielsen

A new, lucky player:

0 loses / 1 game = 0%

vfdagafdgdfagfdagafdgdaf

You've to have at least 100 GM level games played to qualify.

Joseph-S
Daimonion wrote:

 players by the percentage of losses):

(1) Kramnik 139 loses / 2495 games = 5.6 %

   That would make me afraid to play more games because I might ruin that percentage.    Smile

BMcC333

Good stats. Ulf was my role model for Nf3 in high school and early college. 

vfdagafdgdfagfdagafdgdaf

Sometimes the difference between the percentage of won and the one of non-lost games is considerable? Let's see:

Flohr - 38% won, 86% non-lost

Andersson - 25% won, 88% non-lost

Leko - 17% won, 60% non-lost