Most Overrated Chess Player?

If we were to rate the players that are considered to be among the greatest chess players of all time, as measured by the standards of how well they fared against the top players of their day, I am of the opinion that Paul Morphy is undoubtedly the most over-rated of all time.

Who do you think is the most over-rated chess player of all time?

Anand is the most overrated. Chew on them apples.

I've seen Morphy's games make children laugh. 

Yes, that's what I meant (what else could I have meant? Did the thought of children laughing stir up a painful memory?). I don't believe he was overrated, but it wouldn't matter if he were; Morphy was the funnest.

I don't think you can be overated in a game of pure skill can you? If you make a mistake its your fault and you get punished for it.

To say someone is overated would have to mean their is a element of luck involved IMO

How can I become overrated? That would be great...

Anand:

Anand is one of the most untalented unphenomenal player to ever become a chess champion. He is no genius like Carlsen. Whatever he is, he is due to his perseverance.

Unfortunately, many people like style over substance. BTW, as an American, how do you feel about Bobby Fischer celebrating 9/11? :)

@DynamiteDeba

Is Morphy Overrated?

Morphy is definitely not overrated. Morphy showed an extremely rare ability. He was very good in his times. He played 'unsound' at times to achieve victory faster. Morphy reincarnated and educated today would still be a superlative player (Super-GM level).

Further, claiming that Morphy is inferior to today's GMs is like claiming that Newton is inferior to a Physics graduate of today.

Claude Bloodgood

I know that you didn't intend your question literally:) But, literally, the most over-'rated' player was and will be Claude Bloodgood.

Claude Frizzel Bloodgood was sentenced to death after being convicted of murdering his mother, although this sentence was later commuted. While in prison, he remained a very active chess player, playing a large number of correspondence games and rated games with other inmates. Over time, he achieved a very high ranking in the United States Chess Federation (USCF) by playing in a closed pool.

Bloodgood organized chess games within Powhatan Prison, which were by necessity with fellow inmates. Many of these inmates were taught the game by Bloodgood, and thus began as unrated and inexperienced players.

Bloodgood obtained USCF memberships for them. Some accused Bloodgood, with his intimate knowledge of the rating system, of rigging their ratings. The accusation was that he arranged for new prisoners to play rated games against other prisoners, who would deliberately lose, thus giving the new inmate an inflated USCF rating.

Bloodgood, it is further alleged, then played rated games against the new highly rated prisoner, and each time he won, gained a few more rating points.

This continued for several years, and by 1996 his rating rose to 2702, making the 59-year-old Bloodgood the second highest rated player in the nation. In comparison, at his retirement Bobby Fischer's rating was 2760, and several leading grandmasters were in the 2600s.

Every non-chessplayer knows someone who is a chess genius (a relative or a friend of a friend), and will never fail to mention them if they somehow learn that you play chess.

That guy is the most overrated chess player of all time.