Who played the most number of chess games?

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SmyslovFan
ghost_of_pushwood wrote:

Thanks!  But you may want to hold your opinion on that for a bit longer (people around here have been known to chase me off with brooms).

That's a waste of good brooms. 

cjxchess17
SmyslovFan wrote:

Robert Smeltzer, of Texas, held the record for most USCF (OTB) games played. I don't know who holds it now, he may still have the record. He would play rated games every night when possible, and often play two tournaments in a weekend. He passed away in 2010, but even though he played most of his chess long before the USCF database went on line, he has 8955 games credited to him. 

http://www.uschess.org/datapage/gamestats.php?memid=11450342

Jay Bonin played [nearly] twice as much as that guy played

http://www.uschess.org/datapage/gamestats.php?memid=10098327

And that is only 1991-2018. I would expect a total of at least 20000 games by him. He is also an IM, not some 1600-1700 dude who plays chess every day just for enjoyment.

On a side note, he also played 4000+ tournaments, 1000 more then you mentioned.

SmyslovFan

Jay Bonin did play a lot of games, but USCF recognized Robert Smeltzer, I think in the Hall of Fame, for the record for most games played. Most of Smeltzer's games were played before the USCF database went on line.

varelse1

N.N.

He just never won any.