GM Alexander Tolush

Alexander Tolush was a Soviet grandmaster and mentor to GMs Boris Spassky and Paul Keres. Tolush was a brilliant attacking player and a four-time Leningrad Champion. He won a strong international tournament in Bucharest in 1953 ahead of GMs Tigran Petrosian, Vasily Smyslov, and Spassky. Tolush also had multiple top-10 finishes at the U.S.S.R. Championship.

He taught Spassky his aggressive style, which the future world chess champion credited with helping him become an all-around player. Unfortunately, Tolush passed away in March 1969, three months before his student won the world title.