Paul Morphy
Paul Morphy, Romantic era.
The roster
34 legends, four eras of chess
Chess did not always want the same things. Reading these four groups in order is a short history of what strong players believed was correct. Use the search and filters above to narrow the roster by era or playing style.
Romantic
19th century3 playersChess legends grouped in the Romantic era. Use the roster controls to choose a player and game settings.
Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen
Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen, Romantic era.
Mikhail Ivanovich Chigorin
Mikhail Ivanovich Chigorin, Romantic era.
Classical
1870s to 1930s15 playersChess legends grouped in the Classical era. Use the roster controls to choose a player and game settings.
Wilhelm Steinitz
Wilhelm Steinitz, Classical era.
Harry Nelson Pillsbury
Harry Nelson Pillsbury, Classical era.
Rudolf Spielmann
Rudolf Spielmann, Classical era.
Siegbert Tarrasch
Siegbert Tarrasch, Classical era.
Frank James Marshall
Frank James Marshall, Classical era.
Géza Maróczy
Géza Maróczy, Classical era.
Savielly Tartakower
Savielly Tartakower, Classical era.
Aron Nimzowitsch
Aron Nimzowitsch, Classical era.
Richard Réti
Richard Réti, Classical era.
Akiba Rubinstein
Akiba Rubinstein, Classical era.
Max Euwe
Max Euwe, Classical era.
José Raúl Capablanca
José Raúl Capablanca, Classical era.
Alexander Alekhine
Alexander Alekhine, Classical era.
Emanuel Lasker
Emanuel Lasker, Classical era.
Sultan Khan
Sultan Khan, Classical era.
Soviet
1940s to 1970s10 playersChess legends grouped in the Soviet era. Use the roster controls to choose a player and game settings.
Vasily Smyslov
Vasily Smyslov, Soviet era.
Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik
Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik, Soviet era.
David Bronstein
David Bronstein, Soviet era.
Efim Petrovich Geller
Efim Petrovich Geller, Soviet era.
Leonid Stein
Leonid Stein, Soviet era.
Lev Polugaevsky
Lev Polugaevsky, Soviet era.
Paul Keres
Paul Keres, Soviet era.
Mikhail Tal
Mikhail Tal, Soviet era.
Tigran Petrosian
Tigran Petrosian, Soviet era.
Boris Spassky
Boris Spassky, Soviet era.
Modern
1950s to 1990s6 playersChess legends grouped in the Modern era. Use the roster controls to choose a player and game settings.
Samuel Reshevsky
Samuel Reshevsky, Modern era.
Svetozar Gligorić
Svetozar Gligorić, Modern era.
Jørgen Bent Larsen
Jørgen Bent Larsen, Modern era.
Miguel Najdorf
Miguel Najdorf, Modern era.
Viktor Lvovich Korchnoi
Viktor Lvovich Korchnoi, Modern era.
Bobby Fischer
Bobby Fischer, Modern era.
No legend matches that combination. Try fewer filters, or .
Every player page includes a portrait, historical context and the same game controls for strength, time and color.
Roster labels
Browse chess legends by label
Use the labels to narrow the 34-player roster. Strength, time control and color are selected separately for every game.
| Playing style label | Players | Roster filter |
|---|---|---|
| Attacker | 9 | Shows 9 chess legends in this roster. |
| Positional | 11 | Shows 11 chess legends in this roster. |
| Universal | 12 | Shows 12 chess legends in this roster. |
| Tactician | 2 | Shows 2 chess legends in this roster. |
Choose from the roster
Search by name or use the era and playing style labels to shorten the list.
Set the game yourself
Choose an approximate Lichess target from 600 to 3000 or FIDE target from 1500 to 2600, then set the clock and your color.
Before the first move
Questions about playing chess legends
Can I play against a chess legend for free?
Yes. You can start a game without a subscription, account or download.
Which chess legends can I choose?
The roster contains 34 players from the Romantic, Classical, Soviet and Modern eras. Use the search and filters to narrow the list.
Can every chess legend use any strength?
Yes. Choose the approximate Lichess scale from 600 to 3000 or FIDE scale from 1500 to 2600, both in 100-point steps.
Which player should a beginner choose?
Choose a familiar name, start near your usual rapid rating on the matching scale, and adjust the strength after several games.
What does the strength slider measure?
It is an approximate playing-strength target for this game. It is not the player's historical rating and is not a rating conversion.
What do 3+2 and 10+0 mean?
The first number is each side's starting time in minutes. The second is the increment added after every completed legal move.
Can I choose White, Black or a random color?
Yes. Choose the side you control. The starting position decides which color moves first, and Random chooses your side when the game starts.
Can I start from a FEN or PGN?
Yes. Standard chess is the default. Open Starting position to paste a FEN or one PGN. A PGN loads its final mainline position.
Can I play on a phone?
Yes. The board supports tap or drag input and adapts to narrow screens.
Can I undo moves and review the game?
Yes. Undo restores the position and its clock snapshot. Review becomes available after the game ends.