Play Chess Against Leonid Stein

Leonid Stein (1934-1973), the attacking genius who won three Soviet titles in four years, sits across the board. Set the strength, clock, color and starting position, then press Start game.

Play Stein now

Portrait of Leonid Stein — Leonid Stein, 1934-1973.

Black · Leonid Stein10:00

Choose the settings, then press Start game.

White · You10:00

Leonid Steinhistorical player

Preparing the board.

Set the game on the right. Start unlocks the board and starts the side-to-move clock.

Set up your game against Leonid Stein

Leonid Stein stays selected. Choose the playing strength, clock, color and starting position.

OpponentLeonid SteinStrength1500Clock10+5You playWhite

Opponent

Leonid Stein remains selected while you choose the settings for this game.

Leonid Stein1934-1973

Playing strength

Legend playing strength100-point steps

1500

1500Stein, 1500 Elo target2600

Time control

The first number is the starting time in minutes. The second is the increment after each completed legal move.

Your color

Starting position optional

All chess legends

Start game locks these settings and begins the selected clock. Change setup unlocks them for a new game.

About Leonid Stein

Leonid Stein (1934-1973) was one of the most feared attacking players of the Soviet school. Based in Lvov, he won the USSR championship three times in four years, a feat matched by very few in the toughest national event in chess. Twice he scored well enough in Interzonals to reach the Candidates, only to be blocked by the rule limiting how many Soviets could advance. He died of a heart attack at 38, on the eve of another Interzonal, and the game lost a player many believed still had a title run in him.

3x USSR championWon the Soviet championship in 1963, 1965 and 1966, three titles in four years

Ukrainian championWon the championship of Ukraine in 1960 while developing in the Lvov chess scene

Moscow 1967 winnerTook first prize at the elite Moscow international ahead of a field of Soviet greats

Blocked by the quotaScored well enough at two Interzonals to advance, but a cap on Soviet players shut the door

1934
Born in Ukraine
Leonid Stein was born on 12 November 1934 in Kamenets-Podolsky, then in the Soviet Ukraine.
1960
Ukrainian champion
Won the championship of Ukraine, emerging from the Lvov chess scene as a master to watch.
1962
Grandmaster
Awarded the grandmaster title as his results in Soviet events became impossible to ignore.
1963
First Soviet crown
Won the USSR championship after a playoff, the toughest national title in chess.
1964
Blocked at Amsterdam
Scored well enough at the Amsterdam Interzonal to reach the Candidates, but the cap on Soviet qualifiers shut him out.
1965
Second Soviet crown
Won the USSR championship again, this time outright.
1966
Three in four years
A third Soviet title in four seasons confirmed him as one of the strongest players in the world.
1967
Moscow triumph
Won the elite Moscow international ahead of a field packed with Soviet greats, his finest tournament victory.
1973
Gone at 38
Died suddenly of a heart attack in Moscow on 4 July 1973, days before he was to fly to the Petropolis Interzonal in Brazil.