Efim Bogoljubov vs Tigran Petrosian
Two chess prodigies, compared on what is actually documented: field, era, country and record. No invented numbers.
The record, side by side
| Efim Bogoljubov | Tigran Petrosian | |
| Field | Sports | Sports |
| Sub-field | Chess | Chess |
| Born | 1889 | 1929 |
| Died | 1952 | 1984 |
| Country of birth | Russia | Russia |
| Star sign | Aries | Taurus |
Who they are
Efim Bogoljubov
A story — possibly apocryphal, certainly too good not to record — holds that when someone asked Efim Bogoljubov why he was so confident before a particular game, he replied: "When I have White, I win because I have White. When I have Black, I win because I am Bogoljubov." The line captures the man perfectly: large ego, enormous confidence, an infectious delight in chess, and enough genuine talent to partially justify every bit of it. Bogoljubov was not quite the best chess player of his era, but he was very nearly so, and the…
Full biography of Efim Bogoljubov →
Tigran Petrosian
Among the nine World Chess Champions who preceded Bobby Fischer, none was more mysterious or more misunderstood than Tigran Vartanovich Petrosian. Called "Iron Tigran" by his contemporaries, he held the world championship from 1963 to 1969 by mastering a form of chess so different from anything that had come before that even grandmasters who studied his games found them difficult to fully understand. He did not win by attacking, by brilliant sacrifices, or by tactical fireworks. He won by ensuring, with a near-supernatural foresight, that his opponents could never do anything to him at all.
Full biography of Tigran Petrosian →
What they share
- Both are held here under Sports.
- Same sub-field: Chess.
- Both born in Russia.
- Their lifetimes overlap.
Where they part
- 40 years separate their births (1889 and 1929).
Questions people ask
- Who came first, Efim Bogoljubov or Tigran Petrosian?
- Efim Bogoljubov. Efim Bogoljubov was born in 1889, Tigran Petrosian in 1929.
- What field is each of them in?
- Efim Bogoljubov is filed under Sports (Chess). Tigran Petrosian is filed under Sports (Chess).
- Were they contemporaries?
- Yes - their lifetimes overlap.