My list (Bill Wall) of the best chess players of all time (my opinion only) is as follows: Player Peak_Year (Age) Fischer - 1972 (29) Kasparov - 1999 (36) Kramnik - 2001 (26) Anand - 1998 (28) Topalov - 2005 (30) Karpov - 1994 (43) Leko - 2005 (25) Ivanchuk - 2005 (36) Svidler - 2004 (27) Capablanca - 1927 (39) Botvinnik - 1948 (37) Lasker - 1909 (41) Alekhine - 1931 (39) Tal - 1979 (43) Spassky - 1971 (33) Smyslov - 1957 (36) Morphy - 1858 (21) Petrosian - 1963 (34) Ljubojevic - 1975 (26) Adams - 2000 (28) Morozevich - 1991 (21) Anderssen - 1859 (40) Shirov - 2000 (27) Kamsky - 1996 (22) Ponomariov - 2002 (18) Euwe - 1935 (34) Steinitz - 1886 (50) Polgar, Judit - 2005 (28) Bareev - 2003 (36) Bacrot - 2005 (22) Gelfand - 2005 (37) Korchnoi - 1979 (47) Blackburne - 1876 (36) Timman - 1990 (48) Short - 2004 (38) Reshevsky - 1953 (42) Kasimdzhanov - 2001 (21) Bronstein - 1951 (27) Keres - 1948 (32) Lautier - 2002 (28) Yusupov - 1995 (35) Fine - 1938 (24) Beliavsky - 1997 (43) Portisch - 1980 (42) Geller - 1962 (37) Khalifman - 2001 (35) Ehlvest - 1996 (33) Boleslavsky - 1950 (31) Sokolov - 2004 (35) Vaganian - 2005 (36) Andersson - 1997 (45) Huebner - 1981 (33) Larsen - 1968 (33) Rubinstein - 1912 (30) Polugaevsky - 1979 (45) Mecking - 1976 (24) Ribli - 1988 (37) Pillsbury - 1900 (28) Nunn - 1988 (33) Kavalek - 1974 (31) Hort - 1977 (33) Taimanov - 1970 (44) Stein - 1970 (36) Maroczy - 1906 (36) Nimzovich - 1926 (40) Seirawan - 1988 (28) Gulko - 1988 (41) Miles - 1984 (29) Bogoljubow - 1928 (39) Tarrasch - 1908 (46) Gligoric - 1970 (47) Najdorf - 1947 (37) Flohr - 1937 (29) Schlechter - 1910 (36) Salov - 1995 (30) Dreev - 2003 (34) Duras - 1908 (26) Krasenkow - 2000 (36) Bernstein - 1907 (25) Chigorin - 1889 (39) Zukertort - 1886 (44) Grischuk - 2003 (19) Akopian - 2005 (33) Smirin - 2001 (33) Azmaiparashvili - 2003 (43) Onischuk - 2001 (25) Kaidanov - 2002 (42) Yermolinksy - 1998 (39) Van Wely - 2001 (28) Piket - 1995 (25) Tiviakov - 2005 (32) Glek - 1996 (34) Gheorghiu - 1980 (36) Byrne, R - 1973 (45) Balashov - 1980 (31) Kholmov - 1963 (38) Szabo - 1956 (39) Averbakh - 1954 (32) Kotov - 1952 (39) Furman - 1947 (27) Vidmar - 1926 (41) Nakamura - 2005 (17) Kashdan - 1935 (30) Tartakover - 1927 (40) Reti - 1929 (39) Marshall - 1932 (30)