Tigran Petrosian

Lore & Background

Petrosian was born to Armenian parents on 17 June 1929 in Tbilisi, Georgian SSR. He learned chess at age eight, though his illiterate father Vartan encouraged him to continue studying, thinking chess unlikely to bring success. Orphaned during World War II, Petrosian swept streets to earn a living. In a 1969 Time interview, he recalled: "I started sweeping streets in the middle of the winter and it was horrible... I was a weak boy.

And I was ashamed of being a street sweeper." Around this time his hearing began to deteriorate. He used his rations to buy Chess Praxis by Aron Nimzowitsch, which he later said had the greatest influence on him, and also purchased The Art of Sacrifice in Chess by Rudolf Spielmann. At age 12 he trained at the Tiflis Palace of Pioneers under Archil Ebralidze, a supporter of Nimzowitsch and Capablanca, developing a repertoire of solid positional openings like the Caro–Kann Defence.

After just one year, he defeated visiting Soviet grandmaster Salo Flohr at a simultaneous exhibition. By 1946 he earned the title of Candidate Master, drew against Grandmaster Paul Keres at the Georgian Chess Championship, then moved to Yerevan where he won the Armenian Chess Championship and the USSR Junior Chess Championship. He earned the title of Master during the 1947 USSR Chess Championship. After moving to Moscow in 1949, he placed second in the 1951 Soviet Championship, earning the title of international master.

He earned the title of Grandmaster by coming in second in the 1952 Stockholm Interzonal, and qualified for the 1953 Candidates Tournament, where he placed fifth. After a stagnant period, he won his first USSR Championship in 1959, and a second in 1961. He won the 1962 Candidates Tournament in Curaçao with 17½ points, ahead of Efim Geller and Paul Keres (17 each) and Bobby Fischer (14). Fischer accused the Soviet players of arranging draws; all 12 games between Petrosian, Geller, and Keres were draws, averaging 19 moves per game versus 39.5 against others.

Reigning World Champion

FIDE later adjusted rules. Petrosian then defeated Mikhail Botvinnik 5–2 with 15 draws to win the 1963 World Championship. He successfully defended the title in 1966 against Boris Spassky, winning rather than drawing the match—a feat not accomplished since Alexander Alekhine defeated Efim Bogoljubov in 1934. Spassky defeated Geller, Bent Larsen, and Viktor Korchnoi in the next candidates cycle, earning a rematch in 1969, which Spassky won 12½–10½.

Petrosian was a candidate for the World Championship on eight occasions (1953, 1956, 1959, 1962, 1971, 1974, 1977, 1980) and was the defending World Champion or a Candidate in ten consecutive three-year cycles. He won the Soviet Championship four times (1959, 1961, 1969, 1975). As champion, he campaigned for a Soviet-wide chess newspaper, which became 64.

Later career

He earned a Master of Philosophical Science degree from Yerevan State University; his 1968 thesis was titled "Chess Logic, Some Problems of the Logic of Chess Thought." In 1976 he signed a petition condemning the defector Viktor Korchnoi, continuing a bitter feud dating back to their 1974 Candidates semifinal, where Petrosian withdrew after five games trailing 1½–3½. Their 1977 match saw the two refuse to shake hands or speak, demanding separate eating and toilet facilities. Petrosian lost the match and was fired as editor of 64. Botvinnik spoke on his behalf, stating Petrosian only attacked when he felt secure, and his greatest strength was in defence.

Reader's Guide

Tigran Petrosian's significance lies in his unique defensive style, which earned him the nickname "Iron Tigran" and made him one of the most difficult players to defeat. His emphasis on safety above all else revolutionized defensive play in chess. He is often credited with popularizing chess in Armenia. Petrosian's career spanned ten consecutive three-year cycles as either defending World Champion or a Candidate, demonstrating remarkable consistency.

His 1963 victory over Botvinnik ended the latter's long reign, and his 1966 title defense against Spassky was the first time a champion won the match rather than drawing since 1934. The controversy surrounding the 1962 Candidates Tournament, where Bobby Fischer accused Soviet players of collusion—noting all 12 games between Petrosian, Geller, and Keres were draws, averaging 19 moves per game versus 39.5 against others—led to FIDE rule changes. Petrosian's cautious approach, while sometimes criticized, proved highly effective in match play.

As champion, he campaigned for a Soviet-wide chess newspaper, which became 64, and earned a Master of Philosophical Science degree from Yerevan State University with a 1968 thesis on chess logic. His later career included a bitter feud with Viktor Korchnoi: in 1974 Petrosian withdrew from their Candidates semifinal after five games trailing 1½–3½, and in 1977 they refused to shake hands or speak, demanding separate eating and toilet facilities. Petrosian lost that match and was fired as editor of 64. Botvinnik defended him, stating Petrosian only attacked when he felt secure, and his greatest strength was in defence.