Soviet chess master who played in the Soviet Chess Championship finals nine times only to later become a chess organizer, Teacher, and coach.
He performed very well at the 1931 Soviet Chess Championship.
He was Chairman of the USSR Chess Federation from 1959 to 1961 and in 1983 he was awarded an Honorary Emeritus Grandmaster title by FIDE.
He was born and raised in Moscow, Russia.
He was overshadowed by his rival Mikhail Botvinik for much of his career.
