GMRafael A Vaganian

ARM Born 1951 Male
FIDE ID
13300016

About Rafael A Vaganian

Rafael Vaganian was born in Armenia in 1951 and became a GM in 1971 after winning at Vrnjačka Banja ahead of Leonid Stein and Ljubomir Ljubojević. His tournament victories included Hastings in 1982-83 and the 1985 Biel Interzonal. He reached the Candidates matches in 1986 and 1988. Show more

Rafael Vaganian was born in Armenia in 1951 and became a GM in 1971 after winning at Vrnjačka Banja ahead of Leonid Stein and Ljubomir Ljubojević. His tournament victories included Hastings in 1982-83 and the 1985 Biel Interzonal. He reached the Candidates matches in 1986 and 1988. In 1989 he won the Soviet championship in Odesa.

Vaganian represented both the Soviet Union and Armenia in international team events. At the 2004 Olympiad he earned third-board gold and helped Armenia win team bronze. His later career included the 2019 World Senior Championship title in the over-sixty-five section and coaching junior players in Armenia. He is married to WIM Irina Vaganian.

FIDE ratings

Classical

2431

Published FIDE

Rapid

2416

Published FIDE

Blitz

2439

Published FIDE

Official classical ranks

World rank
#1221
National rank · ARM
#20

Active players · Nov 2026 FIDE list ⓘ

Rating milestones

Highest recorded rating
2670 Jan 2005
Recorded years
2001–2026
Archived games
823

Based on available monthly lists and saved games.

Rating history

FIDE rating history

Published rating lists through Nov 2026.

Download chart or data

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Games

Published games available in our archive; coverage varies by tournament. Archive last checked: 2026-11-11 (UTC).

Online games are identified from known tournament names, playing sites and PGN mode. Other games are listed as OTB (over-the-board).

# Date Event Site Round White Black Result Moves View
751 1988 URS-ch55 Moscow - Smyslov, Vasily Vaganian, Rafael A Draw: 1/2-1/2 49 Open
752 1970 Sochi schev Sochi - Vaganian, Rafael A Tal, Mikhail Lost: 0-1 39 Open
753 1975 Vilnius zt Vilnius 6 Vaganian, Rafael A Bronstein, David I Won: 1-0 58 Open
754 1985 Candidats Tournament Montpellier 6 Vaganian, Rafael A Spassky, Boris V. Lost: 0-1 73 Open
755 1993 Tilburg Tilburg 1 Bronstein, David I Vaganian, Rafael A Draw: 1/2-1/2 45 Open
756 1993 Groningen PCA Groningen 4 Vaganian, Rafael A Khalifman, Alexander Draw: 1/2-1/2 75 Open
757 1980 Baden Vienna 13 Spassky, Boris V. Vaganian, Rafael A Draw: 1/2-1/2 16 Open
758 1970 URS-ch38 Riga Riga 16 Karpov, Anatoly Vaganian, Rafael A Lost: 1-0 42 Open
759 1971 URS-ch39 Leningrad - Vaganian, Rafael A Smyslov, Vasily Draw: 1/2-1/2 38 Open
760 1983 URS-ch50 Moscow - Tal, Mikhail Vaganian, Rafael A Draw: 1/2-1/2 23 Open
761 1990 GMA-qual f Moscow 2 Khalifman, Alexander Vaganian, Rafael A Lost: 1-0 82 Open
762 1989 World Cup Barcelona - Vaganian, Rafael A Spassky, Boris V. Draw: 1/2-1/2 16 Open
763 1973 Tungsram Budapest Budapest 12 Karpov, Anatoly Vaganian, Rafael A Lost: 1-0 59 Open
764 1976 URS-ch44 Moscow - Vaganian, Rafael A Karpov, Anatoly Lost: 0-1 53 Open
765 1993 Moscow blitz Moscow - Vaganian, Rafael A Karpov, Anatoly Draw: 1/2-1/2 28 Open
766 1995 Horgen Horgen 10 Kramnik, Vladimir Vaganian, Rafael A Lost: 1-0 35 Open
767 1993 Moscow blitz Moscow - Smyslov, Vasily Vaganian, Rafael A Draw: 1/2-1/2 32 Open
768 1989 World Cup Rotterdam - Vaganian, Rafael A Karpov, Anatoly Draw: 1/2-1/2 15 Open
769 1991 Bled/Rogaska Slatina Bled 3 Vaganian, Rafael A Khalifman, Alexander Draw: 1/2-1/2 13 Open
770 1989 World Cup Skelleftea - Vaganian, Rafael A Karpov, Anatoly Draw: 1/2-1/2 17 Open
771 1977 October Revolution 60 Leningrad - Smyslov, Vasily Vaganian, Rafael A Draw: 1/2-1/2 59 Open
772 1993 Wch Team Luzern 8 Kramnik, Vladimir Vaganian, Rafael A Draw: 1/2-1/2 40 Open
773 1993 Moscow blitz Moscow - Khalifman, Alexander Vaganian, Rafael A Draw: 1/2-1/2 34 Open
774 1986 Sochi Sochi 5 Smyslov, Vasily Vaganian, Rafael A Draw: 1/2-1/2 42 Open
775 1985 Candidats Tournament Montpellier 2 Vaganian, Rafael A Smyslov, Vasily Draw: 1/2-1/2 72 Open
776 1969 URS-ch U18 playoff Leningrad 9 Vaganian, Rafael A Karpov, Anatoly Draw: 1/2-1/2 53 Open
777 1987 Moscow TV Moscow - Smyslov, Vasily Vaganian, Rafael A Won: 0-1 53 Open
778 1989 World Cup Skelleftea - Tal, Mikhail Vaganian, Rafael A Draw: 1/2-1/2 16 Open
779 1973 Moscow-3teams Moscow 3 Vaganian, Rafael A Smyslov, Vasily Won: 1-0 38 Open
780 1993 Rostov Rostov - Smyslov, Vasily Vaganian, Rafael A Won: 0-1 47 Open
781 1995 Horgen Horgen 11 Vaganian, Rafael A Kasparov, Garry Draw: 1/2-1/2 16 Open
782 1989 World Cup Barcelona - Vaganian, Rafael A Kasparov, Garry Draw: 1/2-1/2 43 Open
783 1979 URS-ch47 Minsk - Tal, Mikhail Vaganian, Rafael A Won: 0-1 53 Open
784 1985 Linares Linares - Spassky, Boris V. Vaganian, Rafael A Lost: 1-0 39 Open
785 1988 URS-ch55 Moscow - Karpov, Anatoly Vaganian, Rafael A Draw: 1/2-1/2 38 Open
786 1975 Moscow Moscow - Vaganian, Rafael A Spassky, Boris V. Lost: 0-1 47 Open
787 1971 URS-ch39 Leningrad - Vaganian, Rafael A Bronstein, David I Lost: 0-1 41 Open
788 1988 Wch-blitz Saint John 5 Vaganian, Rafael A Tal, Mikhail Lost: 0-1 63 Open
789 1995 Novgorod Novgorod 7 Vaganian, Rafael A Kramnik, Vladimir Lost: 0-1 49 Open
790 1983 Keres mem Tallinn 15 Vaganian, Rafael A Tal, Mikhail Draw: 1/2-1/2 13 Open
791 1976 URS-ch44 Moscow - Petrosian, Tigran V Vaganian, Rafael A Won: 0-1 30 Open
792 1988 Wch-blitz Saint John 5 Tal, Mikhail Vaganian, Rafael A Lost: 1-0 48 Open
793 1979 Tallinn Tallinn 1 Vaganian, Rafael A Petrosian, Tigran V Draw: 1/2-1/2 14 Open
794 1983 Tilburg Tilburg - Vaganian, Rafael A Karpov, Anatoly Draw: 1/2-1/2 13 Open
795 1969 URS-ch U18 playoff Leningrad 3 Karpov, Anatoly Vaganian, Rafael A Draw: 1/2-1/2 45 Open
796 1975 Moscow Moscow - Vaganian, Rafael A Tal, Mikhail Draw: 1/2-1/2 13 Open
797 1995 Novgorod Novgorod 5 Kasparov, Garry Vaganian, Rafael A Lost: 1-0 24 Open
798 1973 Dubna Dubna - Tal, Mikhail Vaganian, Rafael A Lost: 1-0 15 Open
799 1988 URS-ch55 Moscow - Vaganian, Rafael A Kasparov, Garry Draw: 1/2-1/2 34 Open
800 1969 URS-ch U18 playoff Leningrad 5 Vaganian, Rafael A Karpov, Anatoly Lost: 0-1 30 Open
  1. vs Smyslov, VasilyDraw · ½–½Black · 1988URS-ch55
  2. vs Tal, MikhailLost · 0-1White · 1970Sochi schev
  3. vs Bronstein, David IWon · 1-0White · 1975 · Round 6Vilnius zt
  4. vs Spassky, Boris V.Lost · 0-1White · 1985 · Round 6Candidats Tournament
  5. vs Bronstein, David IDraw · ½–½Black · 1993 · Round 1Tilburg
  6. vs Khalifman, AlexanderDraw · ½–½White · 1993 · Round 4Groningen PCA
  7. vs Spassky, Boris V.Draw · ½–½Black · 1980 · Round 13Baden
  8. vs Karpov, AnatolyLost · 1-0Black · 1970 · Round 16URS-ch38 Riga
  9. vs Smyslov, VasilyDraw · ½–½White · 1971URS-ch39
  10. vs Tal, MikhailDraw · ½–½Black · 1983URS-ch50
  11. vs Khalifman, AlexanderLost · 1-0Black · 1990 · Round 2GMA-qual f
  12. vs Spassky, Boris V.Draw · ½–½White · 1989World Cup
  13. vs Karpov, AnatolyLost · 1-0Black · 1973 · Round 12Tungsram Budapest
  14. vs Karpov, AnatolyLost · 0-1White · 1976URS-ch44
  15. vs Karpov, AnatolyDraw · ½–½White · 1993Moscow blitz
  16. vs Kramnik, VladimirLost · 1-0Black · 1995 · Round 10Horgen
  17. vs Smyslov, VasilyDraw · ½–½Black · 1993Moscow blitz
  18. vs Karpov, AnatolyDraw · ½–½White · 1989World Cup
  19. vs Khalifman, AlexanderDraw · ½–½White · 1991 · Round 3Bled/Rogaska Slatina
  20. vs Karpov, AnatolyDraw · ½–½White · 1989World Cup
  21. vs Smyslov, VasilyDraw · ½–½Black · 1977October Revolution 60
  22. vs Kramnik, VladimirDraw · ½–½Black · 1993 · Round 8Wch Team
  23. vs Khalifman, AlexanderDraw · ½–½Black · 1993Moscow blitz
  24. vs Smyslov, VasilyDraw · ½–½Black · 1986 · Round 5Sochi
  25. vs Smyslov, VasilyDraw · ½–½White · 1985 · Round 2Candidats Tournament
  26. vs Karpov, AnatolyDraw · ½–½White · 1969 · Round 9URS-ch U18 playoff
  27. vs Smyslov, VasilyWon · 0-1Black · 1987Moscow TV
  28. vs Tal, MikhailDraw · ½–½Black · 1989World Cup
  29. vs Smyslov, VasilyWon · 1-0White · 1973 · Round 3Moscow-3teams
  30. vs Smyslov, VasilyWon · 0-1Black · 1993Rostov
  31. vs Kasparov, GarryDraw · ½–½White · 1995 · Round 11Horgen
  32. vs Kasparov, GarryDraw · ½–½White · 1989World Cup
  33. vs Tal, MikhailWon · 0-1Black · 1979URS-ch47
  34. vs Spassky, Boris V.Lost · 1-0Black · 1985Linares
  35. vs Karpov, AnatolyDraw · ½–½Black · 1988URS-ch55
  36. vs Spassky, Boris V.Lost · 0-1White · 1975Moscow
  37. vs Bronstein, David ILost · 0-1White · 1971URS-ch39
  38. vs Tal, MikhailLost · 0-1White · 1988 · Round 5Wch-blitz
  39. vs Kramnik, VladimirLost · 0-1White · 1995 · Round 7Novgorod
  40. vs Tal, MikhailDraw · ½–½White · 1983 · Round 15Keres mem
  41. vs Petrosian, Tigran VWon · 0-1Black · 1976URS-ch44
  42. vs Tal, MikhailLost · 1-0Black · 1988 · Round 5Wch-blitz
  43. vs Petrosian, Tigran VDraw · ½–½White · 1979 · Round 1Tallinn
  44. vs Karpov, AnatolyDraw · ½–½White · 1983Tilburg
  45. vs Karpov, AnatolyDraw · ½–½Black · 1969 · Round 3URS-ch U18 playoff
  46. vs Tal, MikhailDraw · ½–½White · 1975Moscow
  47. vs Kasparov, GarryLost · 1-0Black · 1995 · Round 5Novgorod
  48. vs Tal, MikhailLost · 1-0Black · 1973Dubna
  49. vs Kasparov, GarryDraw · ½–½White · 1988URS-ch55
  50. vs Karpov, AnatolyLost · 0-1White · 1969 · Round 5URS-ch U18 playoff