Greatest Chess Talent in History

     I just wanted to start a thread to get everyone's opinion. Typically, people pose the question, "Who is the greatest chess player of all time?" This is a difficult question to answer because it's nearly impossible to compare different players from different time periods. Ali and Tyson, Magic and Jordan, Capablanca and Kasparov: heads and shoulders above the competition of their eras. Lasker, Fischer, etc. were all the dominate players of their age. Moreover, as the history of chess builds, each of the current champions stands taller on the shoulders of giants; each is strengthened from studying the brilliance of the World Chess Champions and invincible grandmasters of old. Rather than asking who is the best, I propose the question:

"Who in history possessed the greatest innate chess ability? Who was the greatest chess talent of all time?"

Lasker, Capablanca, Morphy, Spassky, Tal, Kasparov? Chime in :)

morphy, or capablanca,

How can you tell the difference between innate ability and learned ability?

While few people seem to doubt that prodigies possess certain innate ability, what about a person who wasn't introduced to the game as a child?  How do you guage his natural ability?

I hear some say Capablanca was the greatest natural ever. Usually people say the best player ever was either Fischer or Kasparov. People say Fischer because he was so dynamic, and well, because he's an American :)

People say Kasparov because of his extensive resume, recency, and just general all-around flat out dominance. It's hard to say who was the best.

I guess I try to distinguish between innate ability and learned talent because the top players today can have a lot of learned talent, but it's the original greats who made chess what it is today. The fact that things like the Ruy Lopez and Morphy's Defense still being as dominate now as they were then is something amazing! How could would Carlsen or Anand be today without Lasker or Capablanca?

Well obviously Tal the Tactical Genius!!!

I mean nonone can compare with him!!

It might even be this Mir Sultan Khan (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mir_Sultan_Khan), but we'll never know now. He displayed amazing strength given his limited experience and study. However, the true test is peak improvement with study. It matters less who can progress fastest at first and much more who has the maximum potential after full investment.

The players who demonstrated the most innate talent...I guess this would be a child prodigy. Capablanca and Morphy come to mind and even Reshevsky though he never rose as high as the former two.

Hmm I've never heard of Reshevsky. What country is he from?

i believe that karpov is the best player ever until now

I don't think it really matters one way or the other. Your either gonna dedicate your life to the game and become great, or your not, bottom line.

Lazslo Polgar (father of Susan, Judit and Sonia Polgar) wanted to teach his daughters chess so he could prove that genius' are "Made" not "Born".

Well, he must've been right...as we all know the three Polgar sisters all turned out to be exceptionally strong chess players.

Probably me.

He never got a head-to-head match for the world title but he had his shots in several Candidates (both

tournament and match formats). He did manage to beat Botvinnik in a 4-game

match (USA v. USSR) though when Bot was still world champ.

napolean obviously, he only lost to some random turkish dude.  That was it... one loss ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

He even has an opening names after him, does fischer or kasparov?

(sarcasm)

from what i have read and studied, capablanca 

Capablanca seems to be taking the early lead in the polls.

Kasparov looks like he's probably second so far.

Reshevsky is a surprising wild card that is pretty much even with Kasparov.

We also have a Tal fan :)

No one is backing Fischer yet, though Morphy got a shout out.

Sultan Khan. He was illiterate and therefore couldn't read any chess books.

Given this, I also think he has a winning record against both Lasker and Capablanca.

paul morphy, he made beating masters look like taking candy from a little kid

I think Capablanca had the most innate chess talent. He was World Champion for a while, even while having the reputation of being the laziest grandmaster in the world.

brandonQDSH, chess players like to discuss this question. I think you may have wanted a different pair than Magic (1979-1996) and Jordan (1984-2003) since their careers were largely contemporary. That does not take away from the question. It is a matter of opinion with various answers and reasons. Capablanca is always a safe pick. The success of the Polgar sisters does not prove anyone can be a master. They seem to have had a good mix of environment and heredity that was closer to unique than to "anyone."