He held the World Chess Championship from 1960 to 1961.
Eight-time winner of the Chess Olympiads as part of the USSR team.
Learned to read at the age of three, already at an early age showed ability for mathematics (at the age of five multiplied three-digit numbers in mind).
He starred in the popular science film "Seven Steps Beyond the Horizon" (1968), in which he gave a session of a simultaneous blindfold game for 10 games with first-class chess players. Result: 4 wins and 6 draws.