Ilya Kan

(Russian Илья Абрамович Кан; born May 4, 1909 in Samara; † December 18, 1978) was a Soviet chess player. Between 1929 and 1955 Kan participated ten times in the Soviet national championships. His best placing was in Odessa in 1929, when he finished 3rd. He performed more successfully in the Moscow championship. In 1936 he won the championship together with Vladimir Alatortsev, and in 1931 and 1937 he finished second. He was awarded the title of International Master by FIDE in 1950. Ilya Kan lived in Moscow and worked as a lawyer. He coached World Champion Mikhail Botvinnik in 1952 and 1954 in the preparation of the World Championship matches. Kan was an important opening theorist. His innovations in the Sicilian Defense, for example, were part of the repertoire of World Champion Anatoly Karpov. He was still playing tournaments in Tashkent in the 1970s.

His highest historical Elo rating was 2656 in June 1945, according to which he was 15th in the world rankings at that time.