| Alexander Kotov | |
|---|---|
 Kotov in 1967 | |
| Full name | Alexander Alexandrovich Kotov |
| Country | Soviet Union |
| Born | 12 August 1913 Tula, Russian Empire |
| Died | 8 January 1981 (aged 67) Moscow, Soviet Union |
| Title | Grandmaster (1950) |
| Peak rating | 2510 (July 1971) |
Alexander Alexandrovich Kotov (Алекса́ндр Алекса́ндрович Ко́тов; (12 August [O.S. 30 July] 1913 – 8 January 1981) was a Soviet chess grandmaster and author. He was a Soviet chess champion, a two-time world title Candidate, and a prolific writer on the subject of chess. Kotov served in high posts in the Soviet Chess Federation, and wrote most of his books during the Cold War. The importance and breadth of Kotov's work rank him among the all-time greats in this field.