Viacheslav Vasilyevich Ragozin (1908-1962) was a notable Soviet chess Grandmaster, chess writer, and World Correspondence Chess champion. He was best known for his role as a chess trainer for some of the world's top players, as well as his work in chess magazine editorial staff positions and his contributions to 'Chess in the USSR'.
Ragozin was one of the key figures of Soviet chess supremacy. He won various national and international chess accolitions, such as the Moscow Championships in 1935 and 1938, the USSR Championships in 1945 and 1947, and the 2nd World Correspondence Chess Championship in 1956-1959. He was awarded the International Master title in 1950 and the Grandmaster title in 1951 by FIDE, the international chess federation.
Ragozin additionally played a significant role in the development of modern chess, especially the Ragozin variation of the Queen's Gambit Declined. He was a pioneer of remote, or correspondence, chess games. As a writer, Ragozin was a chief editor of '64' Chess Review for 17 years.
From 1946 until his death in 1962, Ragozin also held positions with the FIDE and the USSR Chess Federation, including USSR team captain and vice-president of FIDE. His influence over Soviet chess extended through his work as a trainer, notably as the coach of world champions Mikhail Botvinnik and Tigran Petrosian.