The World Chess Championship – History, Champions & Latest Matches

The first official World Chess Championship match. Steinitz’s victory marked the birth of the modern World Championship title and the beginning of positional chess theory.

Lasker defeated Steinitz to become the second World Champion, holding the title for an incredible 27 years, the longest reign in history.

Capablanca ended Lasker’s reign with a dominant performance, showcasing his natural talent and near-invincible endgame technique.

Alekhine stunned the chess world by defeating Capablanca, ending the Cuban’s unbeaten run and introducing more aggressive, dynamic play to the title.

Max Euwe, a schoolteacher, shocked the chess world by defeating Alekhine, the reigning champion, in one of the biggest upsets in chess history.

Alekhine regained the title with a convincing victory, reaffirming his status as one of the strongest players ever.

Alekhine died mysteriously during WWII, leaving the World Championship title vacant and the chess world in disarray.

In the first post-war championship, Botvinnik narrowly held his title against David Bronstein in a tense, drawn match filled with psychological drama.

Botvinnik retained the title in a closely fought match, showcasing Soviet dominance in chess.

Smyslov finally took the title after years of near misses, only to lose it back to Botvinnik in the rematch.

Mikhail Tal, the “Magician from Riga,” won the World Championship with his aggressive and daring style, thrilling fans worldwide.

Botvinnik avenged his loss by winning back the title, emphasizing the importance of solid technique.

Tigran Petrosian, known for his impenetrable defense, became champion by outmaneuvering Botvinnik in a match full of strategic depth.

Boris Spassky defeated Petrosian with a versatile style, blending strategy and tactics, becoming the tenth World Champion.

The “Match of the Century” in Reykjavik, Iceland, marked a Cold War showdown. Fischer’s win ended Soviet dominance and brought global attention to chess.

Fischer refused to defend his title over disputes about match conditions, and Anatoly Karpov became champion by default.

A dramatic Cold War-era match filled with psychological battles, paranoia, and even allegations of witchcraft, with Karpov narrowly defending his title.

Karpov again held off Korchnoi in a less tense but fiercely competitive rematch.

The match was halted without result after 48 games due to exhaustion. Kasparov won the rematch in 1985, becoming the youngest World Champion at 22.

A series of tense, highly technical matches that defined a legendary rivalry and pushed chess to new theoretical heights.

The first man vs machine World Championship match, where Kasparov lost one game but won the overall match against IBM’s supercomputer.

Deep Blue won decisively, marking a historic moment where a computer defeated the reigning World Champion.

Kasparov defended his title against Anand, a rising star, in a tense and closely contested match.

Kasparov split from FIDE to create the Professional Chess Association, leading to two rival world champions.

Vladimir Kramnik defeated Kasparov without losing a game, ending Kasparov’s 15-year reign and unifying the classical title.

A match filled with controversy and accusations of cheating, but Kramnik emerged victorious, defending his title.

Anand became World Champion by defeating Kramnik, showcasing his deep preparation and universal style.

Anand defended his title in a closely fought match with key games showing incredible endgame technique.

Anand narrowly held off Gelfand in a match decided by rapid tiebreak games.

Magnus Carlsen won the World Championship, signaling the rise of a new chess era dominated by young talent and universal styles.

Carlsen convincingly defended his title, demonstrating superior strategic and endgame skills.

A thrilling match decided in rapid tiebreaks after a tense classical battle, showcasing nerves of steel.

Although not a World Championship match, their encounters in rapid and blitz highlighted modern top-level rivalry and skill.

The first World Championship match where all classical games were drawn, with Carlsen winning in rapid tiebreaks.

One of the closest modern matches, showing deep strategic battles and high drama, solidifying Ding as a top contender.

Kasparov vs Karpov match lasted 48 games before being controversially halted, showcasing extreme stamina and psychological endurance.

Kasparov became the youngest ever World Champion at age 22, a record that still stands.

Emanuel Lasker won the title at 32 but held it for 27 years, retiring at age 58.

Fischer became the first American World Champion, breaking the Soviet dominance.

Soviet players held the World Championship for over four decades, with intensive state support and training.

Founded in 1927, notable champions include Vera Menchik, Nona Gaprindashvili, and Judit Polgar (who mostly competed in the open section).

The women’s title has been separate but with increasing integration of women players competing at the top open level.

A fiercely competitive tournament that determines the challenger for the World Championship, historically producing intense rivalries.

Official FIDE titles for faster formats, highlighting different skills from classical matches.

A variation of chess where the starting position is randomized, championed by Fischer and now officially recognized.

Marked the end of an era and transition to the Carlsen generation.

Carlsen has held the title for over a decade, known for grinding out wins in seemingly equal positions.

Modern champions use powerful engines for preparation, changing how matches are studied and played.

Many matches have been decided by psychological strength, including Fischer’s mental toughness and Karpov-Korchnoi paranoia.

From Havana (Capablanca) to Reykjavik (Fischer-Spassky) to Dubai (Carlsen-Anand), venues have played a role in the drama and legacy of each match.

The World Chess Championship is the official contest to determine the world’s best chess player, held since 1886.

As of 2025, Gukesh D (India) is the reigning World Chess Champion, having recently won the title.

The World Chess Championship match is usually held every two years, with a Candidates Tournament deciding the challenger.

The Candidates Tournament is a highly competitive event where top grandmasters compete to earn the right to challenge the reigning World Champion.

The match typically consists of a series of classical games with long time controls. If tied, rapid and blitz tiebreaks are used to determine the winner.

Live broadcasts are available on official FIDE websites, Chess.com, Twitch streams, and YouTube channels dedicated to chess.

Legends include Emanuel Lasker, José Capablanca, Alexander Alekhine, Bobby Fischer, Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, Magnus Carlsen, and Gukesh D among others.

Fischer’s 1972 victory ended Soviet dominance, popularized chess globally, and introduced new levels of preparation and professionalism to the game.

Computer engines now play a vital role in players’ preparation, deepening opening knowledge and changing match dynamics.

Yes, the Women’s World Chess Championship is a separate title with its own cycle and has been held since 1927.

Chess960 (Fischer Random) randomizes the starting position. FIDE now recognizes official World Championships in this exciting variant.

These are official FIDE championships for faster time controls, testing quick thinking and reflexes rather than long strategic planning.

Qualification includes top finishers from the previous Candidates, World Cup, Grand Prix series, and rating qualifiers.

Venues are typically selected by FIDE in partnership with sponsors and host cities, often with historic or symbolic significance.

Studying annotated games from championships helps players understand top-level strategies, tactics, and psychological battles.

It was played between Wilhelm Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort, with Steinitz becoming the first official champion.

He revolutionized chess by formalizing positional play and defending his title until 1894.

Lasker’s reign from 1894 to 1921 is the longest in history, demonstrating incredible endurance and adaptability.

His effortless style and almost flawless technique made him one of the greatest champions from 1921 to 1927.

Born in Russia, Alekhine won the title in 1927 and introduced a dynamic attacking style.

His win was one of the greatest upsets in championship history.

His death caused the first-ever break in the World Chess Championship lineage.

He won the 1948 championship tournament after WWII, beginning Soviet dominance.

Tal’s imaginative and aggressive style thrilled audiences worldwide.

His victory over Boris Spassky ended Soviet dominance and brought chess into global spotlight.

This led to Anatoly Karpov becoming champion by default.

He is known for his precise, strategic style and long-lasting rivalry with Kasparov.

He redefined chess with deep preparation and aggressive play.

The players were exhausted, and FIDE controversially ended the match.

This marked the beginning of Kasparov’s 15-year reign.

Their rivalry pushed chess theory and preparation to unprecedented levels.

This event marked a turning point in man vs machine competition.

Kramnik introduced new ideas that neutralized Kasparov’s openings.

This created two rival champions, confusing the chess world until reunification.

Anand’s universal style and rapid calculation earned him multiple titles.

He is known for his endgame skills and resourcefulness in equal positions.

Carlsen won the title by dominating rapid tiebreaks.

It features the world’s top grandmasters competing intensely for the right to challenge the champion.

If the match is tied, rapid and blitz tiebreak games decide the winner.

This political context increased worldwide attention to the event.

This approach is now standard among top players preparing for championships.

This means the champion defends the title directly against a challenger.

Menchik dominated early women’s chess and even competed in men’s tournaments.

She focused on competing in the open section against the best male players.

This variant randomizes the starting position, emphasizing creativity and quick thinking.

For example, the 2006 Kramnik-Topalov match had accusations of illicit behavior.

This trend reflects faster learning and access to powerful training tools.

From Botvinnik to Kasparov, Soviet chess schools dominated for decades.

His rating dominance reflects his long-standing World Champion status.

Venues include Havana, Reykjavik, London, New York, and Dubai.

Lasker’s intellect extended far beyond chess.

This extreme endurance test is one of the longest World Championship matches ever played.

His versatility across time controls is unmatched in modern chess.

The 1997 match was the first time a computer defeated a reigning World Champion in a match.

Notable works include “Pawn Sacrifice” about Fischer and the “Magnus” documentary.

For example, Fischer’s refusal to defend in 1975 led to Karpov winning by default.

Examples include Capablanca’s “Chess Fundamentals” and Kasparov’s “My Great Predecessors.”

The current trophy is called the “World Chess Championship Trophy,” created in 2013.

Examples include Karpov vs Korchnoi’s 1978 match with intense off-board antics.

This builds anticipation and sometimes fuels rivalries.

Early exposure is common among top-level players.

This unmatched global audience was unprecedented for chess.

Cold War rivalries often added extra drama to USSR vs USA clashes.

Modern championships often feature prize funds in the millions of dollars.

These innovations often redefine opening theory for decades.