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Historical Chess World Champions

Historical Chess World Champions

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Chess World Champions Table

# Champion Date Wins
1 Wilhelm Steinitz 1886 – 1894 4
2 Emanuel Lasker 1894 – 1921 6
3 Jose Raul Capablanca 1921 – 1927 1
4 Alexander Alekhine 1927-35, 1937-46 4
5 Max Euwe 1935 – 1937 1
6 Mikhail Botvinnik 1948-57, 1958-60, 1961-63 5
7 Vasily Smyslov 1957 – 1958 1
8 Mikhail Tal 1960 – 1961 1
9 Tigran Petrosian 1963 – 1969 2
10 Boris Spassky 1969 – 1972 1
11 Bobby Fischer 1972 – 1975 1
12 Anatoly Karpov 1975 – 1985 3
13 Garry Kasparov 1985 – 2000 6
14 Vladimir Kramnik 2000 – 2007 3
15 Viswanathan Anand 2007 – 2013 4
16 Magnus Carlsen 2013 – 2023 5
17 Ding Liren 2023* – present 1

Wilhelm Steinitz | First Chess World Champion (1886-94)

Wilhelm Steinitz-First Chess World Champion
Wilhelm Steinitz / Image Source: Wikimedia

Wilhelm Steinitz, a Bohemian-Austrian chess player, became the first World Chess Champion by defeating Johannes Zukertort in the inaugural championship in 1886. He is recognized as the father of positional chess.

World Chess Championship -1886 | Round 01

Johannes Zukertort vs Wilhelm Steinitz tournaments  | Result 0 – 1

Grandmaster Emanuel Lasker (1894-1921)
GM Emanuel Lasker-Longest Chess World Champion
GM Emanuel Lasker
GM Emanuel Lasker was a German chess player, mathematician, and philosopher. He became World Chess Champion in 1894 by defeating Wilhelm Steinitz and holds the record as the longest-reigning champion from 1894 to 1921.
World Chess Championship -1894 | Round 01
Emanuel Lasker tournaments vs Wilhelm Steinitz | Result 1 – 0
GM Jose Raul Capablanca (1921-1927)
GM Jose Raul Capablanca-Chess World Champion
GM Jose Raul Capablanca



GM Jose Capablanca was a Cuban chess player who became the World Chess Champion by defeating Emanuel Lasker in the 1921 Championship. He was known for his exceptional speed in playing both standard games and endgames.
World Chess Championship -1921 | Round 14 (Last Game)
Emanuel Lasker vs Jose Raul Capablanca tournaments | Result 0 – 1
GM Alexander Alekhine (1927-35,1937-46)
GM Alexander Alekhine-Chess World Champion
GM Alexander Alekhine / Image Source: George Grantham Bain Collection, Wikimedia
GM Alexander Alekhine was a Russian and French chess player who became world champion in 1927 by defeating Jose Raul Capablanca. He lost the title to Max Euwe in 1935 but reclaimed it in 1937. Alekhine, who died in 1946, remains the only world chess champion to pass away while still holding the title. He was renowned for his exceptional offensive chess skills.
World Chess Championship -1927 | Round 34 (Last Game)
Alexander Alekhine tournaments vs Jose Raul Capablanca | Result 1 – 0
GM Max Euwe (1935-1937)
GM Max Euwe-Chess World Champion
GM Max Euwe / Image Source: Aiedrez Eureka
GM Max Euwe was a Dutch chess player, mathematician, author, and chess administrator. He became the World Chess Champion in 1935 by defeating Alexander Alekhine and held the position of President of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) from 1970 to 1978.
World Chess Championship -1935 | Round 02
Max Euwe tournaments vs Alexander Alekhine | Result 1 – 0
GM Mikhail Botvinnik (1948-57, 1958-60, 1961-1963)
GM Mikhail Botvinnik-Chess World Champion
GM Mikhail Botvinnik
GM Mikhail Botvinnik, a Soviet Russian, became a five-time World Chess Champion, notably without winning a tournament to defend his title. Following Alexander Alekhine's death in 1946, he was the first world chess champion to win a five-player tournament. In addition to his chess accomplishments, Botvinnik was an electrical engineer and computer scientist, pioneering advancements in computer chess.
World Chess Championship -1951 | Round 23
Mikhail Botvinnik tournaments vs David Bronstein | Result 1 – 0

GM Vasily Smyslov (1957-1958)
GM Vasily Smyslov-Chess World Champion
GM Vasily Smyslov / Image Source: Koen Suyk/ Anefo, Wikimedia
GM Vasily Smyslov, the Russian chess grandmaster, won the chess championship in 1957 by defeating GM Mikhail Botvinnik.
World Chess Championship -1957 | Round 01
Mikhail Botvinnik vs Vasily Smyslov tournaments | Result 0 – 1
GM Mikhail Tal (1960-1961)
GM Mikhail Tal-Chess World Champion
GM Mikhail Tal
In 1946, GM Mikhail Tal defeated GM Mikhail Botvinnik to become the World Chess Champion at just 23, making him the youngest champion at the time. He passed away at 55 from kidney disease but remained an accomplished chess player.
World Chess Championship -1960 | Round 07
Mikhail Tal tournaments vs Mikhail Botvinnik | Result 1 – 0
GM Tigran Petrosian (1963-1969)
GM Tigran Petrosian-Chess World Champion
GM Tigran Petrosian / Image Source: Harry Pot/ Anefo, Wikimedia
Tigran Petrosian, an Armenian chess grandmaster, became the World Chess Champion in 1963 by defeating GM Mikhail Botvinnik. Nicknamed the "Iron Tiger," he held the title from 1963 to 1969, known for his formidable defensive style.
World Chess Championship -1963 | Round 05
Tigran Petrosian tournaments vs Mikhail Botvinnik  | Result 1 – 0
GM Boris Spassky (1969-1972)
GM Boris Spassky-Chess World Champion
GM Boris Spassky / Image Source: Rob Croes/ Anefo, Wikimedia
In 1966, he lost to Russian chess grandmaster Tigran Petrosian, but in 1969, he won and became the world chess champion.
World Chess Championship -1969 | Round 21
Boris Spassky (2690) tournaments vs Tigran Petrosian (2650)  | Result 1 – 0
The article was originally published in Sinhala for chess players in Sri Lanka.