 "Chess World Championship: Winners full list, history, all you need to know")
The Classical World Chess Championship has a storied history, showcasing the brilliance of the game’s greatest minds. Since the inaugural title match in 1886, the championship has evolved, producing iconic champions who defined eras in chess. India Grandmaster D Gukesh scripted history in chess by becoming the youngest to win the FIDE World Championship.
Before Gukesh's feat on Thursday, the legendary Garry Kasparov of Russia was the youngest world chess champion when he won the title at the age of 22, dethroning Anatoly Karpov in 1985. He is the second Indian after the legendary Viswanathan Anand to win the global title. Anand, a five-time world champion, had last won the crown in 2013.
Who is the inaugural Chess World Championship winner?
Austrian-American Wilhelm Steinitz was the first Chess World Champion, holding the title from 1886 to 1894 with four victories. Germany's Emanuel Lasker, a dominant figure, secured six titles over a reign lasting 27 years, from 1894 to 1921. Cuba's Jose Raul Capablanca, known for his positional brilliance, won the title in 1921 but lost it to Alexander Alekhine in 1927. Alekhine held the crown in two separate stints, achieving four victories overall.
When did Soviet supremacy come into force in the world of chess?
Max Euwe briefly disrupted Alekhine’s dominance in 1935, but the mid-20th century ushered in an era of Soviet supremacy. Mikhail Botvinnik emerged as a defining figure, claiming five titles between 1948 and 1963. During this period, other Soviet greats like Vasily Smyslov, Mikhail Tal, and Tigran Petrosian left their marks.
When America's Bobby Fischer broke the Soviet's hold?
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The 1970s brought global attention to chess with America's Bobby Fischer’s remarkable victory in 1972, breaking the Soviet hold on the title. Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov then shaped modern chess with their legendary rivalry, with Kasparov clinching six titles between 1985 and 2000.
The 21st century chess superstars
The 21st century witnessed a new generation of champions. Vladimir Kramnik, Viswanathan Anand, and Magnus Carlsen redefined the game with their innovative styles. Carlsen’s reign, lasting a decade from 2013 to 2023, established him as a modern chess legend.
In 2023, Ding Liren became the latest champion, marking a new chapter in the championship’s illustrious history.
| Classical World Champions in Chess | |||
| Player | Dates | Wins | Years Won |
| D Gukesh | 2024-present | 1 | 2024 |
| Ding Liren | 2023-24 | 1 | 2023 |
| Magnus Carlsen | 2013-2023 | 5 | 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021 |
| Viswanathan Anand | 2007-13 | 4 | 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012 |
| Vladimir Kramnik | 2000-07 | 3 | 2000, 2004, 2006 |
| Garry Kasparov | 1985-2000 | 6 | 1985, 1986, 1987* 1990, 1993, 1995 |
| Anatoly Karpov | 1975-85 | 3 | 1975d, 1978, 1981, 1984 |
| Bobby Fischer | 1972-75 | 1 | 1972 |
| Boris Spassky | 1969-72 | 1 | 1969 |
| Tigran V. Petrosian | 1963-69 | 2 | 1963, 1966 |
| Mikhail Tal | 1960-61 | 1 | 1960 |
| Vasily Smyslov | 1957-58 | 1 | 1957 |
| Mikhail Botvinnik | 1948-57, 1958-60, 1961-63 | 5 | 1948, 1951, 1954, 1958, 1961 |
| Max Euwe | 1935-37 | 1 | 1935 |
| Alexander Alekhine | 1927-35, 1937-46 | 4 | 1927, 1929, 1934, 1937 |
| Jose Raul Capablanca | 1921-27 | 1 | 1921 |
| Emanuel Lasker | 1894-1921 | 6 | 1894, 1896, 1907, 1908, 1910*, 1910 |
| Wilhelm Steinitz | 1886-94 | 4 | 1886, 1889, 1890, 1892 |