World Champions
Every undisputed World Chess Champion since the first official title match in 1886, in reign order. (The 1993–2006 split between the Classical and FIDE title lines is explained on Vladimir Kramnik's page, the champion who reunified it.)
Wilhelm Steinitz
The father of positional chess, and its first official World Champion.
Emanuel Lasker
Held the World Championship for 27 years — longer than anyone else in history.
José Raúl Capablanca
"The Human Chess Machine" — famed for near-flawless, seemingly effortless technique.
Alexander Alekhine
The only World Champion to die while still holding the title.
Max Euwe
A mathematics professor who dethroned Alekhine — if only for two years.
Mikhail Botvinnik
The "Patriarch of the Soviet chess school," champion across three separate reigns.
Vasily Smyslov
A brief reign sandwiched between two of Botvinnik's — and a serious opera talent besides.
Mikhail Tal
The "Magician from Riga" — chess's most fearless attacking sacrificer.
Tigran Petrosian
"Iron Tigran" — the ultimate defensive and prophylactic player.
Boris Spassky
The champion on the losing side of the most famous match in chess history.
Bobby Fischer
America's most famous chess genius — and the only champion to forfeit the title without playing a game.
Anatoly Karpov
Inherited the title unopposed, then proved it for a decade against every challenger.
Garry Kasparov
Youngest World Champion in history at the time (22), and world #1 for a record 255 months.
Vladimir Kramnik
Dethroned his own mentor, then reunified a divided World Championship.
Viswanathan Anand
India's first World Champion, and one of the fastest calculators the game has seen.
Magnus Carlsen
The highest-rated player in history, who voluntarily walked away from the title he dominated.
Ding Liren
China's first World Chess Champion, winning the title Carlsen chose not to defend.
Gukesh Dommaraju
The youngest undisputed World Chess Champion in history, at age 18.