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Home›World chess champions
From 1886 to today

World chess champions

Each champion changed how chess is played. Learn their style, the lessons that still help club players today, and replay their games move by move.

18 championsThousands of games to replay
  1. ♚Wilhelm Steinitz1886–1894 · Austria / USAPositional pioneer
  2. ♚Emanuel Lasker1894–1921 · GermanyPractical fighter
  3. ♚José Raúl Capablanca1921–1927 · CubaEffortless clarity
  4. ♚Alexander Alekhine1927–1935, 1937–1946 · Russia / FranceDynamic attacker
  5. ♚Max Euwe1935–1937 · NetherlandsScientific player
  6. ♚Mikhail Botvinnik1948–1957, 1958–1960, 1961–1963 · Soviet UnionMethodical strategist
  7. ♚Vasily Smyslov1957–1958 · Soviet UnionHarmonious technique
  8. ♚Mikhail Tal1960–1961 · Latvia (USSR)The Magician from Riga
  9. ♚Tigran Petrosian1963–1969 · Armenia (USSR)Master of prophylaxis
  10. ♚Boris Spassky1969–1972 · Soviet Union / FranceUniversal player
  11. ♚Bobby Fischer1972–1975 · United StatesRelentless precision
  12. ♚Anatoly Karpov1975–1985 · Soviet Union / RussiaBoa-constrictor positional play
  13. ♚Garry Kasparov1985–2000 · Soviet Union / RussiaDynamic energy
  14. ♚Vladimir Kramnik2000–2007 · RussiaSolid strategist
  15. ♚Viswanathan Anand2007–2013 · IndiaLightning-fast intuition
  16. ♚Magnus Carlsen2013–2023 · NorwayEndless pressure
  17. ♚Ding Liren2023–2024 · ChinaDeep and creative
  18. ♚Gukesh Dommaraju2024– · IndiaFearless calculation
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