List of World Chess Championships

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Emanuel Lasker (left) facing incumbent champion Wilhelm Steinitz (right) in Philadelphia during the 1894 World Chess Championship Lasker v. Steinitz, Philadelphia 1894 - DPLA - 73af88bcf081f1869cb65ba48577e95a.jpg
Emanuel Lasker (left) facing incumbent champion Wilhelm Steinitz (right) in Philadelphia during the 1894 World Chess Championship

The World Chess Championship has taken various forms over time, including both match and tournament play. While the concept of a world champion of chess had already existed for decades, with several events considered by some to have established the world's foremost player, an event explicitly held to decide a world champion did not take place until 1886. World Championships were initially privately organized matches, with each requiring the consent of the incumbent champion in order to take place. After 1948, the International Chess Federation (FIDE) began organizing the Championship under its auspices. The championship was fixed to a three-year cycle, with each challenger decided by a Candidates Tournament. In 1993, the short-lived Professional Chess Association (PCA) split from FIDE, and as a result there were two competing World Championship titles between 1993 and 2006.

Contents

Key

Key to symbols and headers
DateThe year the event took place, further disambiguated as needed
Event was a tournament, as opposed to a match.
Event resulted in a draw, with the champion retaining the title.
#Scheduled event did not take place.
Event began, but was abandoned without any result.
WinnerThe winner of the event, or the champion otherwise retaining the title. Numerals denote the updated number of event wins or title defences by the champion.
ScoreThe performance of the eventual champion.
Segments such as tie-breaks are listed sequentially.
Head-to-head tournament results are given in a footnote.
Runner-upThe second-place finisher of the event, or the challenger for a match without a winner
RefReferences and footnotes corresponding to the event.

Predecessor events (before 1886)

Chess was first introduced to Europe during the 9th century. [1] In the early modern era, following the solidification of the modern rules of chess, the game continued to carry consistent prestige and public interest. [2] While numerous players have been characterized as the game's strongest over the centuries, the idea of an international chess match or tournament did not occur until the 18th century, [3] and did not materialize until the 19th century. [4] While the following events did not have the title of World Champion at stake, they have been recognized—either at the time or in retrospect—as indicating the world's leading player.

Predecessor events prior to 1886
DateLocationWinnerScoreRunner-upFormatRef
1834 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Louis de La Bourdonnais 187
45
11½
45
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Alexander McDonnell Casual play [5]
1843 Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Paris Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Howard Staunton 138 Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Pierre Saint-Amant First to 11 wins [6]
1851 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London Flag of the Kingdom of Prussia (1803-1892).svg Adolf Anderssen 156 [lower-alpha 1] Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Marmaduke Wyvill Single-elimination tournament with 16 players [7]
1858 Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Paris Flag of the United States (1858-1859).svg Paul Morphy 83 Flag of the Kingdom of Prussia (1803-1892).svg Adolf AnderssenFirst to 7 wins [8]
1862 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London Flag of the Kingdom of Prussia (1803-1892).svg Adolf Anderssen11½ Flag of the German Confederation (war).svg Louis Paulsen Round-robin tournament with 14 players [9]
1866 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London Flag of the Habsburg Monarchy.svg Wilhelm Steinitz 86 Flag of the Kingdom of Prussia (1803-1892).svg Adolf AnderssenBest of 15 [10]
1883 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Johannes Zukertort 224 Flag of Austria-Hungary (1867-1918).svg Wilhelm SteinitzDouble round-robin tournament with 14 players [11]
  1. ½ Kieseritzky; 42 Szén; 41 Staunton; 4½2½ Wyvill

Privately organized matches (1886–1946)

With both Wilhelm Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort seen as plausible claimants, the two played a match for the first World Championship in 1886. While Steinitz would later claim that he had been the World Champion since the 1860s, no match before 1886 was played for any formal title. [12] From then until after World War II, championship matches were privately organized, and the champion was not formally obliged to face an opponent. An agreement had to be reached between the champion, the challenger, and the patrons sponsoring each match, which included providing the funds for the prize pool. [13] Lasker's 27-year reign as World Champion is the longest in the history of organized chess since 1886, but featured two separate 10-year spans during which he did not defend his title.

Privately organized matches (1886–1946)
DateLocationWinnerScoreRunner-upFormatRef
1886 Flag of the United States (1877-1890).svg New York City (1–5), St. Louis (6–9), New Orleans (10–15) Flag of Austria-Hungary (1867-1918).svg Wilhelm Steinitz 12½ Flag of the United Kingdom.svg Johannes Zukertort First to 10 wins [14]
1889 Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg Havana Flag of the United States (1877-1890).svg Wilhelm Steinitz (2)10½ Romanov Flag.svg Mikhail Chigorin Best of 20, tiebreak if required [15]
1890–1891 Flag of the United States (1890-1891).svg New York City Flag of the United States (1890-1891).svg Wilhelm Steinitz (3)10½ Flag of the common ministries of the Lands of the Holy Hungarian Crown (1896-1915).svg Isidor Gunsberg [16]
1892 Flag of Spain (1785-1873, 1875-1931).svg Havana Flag of the United States (1891-1896).svg Wilhelm Steinitz (4)1010
½
Romanov Flag.svg Mikhail Chigorin [17]
1894 Flag of the United States (1891-1896).svg New York City (1–8), Philadelphia (9–11), Canadian Red Ensign (1868-1921).svg Montréal (12–19) Flag of the German Empire.svg Emanuel Lasker 127 Flag of the United States (1891-1896).svg Wilhelm SteinitzFirst to 10 wins [18]
1896–1897 Romanov Flag.svg Moscow Flag of the German Empire.svg Emanuel Lasker (2)12½ Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg Wilhelm Steinitz [19]
1907 Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg New York City (1–6, 15), Philadelphia (7–8), Washington, D.C. (9), Baltimore (10), Chicago (11), Memphis (12–14) Flag of the German Empire.svg Emanuel Lasker (3)11½ Flag of the United States (1896-1908).svg Frank Marshall First to 8 wins [20]
1908 Flag of the German Empire.svg Düsseldorf (1–4), Munich (5–16) Flag of the German Empire.svg Emanuel Lasker (4)10½ Flag of the German Empire.svg Siegbert Tarrasch [21]
Jan–Feb 1910 Flag of Austria-Hungary (1867-1918).svg Vienna (1–5),
Flag of the German Empire.svg Berlin (6–10)
Flag of the German Empire.svg Emanuel Lasker (5)55 Flag of Austria-Hungary (1867-1918).svg Carl Schlechter Best of 10 [22]
Nov–Dec 1910 Flag of the German Empire.svg Berlin Flag of the German Empire.svg Emanuel Lasker (6) Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Dawid Janowski First to 8 wins [23]
1921 Flag of Cuba (sky blue).svg Havana Flag of Cuba (sky blue).svg José Raúl Capablanca 95 Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg Emanuel LaskerBest of 24 [24]
1927 Flag of Argentina.svg Buenos Aires Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Alexander Alekhine 18½15½ Flag of Cuba (sky blue).svg José Raúl CapablancaFirst to 6 wins [25]
1929 Flag of the German Empire.svg Wiesbaden (1–8, 24–25), Heidelberg (9–11), Berlin (12–17),
Flag of the Netherlands.svg The Hague (18–19, 23), Rotterdam (20), Amsterdam (21–22)
Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Alexander Alekhine (2)15½ Flag of Germany (3-2 aspect ratio).svg Efim Bogoljubow First to both 6 wins and 15 points [26]
1934 Flag of Germany (1933-1935).svg 12 cities [upper-alpha 1] Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Alexander Alekhine (3)15½10½ Flag of the German Empire.svg Efim Bogoljubow [27]
1935 Flag of the Netherlands.svg 12 cities [upper-alpha 2] Flag of the Netherlands.svg Max Euwe 15½14½ Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Alexander Alekhine [28]
1937 Flag of the Netherlands.svg 9 cities [upper-alpha 3] Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Alexander Alekhine (4)15½ Flag of the Netherlands.svg Max Euwe [29]
Title vacant from 1946 to 1948, following the death of Alekhine.
  1. Flag of Germany (1933-1935).svg Baden-Baden (1–3), Villingen (4–5), Freiburg (6–8), Pforzheim (9–10), Stuttgart (11–12), Munich (13–15), Bayreuth (16), Kissingen (17–18), Nuremberg (19–20), Karlsruhe (21), Mannheim (22–24), Berlin (25–26)
  2. Flag of the Netherlands.svg Amsterdam (1–3, 8–9, 12–13, 18, 20, 23, 25–26, 28–30), The Hague (4, 6, 11, 22, 27), Delft (5, 24), Utrecht (7), Gouda (10), Groningen (14), Baarn (15), 's-Hertogenbosch (16), Eindhoven (17), Zeist (19), Ermelo (21), Zandvoort (26). Game 26 began on one day in Zandvoort, and was finished on a later day in Amsterdam.
  3. Flag of the Netherlands.svg The Hague (1, 5, 9–10, 17–18, 25), Rotterdam (2, 7, 15–16, 23–24), Amsterdam (3–4, 12–13, 20–21), Haarlem (6), Leiden (8), Groningen (11), Zwolle (14), Eindhoven (19), Delft (22)

FIDE World Championships (1948–1990)

From right to left: World Champion Anatoly Karpov, former World Champion and FIDE President Max Euwe, and Euwe's wife Caro Bergman. Photo taken in 1976. Max Euwe, wife and Karpov 1976.jpg
From right to left: World Champion Anatoly Karpov, former World Champion and FIDE President Max Euwe, and Euwe's wife Caro Bergman. Photo taken in 1976.

In 1946, Alexander Alekhine died while still holding the title of World Chess Champion. The International Chess Federation (FIDE), which had been founded in 1924, had been attempting to directly participate in organizing the World Championship since at least 1935. By the late 1940s, around half of the plausible contenders for the World Championship were Soviet citizens, and in 1947, the Soviet Chess Federation joined FIDE after decades of declining to do so. FIDE based the 1948 World Chess Championship on the 1938 AVRO tournament that had been organized in part to select a challenger for Alekhine. The tournament ultimately featured five players, three of them Soviet citizens—including the winner, Mikhail Botvinnik. Botvinnik would go on to win or retain in four further championship matches. At the same time, FIDE established the rules for the championship going forward. It would be organized around a 3-year cycle, during which a series of Zonal and Interzonal tournaments would be held, with their highest-scoring performers invited to a Candidates Tournament. The winner of the this tournament would in turn play the champion in a match for the title. A defeated champion was entitled to a rematch the following year, after which the 3-year cycle would resume; Botvinnik benefited from this rule twice, in 1958 and 1961. [30]

With the exception of the American Bobby Fischer in 1972, Soviet citizens won every championship from 1948 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. With the further exception of Viktor Korchnoi, who had defected from the USSR in 1976, each challenger was also a Soviet citizen. Following his victory, Fischer never played another game organized by FIDE. Disagreements between the two parties—including Fischer insisting on a format requiring the victor to get a certain number of wins, as opposed to the number of games in a match being fixed—led to his forfeiting the title in 1975. In the absence of a match, FIDE declared Anatoly Karpov, winner of the 1974 Candidates Tournament, to be the World Chess Champion by default. [31]

While the issue had played a role in Fischer's forfeit, FIDE ultimately did change the match format going forward, such that the first to win 6 games would be champion. [32] Under these rules, Karpov twice defended his title against Korchnoi. The next match—which began in September 1984 and featured the 21-year-old Garry Kasparov as Karpov's challenger—ultimately saw 48 games played over the span of five months, with neither player able to get to 6 wins. In an unprecedented step, FIDE president Florencio Campomanes stepped in and declared the match to have ended with no result. A new match, which would revert to having a set number of games, was to be played later in 1985. After nearly being knocked out early in 1984, Kasparov defeated Karpov in their rematch. Over the following decade, the two would play three more championship matches, with Kasparov narrowly retaining the title in each. [33]

FIDE World Championships (1948–1990)
DateLocationWinnerScoreRunner-upFormatRef
1948 Flag of the Netherlands.svg The Hague (1–10),
Flag of the USSR (1936-1955).svg Moscow (11–20)
Flag of the USSR (1936-1955).svg Mikhail Botvinnik 146 [lower-alpha 1] Flag of the USSR (1936-1955).svg Vasily Smyslov Quintuple round-robin tournament with 5 players [34]
1951 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Moscow Flag of the USSR (1936-1955).svg Mikhail Botvinnik (2)1212 Flag of the USSR (1936-1955).svg David Bronstein Best of 24 [35]
1954 Flag of the USSR (1936-1955).svg Mikhail Botvinnik (3)1212 Flag of the USSR (1936-1955).svg Vasily Smyslov [36]
1957 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Vasily Smyslov12½ Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Mikhail Botvinnik [37]
1958 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Mikhail Botvinnik (4)12½10½ Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Vasily Smyslov [37]
1960 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Mikhail Tal 12½ Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Mikhail Botvinnik [38]
1961 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Mikhail Botvinnik (5)138 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Mikhail Tal [39]
1963 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Tigran Petrosian12½ Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Mikhail Botvinnik [40]
1966 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Tigran Petrosian (2)12½11½ Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Boris Spassky [41]
1969 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Boris Spassky12½10½ Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Tigran Petrosian [42]
1972 Flag of Iceland.svg Reykjavík Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Fischer 12½ Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Boris Spassky [43]
1975 # Flag of the Philippines (navy blue).svg Manila Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Anatoly Karpov Flag of the United States.svg Bobby Fischer [44]
1978 Flag of the Philippines (navy blue).svg Baguio Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Anatoly Karpov (2)16½15½ FIDE flag icon.png Viktor Korchnoi First to 6 wins [45]
1981 Flag of Italy.svg Merano Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Anatoly Karpov (3)117 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Viktor Korchnoi [46]
1984–1985 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Moscow Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Anatoly Karpov2523 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Garry Kasparov [47]
1985 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Garry Kasparov1311 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Anatoly KarpovBest of 24 [48]
1986 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Moscow (1–12),
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London (13–24)
Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Garry Kasparov (2)12½11½ Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Anatoly Karpov [49]
1987 Flag of Spain.svg Seville Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Garry Kasparov (3)1212 Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Anatoly Karpov [50]
1990 Flag of the United States.svg New York City (1–12),
Flag of France.svg Lyon (13–24)
Flag of Russia (1991-1993).svg Garry Kasparov (4)12½11½ Flag of the Soviet Union.svg Anatoly Karpov [51]
  1. 32 Smyslov; 41 Keres; 3½Reshevsky; 3½Euwe

Split title (1993–2006)

Play between Garry Kasparov (left) and Viswanathan Anand (right) in the Top of the World observation deck of 2 World Trade Center during the 1995 PCA World Chess Championship Kasparov-10.jpg
Play between Garry Kasparov (left) and Viswanathan Anand (right) in the Top of the World observation deck of 2 World Trade Center during the 1995 PCA World Chess Championship

In 1993, following Nigel Short's victory in the Candidates Tournament, FIDE president Campomanes announced that that year's Championship would take place in Manchester, England. Both Kasparov and Short claimed that FIDE had made this decision without consulting either player, in violation of FIDE's regulations regarding the championship. Kasparov and Short responded by splitting from FIDE and forming the Professional Chess Association (PCA), [52] which organized a World Championship match between the two, played in London later that year. Meanwhile, FIDE stripped Kasparov of his title and organized a championship match between Karpov and Jan Timman, who had finished second and third in the Candidates Tournament. [53] For the 13 years between 1993 and 2006, there were two rival titles. While the PCA itself would fold after only a couple of years, Kasparov would retain what is referred to as "Classical" title, which would be inherited by Vladimir Kramnik upon defeating Kasparov in 2000. [54]

Meanwhile, FIDE once again began experimenting with the championship format. Beginning with the 1998 championship, the system of Zonal, Interzonal, Candidates, and Championship stages was replaced with one single-elimination tournament featuring dozens of players competing for the championship. For the next event in 1999, the incumbent World Champion would not automatically qualify for the finals. Due to this additional change, Karpov—who had won three additional titles during the schism—declined to participate going forward. Each of the four Classical Championships retained a traditional match format. [55]

Classical World Chess Championships (1993–2006)
DateLocationWinnerScoreRunner-upFormatRef
1993 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London Flag of Russia (1991-1993).svg Garry Kasparov (5)12½ Flag of England.svg Nigel Short Best of 24 [56]
1995 Flag of the United States.svg New York City Flag of Russia.svg Garry Kasparov (6)10½ Flag of India.svg Viswanathan Anand Best of 20 [57]
2000 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London Flag of Russia.svg Vladimir Kramnik Flag of Russia.svg Garry KasparovBest of 16 [58]
2004 Flag of Switzerland (Pantone).svg Brissago Flag of Russia.svg Vladimir Kramnik (2)77 Flag of Hungary.svg Peter Leko Best of 14 [59]
FIDE World Chess Championships (1993–2006)
DateLocationWinnerScoreRunner-upFormatRef
1993 Flag of the Netherlands.svg Zwolle (1–3), Arnhem (4–6), Amsterdam (7–12),
Flag of Indonesia.svg Jakarta (13–24)
Flag of Russia (1991-1993).svg Anatoly Karpov (4)12½ Flag of the Netherlands.svg Jan Timman Best of 24 [60]
1996 Flag of Russia.svg Elista Flag of Russia.svg Anatoly Karpov (5)10½ Flag of the United States.svg Gata Kamsky Best of 20 [61]
1998 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London Flag of Russia.svg Anatoly Karpov (6)33
20
[lower-alpha 1]
Flag of India.svg Viswanathan Anand Single-elimination tournament with 100 players [62]
1999 Flag of the United States.svg Las Vegas Flag of Russia.svg Alexander Khalifman 18½11½
[lower-alpha 2]
Flag of Armenia.svg Vladimir Akopian [63]
2000 Flag of India.svg New Delhi (rounds 1–6),
Flag of Iran.svg Tehran (round 7)
Flag of India.svg Viswanathan Anand146
[lower-alpha 3]
Flag of Spain.svg Alexei Shirov [64]
2002 Flag of Russia.svg Moscow Flag of Ukraine.svg Ruslan Ponomariov 199
[lower-alpha 4]
Flag of Ukraine.svg Vasyl Ivanchuk Single-elimination tournament with 128 players [65]
2004 Flag of Libya (1977-2011).svg Tripoli Flag of Uzbekistan.svg Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2010
[lower-alpha 5]
Flag of England.svg Michael Adams [66]
2005 Flag of Argentina.svg Potrero de los Funes Flag of Bulgaria.svg Veselin Topalov 104
[lower-alpha 6]
Flag of India.svg Viswanathan AnandDouble round-robin tournament with 8 players [67]
  1. Karpov was automatically seeded into the final round: a best of 6, with tie-breaks as needed.
  2. Barua; 2½1½ Kamsky; 1½½ Asrian; 2½Gelfand; 1½½ Polgár; 3½Nisipeanu; 3½2½ Akopian
  3. Anand had a bye in the first round. 1½½ Bologan; 1½½ Lputian; 1½½ Macieja; 3½2½ Khalifman; 2½Adams; 3½½ Shirov
  4. ½ Li; 31 Tiviakov; 20 Georgiev; 2½Morozevich; 31 Bareev; 2½Svidler; 4½2½ Ivanchuk
  5. Ramírez; 1½½ Ghaem Maghami; 2½1½ Ivanchuk; 20 Almási; 31 Grischuk; 42 Topalov; 4½3½ Adams
  6. 11 Anand; 1½½ Svidler; 1½½ Morozevich; 1½½ Leko; 1½½ Kasimdzhanov; 1½½ Adams; 1½½ Polgár

FIDE World Championships (2006–present)

Ian Nepomniachtchi (left) and Magnus Carlsen (right) beginning game 11 of the 2021 Championship World Chess Championship 2021, game 11, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Magnus Carlsen (cropped).jpg
Ian Nepomniachtchi (left) and Magnus Carlsen (right) beginning game 11 of the 2021 Championship

Following a period of negotiation, in 2006 the Classical Champion Vladimir Kramnik played a match against the FIDE Champion Veselin Topalov to reunify the World Championship. [68] Since then, the championship has remained under the auspices of FIDE. The Candidates Tournament returned, and with the exception of the 2007 tournament, FIDE would return to a match format for the World Championship. Instead of the previous system of Zonals and Interzonals to provide candidates, the system was redesigned around the Chess World Cup. [69] Later, means for selecting candidates would variously include the FIDE Grand Prix, the FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament, selection by rating, and wild cards selected by the venue hosting the event. [70]

While shorter matches had taken place at various points, the block of 12 classical games was much shorter than matches had been for much of the 20th century. In the 2018 match, all 12 classical games resulted in draws for the first time in the history of the championship. Following this, the number of games was increased to 14. [71] Citing a lack of motivation and interest in the format, incumbent five-time champion Magnus Carlsen declined to defend his title in 2023. [72] Instead, the match featured the two best performers in the Candidates, with Ding Liren defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi to become the new World Champion. Carlsen later declined his spot in the 2024 Candidates Tournament. [73]

FIDE World Championships (2006–present)
DateLocationWinnerScoreRunner-upFormatRef
2006 Flag of Russia.svg Elista Flag of Russia.svg Vladimir Kramnik (3)66
Flag of Bulgaria.svg Veselin Topalov Best of 12, tie-breaks if necessary [74]
2007 Flag of Mexico.svg Mexico City Flag of India.svg Viswanathan Anand (2)95
[lower-alpha 1]
Flag of Russia.svg Vladimir KramnikDouble round-robin tournament with 8 players [75]
2008 Flag of Germany.svg Bonn Flag of India.svg Viswanathan Anand (3) Flag of Russia.svg Vladimir KramnikBest of 12, tie-breaks if necessary [76]
2010 Flag of Bulgaria.svg Sofia Flag of India.svg Viswanathan Anand (4) Flag of Bulgaria.svg Veselin Topalov [77]
2012 Flag of Russia.svg Moscow Flag of India.svg Viswanathan Anand (5)66
Flag of Israel.svg Boris Gelfand [78]
2013 Flag of India.svg Chennai Flag of Norway.svg Magnus Carlsen Flag of India.svg Viswanathan Anand [79]
2014 Flag of Russia.svg Sochi Flag of Norway.svg Magnus Carlsen (2) Flag of India.svg Viswanathan Anand [80]
2016 Flag of the United States.svg New York City Flag of Norway.svg Magnus Carlsen (3)66
31
Flag of Russia.svg Sergey Karjakin [81]
2018 Flag of the United Kingdom.svg London Flag of Norway.svg Magnus Carlsen (4)66
30
Flag of the United States.svg Fabiano Caruana [82]
2021 Flag of the United Arab Emirates.svg Dubai Flag of Norway.svg Magnus Carlsen (5)CFR Russia chess simplified flag infobox.svg Ian Nepomniachtchi Best of 14, tie-breaks if necessary [83]
2023 Flag of Kazakhstan.svg Astana Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Ding Liren 77
FIDE flag icon.png Ian Nepomniachtchi [84]
2024 TBA Flag of the People's Republic of China.svg Ding Liren vs. Flag of India.svg Gukesh D [85]
  1. 11 Kramnik; 11 Gelfand; 11 Leko; 1½½ Svidler; 1½½ Morozevich; 1½½ Aronian; 1½½ Grischuk

Unrecognized championship events

In 1909, amid discussions that would ultimately culminate with the World Championship match played the following year, Emanuel Lasker played a casual match with Dawid Janowski in Paris. This was reported in later decades as being a World Championship match. [86] However, research by Edward Winter has demonstrated that the title was not at stake. [87]

Unrecognized championship events
DateLocationWinnerScoreRunner-upFormat
1909 Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Paris Flag of the German Empire.svg Emanuel Lasker 82 Flag of France (1794-1815, 1830-1958).svg Dawid Janowski Best of 10, casual play

See also

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">FIDE World Chess Championship 1998</span>

The FIDE World Chess Championship 1998 was contested in a match between the FIDE World Champion Anatoly Karpov and the challenger Viswanathan Anand. The match took place between 2 January and 9 January 1998 in Lausanne, Switzerland. The challenger was determined in a tournament held in Groningen, Netherlands, between 9 December and 30 December 1997. After the championship match ended in a draw, Karpov won the rapid playoff, becoming the 1998 FIDE World Chess Champion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Chess Championship 1975</span> World Chess Championship match intended to be played in 1975

The 1975 World Chess Championship was not played due to a dispute over the match format. Champion Bobby Fischer was to play Anatoly Karpov in Manila, commencing June 1, 1975. Fischer refused to play the then-standard "Best of 24 games" match and, after FIDE was unable to work out a compromise, forfeited his title instead. Karpov was named World Champion by default on April 3, 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Blitz Chess Championship</span> Chess tournament

The World Blitz Chess Championship is a chess tournament held to determine the world champion in chess played under blitz time controls. Since 2012, FIDE has held an annual joint rapid and blitz chess tournament and billed it as the World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships. The current world blitz champion is the Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen. Valentina Gunina from Russia is the current women's blitz world champion. Magnus Carlsen has won the event a record seven times.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Rapid Chess Championship</span> Annual chess tournament

The World Rapid Chess Championship is a chess tournament held to determine the world champion in chess played under rapid time controls. Prior to 2012, FIDE gave such recognition to a limited number of tournaments, with non-FIDE recognized tournaments annually naming a world rapid champion of their own. Since 2012, FIDE has held an annual joint rapid and blitz chess tournament and billed it as the World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships. FIDE also holds the Women's World Rapid & Blitz Chess Championship. The current rapid world champion is grandmaster Magnus Carlsen. Anastasia Bodnaruk from Russia is the current women's rapid world champion. Carlsen has won the event a record five times.

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Works cited

Further reading