World Chess Champions
All the world chess champions + those who were considered the world’s best chess players. Watch and download the games.
Undisputed World Chess Champions
2013 – present
Magnus Carlsen
Norway
2007 – 2013
Viswanathan Anand
India
2006 – 2007
Vladimir Kramnik
Russia
Classical World Chess Champions
2000 – 2006
Vladimir Kramnik
Russia
1993 – 2000
Garry Kasparov
Russia
FIDE World Chess Champions
2005 – 2006
Veselin Topalov
Bulgaria
2004 – 2005
Rustam Kasimdzhanov
Uzbekistan
2002 – 2004
Ruslan Ponomariov
Ukraine
2000 – 2002
Viswanathan Anand
India
1999 – 2000
Alexander Khalifman
Russia
1993 – 1999
Anatoly Karpov
Russia
Undisputed World Chess Champions
1985 – 2000
Garry Kasparov
Soviet Union, Russia
1975 – 1985
Anatoly Karpov
Soviet Union
1972 – 1975
Bobby Fischer
United States
1969 – 1972
Boris Spassky
Soviet Union
1963 – 1969
Tigran Petrosian
Soviet Union
1961 – 1963
Mikhail Botvinnik
Soviet Union
1960 – 1961
Mikhail Tal
Soviet Union
1958 – 1960
Mikhail Botvinnik
Soviet Union
1957 – 1958
Vasily Smyslov
Soviet Union
1948 – 1957
Mikhail Botvinnik
Soviet Union
1937 – 1946
Alexander Alekhine
France, White émigré
1935 – 1937
Max Euwe
Netherlands
1927 – 1935
Alexander Alekhine
France, White émigré
1921 – 1927
José Raúl Capablanca
Cuba
1894 – 1921
Emanuel Lasker
Germany
1886 – 1894
Wilhelm Steinitz
Austria-Hungary, United States
The players who were considered the best in their time
1883 – 1886
Johannes Zukertort
England
1866 – 1886
Wilhelm Steinitz
Austria-Hungary
1862 – 1866
Adolf Anderssen
Prussia
1858 – 1862
Paul Morphy
United States
1851 – 1858
Adolf Andersen
Preussia
1843 – 1851
Howard Staunton
England
1821 – 1840
Louis-Charles Mahé de La Bourdonnais
France
1815 – 1821
Alexandre Deschapelles
France
1755 – 1795
François-André Danican Philidor
France
1730 – 1755
Legall de Kermeur
France
1620 – 1634
Gioachino Greco
Naples
1600
Alessandro Salvio
Naples
1575
Paolo Boi
Sicily
1575
Leonardo di Bona
Naples
1559 – 1575
Ruy López de Segura
Spain
