Current World Champion Vladimir Kramnik.

The World Chess Championship is played to determine the World Champion in the board game chess. Both men and women are eligible to contest this title. Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (711x768, 399 KB) Vladimir Kramnik at the 2005 Corus Chess tournament. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (711x768, 399 KB) Vladimir Kramnik at the 2005 Corus Chess tournament. ... Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik (Russian: ) (born June 25, 1975) is a Russian chess grandmaster and the current undisputed World Chess Champion. ... A board game is a game played with counters or pieces that are placed on, removed from, or moved across a board (a premarked surface, usually specific to that game). ... Chess is a recreational and competitive game for two players. ...

In addition, there is a separate event for women only, for the title of "Woman's World Champion", and separate competitions and titles for juniors, seniors and computers. However, these days the strongest competitors in the junior, senior, and women's categories often forego these niche title events in order to pursue top level competition, although they continue to be part of chess tradition. Computers are barred from competing for the open title. The Womens World Chess Championship is played to determine the womens world champion in chess. ...

The official world championship is generally regarded to have begun in 1886, when the two leading players in the world played a match. From 1886 to 1946, the championship was conducted on an informal basis, with a challenger having to defeat the incumbent in a match to become the new world champion. From 1948 to 1993, the championship was administered by FIDE, the international chess organization. In 1993, the reigning champion (Garry Kasparov) broke away from FIDE, meaning there were two rival championships. This situation remained until 2006, when the title was unified at the FIDE World Chess Championship 2006, making Vladimir Kramnik the undisputed World Champion. The Fédération Internationale des Échecs or World Chess Federation is an international organization that connects the various national chess federations around the world. ... Garry Kimovich Kasparov (Russian: ; IPA: ) (born April 13, 1963, in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR) (now Azerbaijan) is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Chess Champion. ... The Fédération Internationale des Échecs or World Chess Federation is an international organization that connects the various national chess federations around the world. ... The FIDE World Chess Championship 2006 was a chess match between Classical World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik, and FIDE World Chess Champion Veselin Topalov. ... Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik (Russian: ) (born June 25, 1975) is a Russian chess grandmaster and the current undisputed World Chess Champion. ...

Reigns of the Champions

See also image gallery and List of chess world championship matches. Return to main article // Unofficial World Champions Undisputed World Champions PCA (Classical) World Champions FIDE World Champions since 1993 ... The following is a list of world chess championship matches (see World Chess Championship). ...

Leading chess masters pre–1886

Name	Years	Country
Luis Ramirez Lucena	~1490	Spain
Pedro Damiãno	~1520	Portugal
Ruy López de Segura	~1560	Spain
Paolo Boi and Leonardo da Cutri	~1575	Italy
Alessandro Salvio	~1600	Italy
Gioacchino Greco	~1620	Italy
Legall de Kermeur	~1730–1747	France
Francois-André Philidor	~1747–1795	/  France
Alexandre Deschapelles	~1800–1820	France
Louis de la Bourdonnais	~1820–1840	France
Howard Staunton	1843–1851	England
Adolf Anderssen	1851–1858	Prussia /  Germany
Paul Morphy	1858–1862	United States
Adolf Anderssen	1862–1866	Prussia /  Germany
Wilhelm Steinitz	1866–1886	Bohemia /  Austria

Categories: Stub | 1465 births | 1530 deaths | Chess players ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Pedro Damiano was a Portuguese chess player who lived from 1480-1544. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Portugal. ... Ruy López de Segura (born 1530 in Zafra near Badajoz, died 1580) was a Spanish priest and later bishop in Segura whose book Libro de la invención liberal y arte del juego del Axedrez was one of the first fundamental chess books in Europe, only after Pedro Damiano... Image File history File links Flag_of_Spain. ... Paolo Boi (1528-1598) was an Italian chess player. ... Leonardo da Cutri (full name Giovanni Leonardo da Cutri or Giovanni Leonardo di Bona, known also as Il Puttino = Small, 1552 - 1597) was an early Italian chess master. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... Alessandro Salvio was an Italian chess player who is considered to be the unnofficial world champion around the year 1600. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... Gioacchino Greco (1600–c. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Italy. ... Legall de Kermeur (1702 – 1792) was a French chess player. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Royalist_France. ... François-André Danican Philidor (September 1, 1726 - August 31, 1795) was a French chess player and composer. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Royalist_France. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Alexandre Deschapelles (1780–1847) was a French chess player who, for a time, was possibly the strongest player in the world. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Louis Charles de la Bourdonnais (1795 - 1840) was a French chess master, the strongest player in the early 19th century. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Howard Staunton Howard Staunton (April 1810 - June 22, 1874) was an English chess master and unofficial World Chess Champion. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_England. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the Queen England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 967 AD  Area  -  Total 130,395 km²  50,346 sq mi  Population  -  2007 estimate 50... Adolf Anderssen Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen (July 6, 1818 - March 13, 1879) was a famous German chess master, one of the most renowned of the classic masters of 19th century chess. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_German_Empire. ... Motto: Suum cuique Latin: To each his own Prussia at its peak, as leading state of the German Empire Capital Königsberg, later Berlin Political structure Duchy, Kingdom, Republic Duke1  - 1525–68 Albert I  - 1688–1701 Frederick III King1  - 1701–13 Frederick I  - 1888–1918 William II Prime Minister1,2... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Paul Morphy Paul Charles Morphy (June 22, 1837 - July 10, 1884), The Pride and Sorrow of Chess, was an American chess player. ... Image File history File links US_flag_32_stars. ... Adolf Anderssen Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen (July 6, 1818 - March 13, 1879) was a famous German chess master, one of the most renowned of the classic masters of 19th century chess. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_German_Empire. ... Motto: Suum cuique Latin: To each his own Prussia at its peak, as leading state of the German Empire Capital Königsberg, later Berlin Political structure Duchy, Kingdom, Republic Duke1  - 1525–68 Albert I  - 1688–1701 Frederick III King1  - 1701–13 Frederick I  - 1888–1918 William II Prime Minister1,2... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... Wilhelm (later William) Steinitz (May 17, 1836, Prague–August 12, 1900, New York) was a Jewish-Austrian-American chess player and the first official world chess champion. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Bohemia. ... Flag of Bohemia Bohemia (Czech: ; German: ) is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western and middle thirds of the Czech Republic. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Austria. ...

Undisputed World Champions 1886–1993

Name	Years	Country
Wilhelm Steinitz	1886–1894	Austria /  United States
Emanuel Lasker	1894–1921	Prussia /  Germany
José Raúl Capablanca	1921–1927	Cuba
Alexander Alekhine	1927–1935	Soviet Union (Russia) /  France
Max Euwe	1935–1937	Netherlands
Alexander Alekhine	1937–1946	France
Mikhail Botvinnik	1948–1957	Soviet Union (Russia)
Vasily Smyslov	1957–1958	Soviet Union (Russia)
Mikhail Botvinnik	1958–1960	Soviet Union (Russia)
Mikhail Tal	1960–1961	Soviet Union (Latvia)
Mikhail Botvinnik	1961–1963	Soviet Union (Russia)
Tigran Petrosian	1963–1969	Soviet Union (Armenia)
Boris Spassky	1969–1972	Soviet Union (Russia)
Robert J. Fischer	1972–1975	United States
Anatoly Karpov	1975–1985	Soviet Union (Russia)
Garry Kasparov	1985–1993	Soviet Union /  Russia

FIDE World Champions 1993–2006 Name Years Country Anatoly Karpov 1993–1999 Russia Alexander Khalifman 1999–2000 Russia Viswanathan Anand 2000–2002 India Ruslan Ponomariov 2002–2004 Ukraine Rustam Kasimdzhanov 2004–2005 Uzbekistan Veselin Topalov 2005–2006 Bulgaria

Classical World Champions 1993–2006 Name Years Country Garry Kasparov 1993–2000 Russia Vladimir Kramnik 2000–2006 Russia

Wilhelm (later William) Steinitz (May 17, 1836, Prague–August 12, 1900, New York) was a Jewish-Austrian-American chess player and the first official world chess champion. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Austria. ... Image File history File links US_flag_44_stars. ... Emanuel Lasker (December 24, 1868 – January 11, 1941) was a German World Chess Champion, mathematician, and philosopher born at Berlinchen in Brandenburg (now Barlinek in Poland). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_German_Empire. ... Motto: Suum cuique Latin: To each his own Prussia at its peak, as leading state of the German Empire Capital Königsberg, later Berlin Political structure Duchy, Kingdom, Republic Duke1  - 1525–68 Albert I  - 1688–1701 Frederick III King1  - 1701–13 Frederick I  - 1888–1918 William II Prime Minister1,2... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... José Raúl Capablanca y Graupera (November 19, 1888 – March 8, 1942) was a Cuban world-class chess player in the early to mid-twentieth century. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Cuba. ... Alexander Alekhine Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine (sometimes spelled Aljechin or Alechin) (IPA: ; Russian: ; other members of his family pronounce it , French: Alexandre Alekhine) (October 31 or November 1, 1892 – March 24, 1946) was a Russian-born naturalized French chess grandmaster (officially naturalized in 1927 only three days before the World Champion... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Machgielis (Max) Euwe (last name is pronounced /ø:wÉ™/) (May 20, 1901 – November 26, 1981) was a Dutch chess Grandmaster and Mathematician. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Netherlands. ... Alexander Alekhine Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine (sometimes spelled Aljechin or Alechin) (IPA: ; Russian: ; other members of his family pronounce it , French: Alexandre Alekhine) (October 31 or November 1, 1892 – March 24, 1946) was a Russian-born naturalized French chess grandmaster (officially naturalized in 1927 only three days before the World Champion... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (IPA: ; Russian: ) (August 17 [O.S. August 4] 1911 - May 5, 1995) was a Russian International Grandmaster and long-time World Champion of chess. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Vasily Vasiliyevich Smyslov (Васи́лий Смысло́в) (born March 24, 1921) is a Russian chess grandmaster. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (IPA: ; Russian: ) (August 17 [O.S. August 4] 1911 - May 5, 1995) was a Russian International Grandmaster and long-time World Champion of chess. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Mikhail Tal Mikhail Nekhemievich Tal (IPA: ; Latvian: ; Russian: ) (November 9, 1936 - June 28, 1992) was a Jewish Latvian chess player and the eighth World Chess Champion. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (IPA: ; Russian: ) (August 17 [O.S. August 4] 1911 - May 5, 1995) was a Russian International Grandmaster and long-time World Champion of chess. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Tigran Petrosian. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Boris Spassky Boris Vasilievich Spassky (also Spasskij) (Russian: ) (born January 30, 1937) is a Russian chess player and former world champion. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Robert James Bobby Fischer (born March 9, 1943) is a United States-born chess Grandmaster and in 1972 became the only US-born chessplayer to become the official World Chess Champion. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov (Russian: ) (born May 23, 1951) is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Garry Kimovich Kasparov (Russian: ; IPA: ) (born April 13, 1963, in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR) (now Azerbaijan) is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Chess Champion. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_Soviet_Union. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ... Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov (Russian: ) (born May 23, 1951) is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ... Alexander Valeryevich Khalifman (born January 18, 1966) is a Russian chess player. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ... Viswanathan Anand Viswanathan Anand (IPA: ) (born December 11, 1969 in Chennai (then called Madras), India) is an Indian chess grandmaster and former FIDE world champion. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_India. ... Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukrainian: ; Russian: ) (born October 11, 1983) is a Ukrainian chess player and former FIDE world champion. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ukraine. ... (Rustam Qosimjonov in Uzbek, Рустам Касымджанов in Russian born December 5, 1979) is a chess grandmaster from Uzbekistan. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Uzbekistan. ... Veselin Topalov 2005 Veselin Topalov (IPA: ; Bulgarian: ) (born 15 March 1975) is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster and former FIDE world champion. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Bulgaria. ... Garry Kimovich Kasparov (Russian: ; IPA: ) (born April 13, 1963, in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR) (now Azerbaijan) is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Chess Champion. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ... Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik (Russian: ) (born June 25, 1975) is a Russian chess grandmaster and the current undisputed World Chess Champion. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ...

Undisputed World Champions 2006–Present

Name	Years	Country
Vladimir Kramnik	2006–present	Russia

Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik (Russian: ) (born June 25, 1975) is a Russian chess grandmaster and the current undisputed World Chess Champion. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Russia. ...

History of the World Chess Championship

Unofficial Champions (pre-1886)

The first match proclaimed by the players as for the world championship was the match that Wilhelm Steinitz won against Johannes Zukertort in 1886. However, a line of players regarded as the strongest (or at least the most famous) in the world extends back hundreds of years beyond them, and these players are sometimes considered the world champions of their time. They include Ruy López de Segura around 1560, Paolo Boi and Leonardo da Cutri around 1575, Alessandro Salvio around 1600, and Gioacchino Greco around 1620. Wilhelm (later William) Steinitz (May 17, 1836, Prague–August 12, 1900, New York) was a Jewish-Austrian-American chess player and the first official world chess champion. ... Zukertort, early 1880s Johannes Hermann Zukertort (7 September 1842 Lublin – 20 June 1888 London) was a leading Polish-Jewish chess master. ... Ruy López de Segura (born 1530 in Zafra near Badajoz, died 1580) was a Spanish priest and later bishop in Segura whose book Libro de la invención liberal y arte del juego del Axedrez was one of the first fundamental chess books in Europe, only after Pedro Damiano... Paolo Boi (1528-1598) was an Italian chess player. ... Leonardo da Cutri (full name Giovanni Leonardo da Cutri or Giovanni Leonardo di Bona, known also as Il Puttino = Small, 1552 - 1597) was an early Italian chess master. ... Alessandro Salvio was an Italian chess player who is considered to be the unnofficial world champion around the year 1600. ... Gioacchino Greco (1600–c. ...

In the 18th and early 19th century, French players dominated, with Legall de Kermeur (1730–1747), Francois-André Philidor (1747–1795), Alexandre Deschapelles (1800–1820) and Louis de la Bourdonnais (1820–1840) all widely regarded as the strongest players of their time. La Bourdonnais played a series of six matches — and 85 games — against the Irishman Alexander McDonnell, with many of the encounters later being annotated by the American Paul Morphy. Legall de Kermeur (1702 – 1792) was a French chess player. ... Events Pope Clement XII elected September 17 - Change of emperor of the Ottoman Empire from Ahmed III (1703-1730) to Mahmud I (1730-1754) Anna Ivanova (Anna I of Russia) became czarina Births April 16 - Henry Clinton, British general (d. ... Year 1747 (MDCCXLVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... François-André Danican Philidor (September 1, 1726 - August 31, 1795) was a French chess player and composer. ... Year 1747 (MDCCXLVII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 11-day slower Julian calendar). ... 1795 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Alexandre Deschapelles (1780–1847) was a French chess player who, for a time, was possibly the strongest player in the world. ... // ON MAY 5 1853 MR.FADER HAD SEX WITH A MAN NAME MR WIEN THEN THEY HAD SON NAMEDMRS COTURE AND MR MANOOGIAN WENT INTO MRS HASKELLS OFFICE NAKED AND DANCED AROUND AND MASTERBATED ON HER CHEST AND SHE LICKED IT OFF THEN THEY HAD ORAL SEEX WITH NAPLOEAN OF... 1820 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Louis Charles de la Bourdonnais (1795 - 1840) was a French chess master, the strongest player in the early 19th century. ... 1820 was a leap year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Alexander McDonnell (1798-1835) was an Irish chess master, who contested a series of six matches with the world’s leading player in the summer of 1834. ... Paul Morphy Paul Charles Morphy (June 22, 1837 - July 10, 1884), The Pride and Sorrow of Chess, was an American chess player. ...

The Englishman Howard Staunton's match victory over another Frenchman, Pierre-Charles Fournier de Saint-Amant, in 1843 is considered to have established him as the world's strongest player (1840–1850).^[1] In 1851 Staunton organised the first international tournament in London. He finished fourth, with the decisive winner, the German Adolf Anderssen establishing himself as the leading player in the world.^[2] Howard Staunton Howard Staunton (April 1810 - June 22, 1874) was an English chess master and unofficial World Chess Champion. ... Pierre Charles Fournier de St. ... 1840 is a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... For the game, see: 1850 (board game) Year 1850 (MDCCCL) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... Adolf Anderssen Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen (July 6, 1818 - March 13, 1879) was a famous German chess master, one of the most renowned of the classic masters of 19th century chess. ...

Adolf Anderssen

Anderssen was a brilliant attacking player, with two of his best games known as the Immortal Game and the Evergreen Game respectively. He has been described as the first modern chess master.^[3] Portrait of Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen, a famous german chess player This image is in the public domain in the United States and possibly other jurisdictions. ... Portrait of Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen, a famous german chess player This image is in the public domain in the United States and possibly other jurisdictions. ... Adolf Anderssen Karl Ernst Adolf Anderssen (July 6, 1818 - March 13, 1879) was a famous German chess master, one of the most renowned of the classic masters of 19th century chess. ... The immortal game was a chess game played in 1851 by Adolf Anderssen and Lionel Kieseritzky. ... The evergreen game is a famous chess game played in 1852 between Adolf Anderssen and Jean Dufresne. ...

Paul Morphy

Anderssen was himself decisively defeated in an 1858 match against the American Paul Morphy, after which Morphy was toasted across the chess-playing world as the world chess champion. A fast player (he took only minutes to decide on his moves, compared with some others who "were notorious not for out-thinking their opponents but out-sitting them", as Steinitz once said), and possessing fearsome talent, he played matches against several leading players, crushing them all.^[4] Soon after, he offered pawn and move odds to anyone who would play him. Finding no takers, Morphy abruptly retired from chess the following year, but many considered him the world champion until his death in 1884. His sudden withdrawal from chess at his peak and subsequent mental illness led to his being known as "the pride and sorrow of chess". Paul Morphy Pre-1922 photograph (Morphy died in 1884), hence public domain. ... Paul Morphy Pre-1922 photograph (Morphy died in 1884), hence public domain. ... Paul Morphy Paul Charles Morphy (June 22, 1837 - July 10, 1884), The Pride and Sorrow of Chess, was an American chess player. ... 1858 (MDCCCLVIII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Paul Morphy Paul Charles Morphy (June 22, 1837 - July 10, 1884), The Pride and Sorrow of Chess, was an American chess player. ... Year 1884 (MDCCCLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

This left Anderssen again as possibly the world's strongest active player, a reputation he reinforced by winning the strong London tournament of 1862. He was narrowly defeated in an 1866 match against Wilhelm Steinitz, and some commentators regard this to be the first "official" world championship match.^[5] The match was not declared to be a world championship at the time, however. It was only after Morphy's death in 1884 that such a match was declared, a testament to Morphy's dominance of the game (even though he had not played publicly for 25 years). This 1886 match between Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort, won by Steinitz, though not held under the aegis of any official body, is generally recognized as the first official World Chess Championship match, with Steinitz the game's first official World Champion. 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Wilhelm (later William) Steinitz (May 17, 1836, Prague–August 12, 1900, New York) was a Jewish-Austrian-American chess player and the first official world chess champion. ... Year 1884 (MDCCCLXXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Zukertort, early 1880s Johannes Hermann Zukertort (7 September 1842 Lublin – 20 June 1888 London) was a leading Polish-Jewish chess master. ...

Official Champions before FIDE (1886-1946)

Wilhelm Steinitz

The championship was conducted on a fairly informal basis through the remainder of the nineteenth century and in the first half of the twentieth: if a player thought he was strong enough, he (or his friends) would find financial backing for a match purse and challenge the reigning world champion. If he won, he would become the new champion. There was no formal system of qualification. However, it is generally regarded that the system did on the whole produce champions who were the strongest players of their day. The players who held the title up until World War II were Steinitz, Emanuel Lasker, José Raúl Capablanca, Alexander Alekhine, and Max Euwe, each of them defeating the previous incumbent in a match. Image File history File links Wilhelm_Steinitz. ... Image File history File links Wilhelm_Steinitz. ... Wilhelm (later William) Steinitz (May 17, 1836, Prague–August 12, 1900, New York) was a Jewish-Austrian-American chess player and the first official world chess champion. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Emanuel Lasker (December 24, 1868 – January 11, 1941) was a German World Chess Champion, mathematician, and philosopher born at Berlinchen in Brandenburg (now Barlinek in Poland). ... José Raúl Capablanca y Graupera (November 19, 1888 – March 8, 1942) was a Cuban world-class chess player in the early to mid-twentieth century. ... Alexander Alekhine Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine (sometimes spelled Aljechin or Alechin) (IPA: ; Russian: ; other members of his family pronounce it , French: Alexandre Alekhine) (October 31 or November 1, 1892 – March 24, 1946) was a Russian-born naturalized French chess grandmaster (officially naturalized in 1927 only three days before the World Champion... Machgielis (Max) Euwe (last name is pronounced /ø:wÉ™/) (May 20, 1901 – November 26, 1981) was a Dutch chess Grandmaster and Mathematician. ...

Lasker was the first champion after Steinitz; although he didn't defend his title in 1897-1906 or 1911-1920, he did string together an impressive run of tournament victories and dominated his opponents. His success was largely due to the fact that he was an excellent practical player. In difficult or objectively lost positions he would complicate matters and use his extraordinary tactical abilities to save the game. He held the title from 1894 to 1921, the longest reign (27 years) of any champion. In that period he defended the title successfully in one-sided matches against Steinitz, Frank Marshall, Siegbert Tarrasch and Dawid Janowski, and was only seriously threatened in a tied 1910 match against Carl Schlechter. This article is about the early 20th century chess champion. ... Siegbert Tarrasch Siegbert Tarrasch (March 5, 1862 – February 17, 1934) was one of the strongest chess players of the late 19th century and early 20th century. ... Dawid Markelowicz Janowski (1868 – 1927) was a leading Polish-Jewish chess master. ... Carl Schlechter Carl Schlechter (March 2, 1874 - December 27, 1918) was a leading Austrian chess master at the turn of the 20th century. ...

The tournaments St. Petersburg 1909 and St. Petersburg 1914 were pivotal events of this period. Lasker won both events (sharing first with Akiba Rubinstein in 1909), followed by Capablanca and Alekhine in 1914. Tsar Nicholas II of Russia awarded the five finalists of St. Petersburg 1914 with the title Grand Master of Chess: Emanuel Lasker, José Raúl Capablanca, Alexander Alekhine, Siegbert Tarrasch, and Frank Marshall. Akiba Rubinstein (born 12 December 1882, died 15 March 1961 in Antwerp) was a brilliant Polish chess master and a famous grandmaster at the beginning of the 20th century. ... Emanuel Lasker (December 24, 1868 – January 11, 1941) was a German World Chess Champion, mathematician, and philosopher born at Berlinchen in Brandenburg (now Barlinek in Poland). ... José Raúl Capablanca y Graupera (November 19, 1888 – March 8, 1942) was a Cuban world-class chess player in the early to mid-twentieth century. ... Alexander Alekhine Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine (sometimes spelled Aljechin or Alechin) (IPA: ; Russian: ; other members of his family pronounce it , French: Alexandre Alekhine) (October 31 or November 1, 1892 – March 24, 1946) was a Russian-born naturalized French chess grandmaster (officially naturalized in 1927 only three days before the World Champion... Siegbert Tarrasch Siegbert Tarrasch (March 5, 1862 – February 17, 1934) was one of the strongest chess players of the late 19th century and early 20th century. ... This article is about the early 20th century chess champion. ...

In 1921, Lasker lost the title to a sensational young Cuban— Capablanca. Capablanca was the last and greatest of the "natural" players: he prepared little for his games, but won them brilliantly. He possessed an astonishing insight into positions simply by glancing at them. Renowned for his ability to gradually convert the tiniest advantages into victory as well as his famous endgame skill, Capablanca was one of the most feared players in history. From a loss to Oscar Chajes in 1916 to a loss to Richard Réti in 1924, he went undefeated. Year 1921 (MCMXXI) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... In chess, the endgame (or end game or ending) refers to the stage of the game when there are few pieces left on the board. ... Oscar Chajes (pronounced HA-yes) was an Austrian chess player. ... 1916 (MCMXVI) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar). ... Richard Réti (1889 – 1929) was a Czechoslovakian chess player, although he was born in what was then Hungary. ... 1924 (MCMXXIV) was a leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar). ...

Alexander Alekhine

However, in 1927, he was shockingly upset by a new challenger, Alekhine. Before the match, almost nobody gave Alekhine a chance against the dominant Cuban, but Alekhine overcame Capablanca's natural skill with his unmatched drive and extensive preparation (especially deep opening analysis, which became a hallmark of all future grandmasters). The aggressive Alekhine was helped by his fearsome tactical skill, which complicated the game. He also managed to stave off a rematch against Capablanca indefinitely. In 1935, he lost the title to the logical Dutch mathematician Max Euwe, the last amateur/world champion. Alekhine later liked to blame his loss on alcohol. In 1937, at which point the two players had split their previous 56 games evenly, Alekhine did get a rematch and won the title back from Euwe. He then held it until his death in 1946. Alexander Alekhine, one of the great chess players of all time This image is in the public domain in the United States and possibly other jurisdictions. ... Alexander Alekhine, one of the great chess players of all time This image is in the public domain in the United States and possibly other jurisdictions. ... Alexander Alekhine Alexander Alexandrovich Alekhine (sometimes spelled Aljechin or Alechin) (IPA: ; Russian: ; other members of his family pronounce it , French: Alexandre Alekhine) (October 31 or November 1, 1892 – March 24, 1946) was a Russian-born naturalized French chess grandmaster (officially naturalized in 1927 only three days before the World Champion... Machgielis (Max) Euwe (last name is pronounced /ø:wə/) (May 20, 1901 – November 26, 1981) was a Dutch chess Grandmaster and Mathematician. ...

FIDE-Controlled Title (1948-1993)

Soviet dominance (1948 - 1972)

Alekhine's death threw the chess world into chaos. The previous informal system could not deal with this unlikely eventuality. Though Euwe could claim a moral right to the title, he graciously allowed FIDE to step in. Though FIDE had existed since 1924, it lacked power because the strongest chess-playing nation, the Soviet Union, refused to participate. However, upon Alekhine's death, the Soviet Union joined FIDE in order to be a part of the process to select the next champion. FIDE organised a match tournament in 1948 between five of the world's strongest players: Mikhail Botvinnik, Vasily Smyslov, Paul Keres, Samuel Reshevsky, and Max Euwe himself (Reuben Fine was also invited, but declined to take part due to his doctorate degree requirements). Botvinnik won the tournament by a large margin (as well as winning all the sub-matches against all his opponents), and thus the championship, and FIDE continued to organise the championship thereafter. The Fédération Internationale des Échecs or World Chess Federation is an international organization that connects the various national chess federations around the world. ... The 1948 World Chess Championship was a tournament played to determine a new World Chess Champion following the death of the previous champion Alexander Alekhine in 1946. ... Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (IPA: ; Russian: ) (August 17 [O.S. August 4] 1911 - May 5, 1995) was a Russian International Grandmaster and long-time World Champion of chess. ... Vasily Vasiliyevich Smyslov (Васи́лий Смысло́в) (born March 24, 1921) is a Russian chess grandmaster. ... Paul Keres Paul Keres (born January 7, 1916, in Narva, Estonia; died June 5, 1975, in Helsinki, Finland) was an Estonian chess grandmaster and one of the strongest chess players of all time, apart from the World chess champions. ... Samuel Herman (Sammy) Reshevsky (born Szmul Rzeszewski, November 26, 1911, Ozorków, (then German Empire, today Poland) - died April 4, 1992, New York, USA) was a leading American chess Grandmaster. ... Machgielis (Max) Euwe (last name is pronounced /ø:wÉ™/) (May 20, 1901 – November 26, 1981) was a Dutch chess Grandmaster and Mathematician. ... Reuben Fine (October 11, 1914 - March 26, 1993) was one of the best chess players in the world during the 1930s. ...

In place of the previous informal system, a new system of qualifying tournaments and matches was arranged. The world's strongest players were seeded into "Interzonal tournaments", where they were joined by players who had qualified from "Zonal tournaments". The leading finishers in these Interzonals would go on the "Candidates" stage, which was initially a tournament, later a series of knock-out matches. The winner of the Candidates Tournament would then play a match against the reigning champion (who did not have to qualify through this process) for the championship. If a champion was defeated, he had a right to join in a three way match three years later with his successor and the next challenger (in 1957, this was changed to allow a defeated champion to play a rematch one year after his loss. This system worked on a three-year cycle. Interzonal chess tournaments were tournaments organized by FIDE, the World Chess Federation. ... Interzonal chess tournaments were tournaments organized by FIDE, the World Chess Federation. ... The Candidates Tournament was an annual chess tournament in which various chess players play against each other. ...

The winner of the 1948 tournament, Mikhail Botvinnik, would end up being a constant presence in championship matches for over ten years. His marked longevity at the top is generally explained by the fact that he was a tireless worker. It is said he perfected the game as a science, not a sport, through his emphasis on technique over tactics. This longevity is even more impressive considering he had hit his peak during World War II, during which international chess was suspended, and he was the first champion who was forced to play all his challengers. Perhaps most remarkably, he was not a professional chess player, but a decorated engineer by trade. The 1948 World Chess Championship was a tournament played to determine a new World Chess Champion following the death of the previous champion Alexander Alekhine in 1946. ... Mikhail Moiseyevich Botvinnik (IPA: ; Russian: ) (August 17 [O.S. August 4] 1911 - May 5, 1995) was a Russian International Grandmaster and long-time World Champion of chess. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Botvinnik first successfully defended his title twice over his first six years, holding off both David Bronstein in 1951 and Vasily Smyslov in 1954. Both the matches were drawn 12-12 but Botvinnik retained the title by virtue of being defending champion. Smyslov, however, won the title in 1957 by a score of 12.5 – 9.5, only to lose it once more to Botvinnik in 1958 by a score of 12.5 – 10.5. At the time, Smyslov had the dubious pleasure of being the shortest-reigning world champion, but this 'honour' soon switched hands, to the 'Magician from Riga', Mikhail Tal. David Bronstein David Ionovich Bronstein (Дави́д Ио́нович Бронште́йн) (February 19, 1924, Bila Tserkva, Ukraine – December 5, 2006, Minsk, Belarus) was renowned as a leading chess grandmaster and writer. ... 1951 (MCMLI) was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Vasily Vasiliyevich Smyslov (Васи́лий Смысло́в) (born March 24, 1921) is a Russian chess grandmaster. ... Year 1954 (MCMLIV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1957 (MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1957 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Coordinates: Founded 1201 Government  - Mayor Jānis Birks Area  - City 307. ... Mikhail Tal Mikhail Nekhemievich Tal (IPA: ; Latvian: ; Russian: ) (November 9, 1936 - June 28, 1992) was a Jewish Latvian chess player and the eighth World Chess Champion. ...

Tal's daring, sacrificial style had brought him success in 1960, overcoming Botvinnik by a score of 12.5 – 8.5. But once more, Botvinnik was not content, and won back his title the following year in a rematch, by the score of 13 – 8, after Tal fell ill. Botvinnik has said: "If Tal would learn to program himself properly, he would have been impossible to play." Unfortunately, he did not, and many believe that Tal was never able to live up to his potential. He remains to this day the shortest-lived champion. 1960 (MCMLX) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1960 calendar). ...

Botvinnik would play just one more world championship match, against the Armenian Tigran Petrosian, losing it 12.5 – 9.5. There was no rematch, because FIDE abolished the rematch rule. Botvinnik retired from championship chess (and retired from active play altogether in 1970) and occupied himself with computer chess and the creation of his famous chess school. Petrosian successfully defended his title in 1966 against Boris Spassky, winning by the narrowest of margins (12.5 – 11.5) in Moscow. Three years later, however, (once more in Moscow) he lost 12.5 – 10.5 to the same challenger. Tigran Petrosian. ... 1990s Pressure-sensory Chess Computer with LCD screen The idea of creating a chess-playing machine dates back to the eighteenth century. ... Boris Spassky Boris Vasilievich Spassky (also Spasskij) (Russian: ) (born January 30, 1937) is a Russian chess player and former world champion. ... Position of Moscow in Europe Coordinates: , Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Government  - Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Area  - City 1,081 km²  (417. ... Position of Moscow in Europe Coordinates: , Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Government  - Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Area  - City 1,081 km²  (417. ...

Fischer (1972 - 1975)

The next championship, held in Reykjavík (Iceland) in 1972, saw the first non-Soviet finalist since before World War II (the first under FIDE), the young American, Bobby Fischer. Having defeated his Candidates opponents Mark Taimanov, Bent Larsen, and Tigran Petrosian (the first two by the previously unheard-of scores of 6–0), Fischer easily qualified to challenge Spassky. The so-called Match of the Century, possibly the most famous in chess history, had a shaky start: having lost the first game, Fischer defaulted the second after he failed to turn up, complaining about playing conditions. There was concern he would default the whole match rather than play, but he duly turned up for the third game and won it brilliantly. Spassky won only one more game in the rest of the match and was eventually crushed by Fischer by a score of 12.5 – 8.5. Fischer's dominance drew many parallels to the other famed American chess champion, Morphy. Unfortunately, this similarity became all too close three years later. Location in Iceland Coordinates: , Constituency Reykjavík North Reykjavík South Government  - Mayor (Borgarstjóri) Vilhjálmur Þ. Vilhjálmsson Area  - City 274. ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Robert James Bobby Fischer (born March 9, 1943) is a United States-born chess Grandmaster and in 1972 became the only US-born chessplayer to become the official World Chess Champion. ... Mark Evgenievich Taimanov (Марк Евгеньевич Тайманов) (born February 7, 1926) is a leading Russian chess player and concert pianist. ... Bent Larsen Bent Larsen (born March 4, 1935) is a Danish chess player. ... The World Chess Championship match between challenger Bobby Fischer and defending champion Boris Spassky in Reykjavík, 1972, has been dubbed the Match of the Century. ...

A line of unbroken FIDE champions had thus been established from 1948 to 1972, with each champion gaining his title by beating the previous incumbent. This came to an end in 1975, however, when reigning champion Fischer refused to defend his title against Soviet Anatoly Karpov when Fischer's demands were not met. Fischer resigned his FIDE title in writing, but privately maintained that he was still World Champion. He went into seclusion and did not play chess in public again until 1992, when he offered Spassky a rematch, again for the World Championship. The general chess public did not take this claim to the championship seriously, since both of them were well past their prime - shadows of their former selves, though the match was greatly appreciated and attracted good media coverage. 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (the link is to a full 1948 calendar). ... Year 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov (Russian: ) (born May 23, 1951) is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ...

Karpov and Kasparov (1975-1993)

Karpov dominated the 1970s and early 1980s with an incredible string of tournament successes. He convincingly demonstrated that he was the strongest player in the world by defending his title twice against ex-Soviet Viktor Korchnoi, first in Baguio City in 1978 and then in Merano in 1981. His "boa constrictor" style frustrated opponents, often causing them to lash out and err. This allowed him to bring the full force of his Botvinnik-learned dry technique (both Karpov and Kasparov were students at Botvinnik's school) against them, grinding his way to victory. The 1970s decade refers to the years from 1970 to 1979. ... This article cites very few or no references or sources. ... Viktor Korchnoi (also Korchnoy, Kortchnoy, Kortschnoj, etc) (Ви́ктор Льво́вич Корчно́й) (born March 23, 1931) is a professional chess player. ... The City of Baguio (Ilokano: Ciudad ti Baguio; Filipino: Lungsod ng Baguio) is a 1st class highly urbanized city in northern Luzon in the Philippines. ... Year 1978 (MCMLXXVIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar). ... Merano (Italian: Merano; German: Meran; Ladin: Meran; Latin: Merona; Note that many of the regions Italian languages/dialects use Meran), is a city in the Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol region of Italy. ... Year 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Gregorian calendar). ... Species Boa Constrictor Acrantophis dumerili Acrantophis madagascariensis Sanzinia madagascariensis Boa is a genus of snakes in the family Boidae. ...

He eventually lost his title to a fiery, aggressive, tactical player who was equally convincing over the board: Garry Kasparov. The two of them fought five incredibly close world championship matches, in 1984 (the last match scored with the number of wins, which was controversially terminated without result when Karpov was leading +5 -3 =40, the longest championship match to date, see Anatoly Karpov's article for details), 1985 (which Kasparov won 13-11), 1986 (Kasparov won 12.5–11.5), 1987 (which was drawn 12–12 and Kasparov kept the title), and 1990 (which Kasparov narrowly won 12.5–11.5). Garry Kimovich Kasparov (Russian: ; IPA: ) (born April 13, 1963, in Baku, Azerbaijan SSR) (now Azerbaijan) is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Chess Champion. ... Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov (Russian: ) (born May 23, 1951) is a Russian chess grandmaster and former World Champion. ...

Split Title (1993 - 2006)

In 1993, Kasparov and challenger Nigel Short complained of corruption and a lack of professionalism within FIDE and split from FIDE to set up the Professional Chess Association (PCA), under whose auspices they held their match. The event was orchestrated largely by Raymond Keene. Keene brought the event to London (FIDE had planned it for Manchester), and England was whipped up into something of a chess fever: Channel Four broadcast some 81 programmes on the match, the BBC also had coverage, and Short appeared in television beer commercials. Kasparov crushed Short by five points, and interest in chess in the UK soon died down. Nigel Short MBE (born June 1, 1965 in Leigh, Lancashire) is widely regarded as the strongest British chess player of the 20th century. ... The Professional Chess Association was created 1993 by Garry Kasparov and Nigel Short for the marketing and organization of its chess world championship, as a consequence of the then FIDE President, Florencio Campomanes, abrogating the voting rights of the players. ... Raymond Dennis Keene OBE (born 29 January 1948) is a chess grandmaster, but is better known as a chess organiser, columnist and author. ... This article is about the capital of England and the United Kingdom. ... Manchester (pronounced ) is a city and metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. ... Motto (French) God and my right Anthem God Save the Queen England() – on the European continent() – in the United Kingdom() Capital (and largest city) London (de facto) Official languages English (de facto) Unified  -  by Athelstan 967 AD  Area  -  Total 130,395 km²  50,346 sq mi  Population  -  2007 estimate 50... Channel 4 is a television broadcaster in the United Kingdom (see British television). ... The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually known as the BBC, is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion. ...

Affronted by the PCA split, FIDE stripped Kasparov of his title and held a championship match between Karpov (champion prior to Kasparov and defeated by Short in the Candidates semi-final) and Jan Timman (defeated by Short in the Candidates final) in the Netherlands and Jakarta, Indonesia. Karpov emerged victorious. Jan Timman Jan Timman (born December 14, 1951) is a famous Dutch chessplayer who had his greatest successes in the 1970s and 1980s. ... Jakarta (also Djakarta or DKI Jakarta), formerly known as Sunda Kelapa, Jayakarta and Batavia is the capital and largest city of Indonesia. ...

FIDE and the PCA each held a championship cycle in 1993-96, with many of the same challengers playing in both, and Karpov and Kasparov retaining their respective titles. In the PCA cycle, Kasparov defeated Viswanathan Anand in the PCA World Chess Championship 1995 against Viswanathan Anand in 1995. Karpov defeated Gata Kamsky in the final of the FIDE World Chess Championship 1996. Negotiations were held for a reunification match between Kasparov and Karpov in 1996-97, but nothing came of them.^[6]. Viswanathan Anand Viswanathan Anand (IPA: ) (born December 11, 1969 in Chennai (then called Madras), India) is an Indian chess grandmaster and former FIDE world champion. ... The Classical World Chess Championship 1995, known at the time as the PCA World Chess Championship 1995, was held from September 10, 1995 – October 16, 1995 in New York, United States. ... Viswanathan Anand Viswanathan Anand (IPA: ) (born December 11, 1969 in Chennai (then called Madras), India) is an Indian chess grandmaster and former FIDE world champion. ... Gata Kamsky (Tatar:Ğataulla Kamski) (born June 2, 1974) is an American chess grandmaster. ... The FIDE World Chess Championship 1996 was a chess tournament held by FIDE to determine the World Chess Champion. ...

Soon after the 1995 championship, the PCA folded, and Kasparov had no organisation to choose his next challenger. In 1998 he formed the World Chess Council, which organised a candidates match between Alexei Shirov and Vladimir Kramnik. Shirov won the match, but negotiations for a Kasparov-Shirov match broke down, and Shirov was subsequently omitted from negotiations, much to his disgust. Plans for a 1999 or 2000 Kasparov-Anand match also broke down, and Kasparov organised a match with Kramnik in late 2000. In a major upset, Kramnik won the Classical World Chess Championship 2000 match with two wins, thirteen draws, and no losses. Alexei Shirov Alexei Shirov (Aleksejs Širovs, Алексе́й Широв) (born July 4, 1972 in Riga, Latvia), is one of the top chess grandmasters in the world today. ... Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik (Russian: ) (born June 25, 1975) is a Russian chess grandmaster and the current undisputed World Chess Champion. ... The Classical World Chess Championship 2000, also known as the Braingames World Chess Championship 2000, was a match for the Classical World Chess Championship between Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik. ...

FIDE, meanwhile, scrapped the Interzonal and Candidates system, instead having a large knock-out event in which a large number of players contested short matches against each other over just a few weeks. (See FIDE World Chess Championships 1998-2004). Very fast games were used to resolve ties at the end of each round, a format which some felt did not necessarily recognize the highest quality play: Kasparov refused to participate in these events, as did Kramnik after he won Kasparov's title in 2000. In the first of these events, champion Karpov was seeded straight into the final, but subsequently the champion had to qualify like other players. Karpov defended his title in the first of these championships in 1998, but resigned his title in anger at the new rules in 1999. Alexander Khalifman took the title in 1999, Anand in 2000, Ruslan Ponomariov in 2002 and Rustam Kasimdzhanov won the event in 2004. The FIDE World Chess Championships 1998-2004 all followed a similar format, radically different from previous World Chess Championship events. ... Alexander Valeryevich Khalifman (born January 18, 1966) is a Russian chess player. ... Ruslan Ponomariov (Ukrainian: ; Russian: ) (born October 11, 1983) is a Ukrainian chess player and former FIDE world champion. ... (Rustam Qosimjonov in Uzbek, Рустам Касымджанов in Russian born December 5, 1979) is a chess grandmaster from Uzbekistan. ... The FIDE World Chess Championship, 2004 was held at the Almahary Hotel in Tripoli, Libya, from June 18 to July 13. ...

By 2002, not only were there two rival champions, but Kasparov's strong results - he had the top ELO rating in the world and had won a string of major tournaments after losing his title in 2000 - ensured even more confusion over who was World Champion. So in May 2002, American grandmaster Yasser Seirawan led the organisation of the so-called "Prague Agreement" to reunite the world championship. Kramnik had organised a candidates tournament (won later in 2002 by Peter Leko) to choose his challenger. So it was decided that Kasparov would play the FIDE champion (Ponomariov) for the FIDE title, and the winners of the two titles would play for a unified title. The ELO rating system is a method for calculating the relative skill levels of players in two-player games such as chess and Go. ... Yasser Seirawan Yasser Seirawan (Arabic: ) (born March 24, 1960) is a chess grandmaster and 4-time US-champion. ... Image:Leko2. ...

However, the matches proved difficult to finance and organise. The Kramnik-Leko match, now renamed the Classical World Chess Championship, did not take place until late 2004 (it was drawn, so Kramnik retained his title). Meanwhile, FIDE never managed to organise a Kasparov match, either with 2002 FIDE champion Ponomariov, or 2004 FIDE champion Kasimdzhanov. Partly due to his frustration at the situation, Kasparov retired from chess in 2005, still ranked #1 in the world. The Classical World Chess Championship 2004 was held from September 25, 2004 - October 18, 2004 in Brissago, Switzerland. ...

Soon after, FIDE dropped the short knockout format for World Championship event and announced the FIDE World Chess Championship 2005, a new 8-player double round robin tournament to be held in San Luis, Argentina. With the stated intent of removing confusion over who the true World Champion should be, FIDE invited anyone with a conceivable claim to either the title or a challenge for the title - Kasparov as world #1 by ELO rating, Kramnik as Classical world champion, Kasimdzhanov as FIDE world champion, Anand as #1 behind Kasparov, and several other top-rated players. However, both Kasparov (retired) and Kramnik (who insisted on a traditional match format) declined their invitations to participate. The FIDE World Chess Championship 2005 took place in San Luis Province in Argentina from September 27 to October 16, 2005. ... San Luis is a city in Argentina and is the capital of San Luis Province. ...

The dominant winner in San Luis was the Bulgarian Veselin Topalov, and negotiations began for a Kramnik-Topalov match to unify the title. The FIDE World Chess Championship 2005 took place in San Luis Province in Argentina from September 27 to October 16, 2005. ... Veselin Topalov 2005 Veselin Topalov (IPA: ; Bulgarian: ) (born 15 March 1975) is a Bulgarian chess grandmaster and former FIDE world champion. ...

Reunified Title (2006 onwards)

The reunification match between Topalov and Kramnik was held in late 2006. After much controversy, it was won by Kramnik. (See FIDE World Chess Championship 2006). Kramnik thus became the first unified and undisputed World Chess Champion since Kasparov split from FIDE to form the PCA in 1993. The FIDE World Chess Championship 2006 was a chess match between Classical World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik, and FIDE World Chess Champion Veselin Topalov. ...

Kramnik is scheduled to defend his title at the FIDE World Chess Championship 2007 in Mexico. This will be an 8 player double round robin tournament, the same format as was used for the FIDE World Chess Championship 2005. Veselin Topalov The FIDE World Chess Championship 2007 will be an eight-player double round-robin tournament. ... The FIDE World Chess Championship 2005 took place in San Luis Province in Argentina from September 27 to October 16, 2005. ...

Ratings List

Main article: Elo rating system

Since 1970, FIDE has maintained a list of the top rated players in the world according to the Elo rating system. Initially lists were released every 6 months; now lists are released every 3 months. Chess Go The Elo rating system is a method for calculating the relative skill levels of players in two-player games such as chess and Go. ... Chess Go The Elo rating system is a method for calculating the relative skill levels of players in two-player games such as chess and Go. ...

The top rated player is not necessarily the world champion. Especially in recent years, topping the ratings list has carried some prestige.

In the most recent list (April 2007), the highest rated player is Vishy Anand of India. The current world champion, Vladimir Kramnik, is ranked third.[1] Viswanathan Anand (born December 11, 1969) is an Indian chess grandmaster. ... Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik (Russian: ) (born June 25, 1975) is a Russian chess grandmaster and the current undisputed World Chess Champion. ...

See also

The following is a list of world chess championship matches (see World Chess Championship). ... Interzonal chess tournaments were tournaments organized by FIDE, the World Chess Federation. ... The Candidates Tournament was an annual chess tournament in which various chess players play against each other. ... The Womens World Chess Championship is played to determine the womens world champion in chess. ... A number of countries hold national championships in chess. ... View of the tournament hall from the Mens (Zegrze) 2005 event The European Individual Chess Championship is a chess tournament organized by the European Chess Union. ... Depicts many of the strongest international chess tournaments in history. ... The Chess Olympiad is a chess event which has been officially organised by FIDE since 1927 and takes place in even years. ... The European Team Championship (often abbreviated in texts and games databases as ETC) is an international team chess event, eligible for the participation of European nations whose chess federations are located in zones 1. ... The World Chess Solving Championship (WCSC) is an annual competition in the solving of chess problems organised by FIDE via the Permanent Commission of the FIDE for Chess Compositions (PCCC). ... There is no consensus on who is the greatest chess player of all time, but it is a topic often discussed by fans and addressed by writers. ...

World Championship Events

The 1948 World Chess Championship was a tournament played to determine a new World Chess Champion following the death of the previous champion Alexander Alekhine in 1946. ... At the World Chess Championship 1963 Tigran Petrosian narrowly qualified to challenge Mikhail Botvinnik for the World Chess Championship, and then won the match to become the 9th World Chess Champion. ... The World Chess Championship match between challenger Bobby Fischer and defending champion Boris Spassky in Reykjavík, Iceland 1972, has been dubbed the Match of the Century. ... The Classical World Chess Championship 1995, also known as the PCA World Chess Championship 1995, was held from September 10, 1995 - October 16, 1995 in New York, United States. ... The FIDE World Chess Championship 1996 was a chess tournament held by FIDE to determine the World Chess Champion. ... The Classical World Chess Championship 2000, also known as the Braingames World Chess Championship 2000, was a match for the Classical World Chess Championship between Garry Kasparov and Vladimir Kramnik. ... The Classical World Chess Championship 2004 was held from September 25, 2004 - October 18, 2004 in Brissago, Switzerland. ... The FIDE World Chess Championships 1998-2004 all followed a similar format, radically different from previous World Chess Championship events. ... The FIDE World Chess Championship, 2004 was held at the Almahary Hotel in Tripoli, Libya, from June 18 to July 13. ... The FIDE World Chess Championship 2005 took place in San Luis Province in Argentina from September 27 to October 16, 2005. ... The FIDE World Chess Championship 2006 was a chess match between Classical World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik, and FIDE World Chess Champion Veselin Topalov. ... Veselin Topalov The FIDE World Chess Championship 2007 will be an eight-player double round-robin tournament. ...

References

1. ^ "From Morphy to Fischer", Israel Horowitz, (Batsford, 1973) p.2
2. ^ "From Morphy to Fischer", Israel Horowitz, (Batsford, 1973) p.4
3. ^ "The World's Great Chess Games", Reuben Fine, (McKay, 1976) p.17
4. ^ 1858-59 Paul Morphy Matches, Mark Weeks' Chess Pages
5. ^ "The World's Great Chess Games", Reuben Fine, (McKay, 1976) p.30
6. ^ Kasparov Interview, The Week in Chess 206, 19th October 1998

• Hooper, David & Kenneth Whyld (1992), The Oxford Companion to Chess (2 ed.), Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-866164-9

Israel Albert (Al) Horowitz (November 15, 1907-January 18, 1973) was a leading American chess master. ... Israel Albert (Al) Horowitz (November 15, 1907-January 18, 1973) was a leading American chess master. ... Reuben Fine (October 11, 1914 - March 26, 1993) was one of the best chess players in the world during the 1930s. ... Reuben Fine (October 11, 1914 - March 26, 1993) was one of the best chess players in the world during the 1930s. ... The Week in Chess (often abbreviated to TWIC) is one of the first, if not the first, Internet-based chess news services. ... David Vincent Hooper (31 August 1915- May 1998), born in Reigate, was a British chess player and writer. ... Kenneth Whyld (March 6, 1926 - July 11, 2003) was a British chess author and researcher, best known as the co-author (with David Hooper) of the Oxford Companion to Chess, the standard single-volume chess reference work in English. ...

External links

• Mark Weeks' pages on the championships - Contains all results and games
• Graeme Cree's World Chess Championship Page - Contains the results, and also some commentary by an amateur chess historian
• Kramnik Interview: From Steinitz to Kasparov - Kramnik shares his views on the first 13 World Chess Champions.
• History Championship Absolute in bidmonfa.com
• History Championship Women in bidmonfa.com
• History Championship Youthful in bidmonfa.com