Best World Champion
Updated DailyDiscover the most influential world champion figures ranked by expertise and impact.
The modern benchmark of excellence, Magnus Carlsen redefined dominance in the computer age. He holds the highest classical rating in history...
Widely considered the greatest player in history, Garry Kasparov dominated chess for over two decades. He became the youngest undisputed Wor...
The fourth World Champion, Alexander Alekhine was a dynamic, combative player known for his deep preparation and love of complex positions....
The third World Champion, Capablanca was a natural talent whose seemingly effortless style baffled opponents. He went eight years without lo...
The 14th World Classical Chess Champion, Vladimir Kramnik famously ended Garry Kasparov's 15-year reign in 2000 without losing a game. Known...
Emanuel Lasker held the World Championship title for 27 years (1894-1921), a record for the longest reign. He was a profound thinker who app...
The 'Magician from Riga,' Mikhail Tal was the eighth World Champion and the ultimate attacking player. His style was based on intuitive, cha...
The 12th World Champion, Anatoly Karpov possessed a boa-constrictor style that suffocated opponents with subtle positional pressure. He held...
Viswanathan Anand, India's first grandmaster, was a dominant force in world chess for over a quarter-century. He became World Champion in 20...
The sixth World Champion and patriarch of the Soviet chess school, Mikhail Botvinnik was a methodical, scientific player who emphasized rigo...
The 10th World Champion, Boris Spassky is best known as the stoic defender of the title against Bobby Fischer in the 1972 'Match of the Cent...
The fiery Bulgarian grandmaster, Veselin Topalov, was FIDE World Champion from 2005-2006 and reached the pinnacle of the rating list in 2006...
