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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.
Sep 22, 2021 · The first great Soviet chess player and their leading competitor for about 30 years, Botvinnik later went on to coach three future world champions: Karpov, Kasparov, and Kramnik. Botvinnik was the first player to win the world championship in a tournament, one FIDE organized in the aftermath of Alekhine's passing.
- Nathaniel Green
- Wilhelm Steinitz
- Emanuel Lasker
- José Capablanca
- Alexander Alekhine
- Max Euwe
- Mikhail Botvinnik
- Vasily Smyslov
- Mikhail Tal
- Tigran Petrosian
- Boris Spassky
Wilhelm Steinitzwas an Austrian-American chess player who laid the foundation for modern chess theory. Born in 1836 in Prague, he later moved to Vienna and finally to the United States. Steinitz held the title of World Chess Champion from 1886 to 1894 after defeating Johannes Zukertort in the first official World Chess Championship match. Steinitz ...
Emanuel Lasker, born in 1868 in Berlinchen, Germany, held the title of World Chess Champion for an impressive 27 years. He dethroned Steinitz in 1894 and successfully defended his title against a series of formidable opponents until 1921. Lasker was a mathematician and philosopher, and his approach to chess was infused with psychological insights. ...
José Raúl Capablancawas a Cuban chess prodigy who achieved the World Chess Champion title in 1921 by defeating Lasker. Born in 1888 in Havana, Capablanca was a naturally gifted player who quickly rose through the ranks of the chess world. He was known for his exceptional endgame technique, intuitive understanding of positions, and incredible speed ...
Alexander Alekhine, born in 1892 in Moscow, was a Russian-French chess grandmaster who became the fourth World Chess Champion. He defeated Capablanca in 1927 and held the title until 1935, when he lost to Max Euwe. Alekhine regained the championship in 1937 and held it until his death in 1946. Alekhine was known for his aggressive playing style, ta...
Max Euwe was a Dutch chess grandmaster who held the World Chess Champion title from 1935 to 1937. Born in 1901 in Amsterdam, Euwe was also a mathematician and educator. His victory over Alekhine in 1935 was considered a major upset, as Alekhine was the heavy favorite. Euwe’s playing style was characterized by solid positional understanding and a me...
Mikhail Botvinnikwas a Soviet chess grandmaster who held the World Chess Champion title on three separate occasions: from 1948 to 1957, 1958 to 1960, and 1961 to 1963. Born in 1911 in Kuokkala, Russia (now part of Finland), Botvinnik was a central figure in Soviet chess and contributed to the establishment of the country as a chess powerhouse. Botv...
Vasily Smyslov was a Soviet chess grandmaster who held the World Chess Champion title from 1957 to 1958. Born in 1921 in Moscow, Smyslov was known for his exceptional endgame skills, positional understanding, and harmonious style of play. Smyslov’s tenure as World Chess Champion was brief, as he lost the title back to Botvinnik in a 1958 rematch. H...
Mikhail Talwas a Soviet chess grandmaster from Latvia who held the World Chess Champion title from 1960 to 1961. Born in 1936 in Riga, Tal was nicknamed the “Magician from Riga” due to his incredible tactical flair and imaginative attacking play. Tal’s playing style was characterized by daring sacrifices and brilliant combinations, which often left...
Tigran Petrosianwas a Soviet chess grandmaster of Armenian origin who held the World Chess Champion title from 1963 to 1969. Born in 1929 in Tbilisi, Georgia, Petrosian was known for his exceptional defensive skills and a deeply strategic approach to the game. Petrosian’s playing style emphasized prophylactic thinking, anticipating his opponent’s t...
Boris Spassky, born in 1937 in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg), Russia, was a Soviet chess grandmaster who held the World Chess Champion title from 1969 to 1972. Spassky’s playing style was marked by a universal approach, as he excelled in all aspects of the game, from openings to endgames. Spassky’s reign as World Chess Champion is perhaps best r...
- Wilhelm Steinitz (1886-1894) Wilhelm Steinitz, an Austrian-American chess player born in 1836 in Praha, Austria (now Czech Republic), was the first recognized World Chess Champion, holding the title from 1886 to 1894.
- Emanuel Lasker (1894-1921) Emanuel Lasker, the longest reigning World Chess Champion in history, held the title for an unprecedented 27 years from 1894 to 1921.
- José Raúl Capablanca (1921-1927) The Cuban chess prodigy Jose Raul Capablanca won the World Chess Championship title from Lasker in 1921 and held it for six years.
- Alexander Alekhine (1927-1935, 1937-1946) Alekhine started competing against the world's strongest players by the age of 22. He is also highly regarded as a chess writer and theoretician, having given his name to Alekhine's Defence and several other opening variations.
Jun 7, 2024 · The first official World Chess Championship was held in 1886, crowning Wilhelm Steinitz as the inaugural champion. This era also saw the emergence of chess clubs, publications, and the codification of opening theories and endgame principles.
Unification of the Title. After Kramnik took the World Championship Title from Kasparov in 2000, the question of the unification of the chess title was opened. In 2002 the infamous Prague Agreement was signed, which envisioned the unification of the chess title.
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Oct 15, 2021 · 1951 – Seventeenth World Chess Championship: The Famous Russian GM Mikhail Botvinnik wins the world championship title held in Moscow and became the seventeenth official world chess champion. 1951 – The first World Junior Chess Championship held for the players of the age under 20 years.
