World Champion
|
Country
|
Period
|
How
|
Wilhelm Steinitz
|
Austria/USA
|
1886- 1894
|
Defeated Zukertort in 1886
|
Emanuel Lasker
|
Germany
|
1894 - 1921
|
Defeated Steinitz in 1894
|
Jose Raul Capablanca
|
Cuba
|
1921 - 1927
|
Defeated Lasker in 1921
|
Dr. Alexander Alekhine
|
Russia
|
1927 - 1935
|
Defeated Capablanca in 1927
|
Max Euwe
|
The Netherlands
|
1935 - 1937
|
Defeated Alekhine in 1935
|
Dr. Alexander Alekhine
|
Russia
|
1937 - 1946
|
Defeated Euwe in 1937
|
Mikhail Botvinnik
|
USSR
|
1948 - 1957
|
Won the 1948 World Championship tournament
|
Vassily Smyslov
|
USSR
|
1957 - 1958
|
Defeated Botvinnik in 1957
|
Mikhail Botvinnik
|
USSR
|
1958 - 1960
|
Defeated Smyslov in 1958
|
Mikhail Tal
|
USSR/Latvia
|
1960 - 1961
|
Defeated Botvinnik in 1960
|
Mikhail Botvinnik
|
USSR
|
1961 - 1963
|
Defeated Tal in 1961
|
Tigran Petrosian
|
USSR/Armenia
|
1963 - 1969
|
Defeat Botvinnik in 1963
|
Boris Spassky
|
USSR
|
1969 - 1972
|
Defeat Petrosian in 1969
|
Robert J. Fischer
|
USA
|
1972 - 1975
|
Defeated Spassky in 1972
|
Anatoly Karpov
|
USSR
|
1975 - 1985
|
Won by default when Bobby retired in 1975
|
Garry Kasparov
|
USSR/Russia
|
1985- 2000
|
Defeated Karpov in 1985
|
Vladimir Kramnik
|
Russia
|
2000 -
|
Defeat Kasparov in 2000
|