India’s D Gukesh became the 18th world chess champion when he defeated China’s Ding Liren in the 2024 World Chess Championship match in Singapore on Thursday. We take a look at the complete list of world chess champions till date.
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Indian Grandmaster D Gukesh scaled new heights in his chess-playing career after he won the 2024 World Chess Championship in Singapore on Thursday. Gukesh defeated China’s Ding Liren with a 7.5-6.5 scoreline
to become only the second Indian to clinch the World Championship title, with Viswanathan Anand being the only other Indian to do so.
Gukesh, 18,
also became the youngest-ever world champion, beating Garry Kasparov’s record. Kasparov was 22 years old when he won the World Championship title in 1985. Gukesh is 18th champion of the World Chess Championship overall.
Viswanathan Anand Exclusive |
‘Gukesh’s journey to winning chess World Championship is remarkable’
The Chennai youngster had qualified for the World Championship match against defending champion Ding Liren after having won the 2024 Candidates tournament in Toronto in April. Liren had beaten Ian Nepomniachtchi to win the 2023 title. Let’s now take a look at the complete list of winners of the World Chess Championship:
List of world chess champions
| Sl No | Winner | Dates | Titles won | Years won |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilhelm Steinitz | 1886-94 | 4 | 1886, 1889, 1890, 1892 |
| 2 | Emanuel Lasker | 1894-1921 | 6 | 1894, 1896, 1907, 1908, 1910 (Twice) |
| 3 | Jose Raul Capablanca | 1921-27 | 1 | 1921 |
| 4 | Alexander Alekhine | 1927-35, 1937-46 | 4 | 1927, 1929, 1934, 1937 |
| 5 | Max Euwe | 1935-37 | 1 | 1935 |
| 6 | Mikhail Botvinnik | 1948-57, 1958-60, 1961-63 | 5 | 1948, 1951, 1954, 1958, 1961 |
| 7 | Vasily Smyslov | 1957-58 | 1 | 1957 |
| 8 | Mikhail Tal | 1960-61 | 1 | 1960 |
| 9 | Tigran V. Petrosian | 1963-69 | 2 | 1963, 1966 |
| 10 | Boris Spassky | 1969-72 | 1 | 1969 |
| 11 | Bobby Fischer | 1972-75 | 1 | 1972 |
| 12 | Anatoly Karpov | 1975-85 | 4 | 1975, 1978, 1981, 1984 |
| 13 | Garry Kasparov | 1985-2000 | 6 | 1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1995 |
| 14 | Vladimir Kramnik | 2000-07 | 3 | 2000, 2004, 2006 |
| 15 | Viswanathan Anand | 2007-13 | 4 | 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012 |
| 16 | Magnus Carlsen | 2013-23 | 5 | 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021 |
| 17 | Ding Liren | 2023-24 | 1 | 2023 |
| 18 | D Gukesh | 2024-present | 1 | 2024 |