Sport
Chess
The world of chess spans over five centuries, from the first theorists like Ruy López de Segura to today's grandmasters.
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About this world
Boundaries of the chess world
This world encompasses competitive chess from the 16th century to the present, centered on the lineage of world champions and major title matches. It includes theorists like Ruy López de Segura and Gioachino Greco, as well as modern grandmasters. Fictional characters such as Edward from Cowboy Bebop are included, but the focus remains on real-world competitive chess.
Champions and challengers
The cast includes every official world champion from Wilhelm Steinitz to Ding Liren, plus notable challengers like Fabiano Caruana and Ian Nepomniachtchi. Prodigies such as Magnus Carlsen, Alireza Firouzja, and Gukesh D represent the modern era. The strongest female player Judit Polgár and the influential Garry Kasparov also feature.
Rivalries and relationships
The world is defined by its title matches and rivalries. The Kasparov-Karpov rivalry spanned five matches from 1984 to 1990. Fischer vs. Spassky in 1972 and Alekhine vs. Capablanca in 1927 are historic. More recent clashes include Carlsen vs. Anand (2013/14), Carlsen vs. Caruana (2018), and Ding Liren vs. Nepomniachtchi (2023). The Botvinnik school connects Botvinnik to Kasparov, Karpov, and Kramnik.
From Steinitz to Carlsen
The timeline begins with Ruy López de Segura (born 1530) and extends to the fictional Edward (born 2058). The first official world champion Steinitz (born 1837) gave way to Lasker, Capablanca, Alekhine, and the Soviet champions Botvinnik, Smyslov, Tal, Petrosian, Spassky. The modern era features Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov, and the current champion Ding Liren, with young talents like Gukesh D and Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
- World Chess Championship
- The ultimate title in chess, contested in matches such as Fischer-Spassky (1972) and Carlsen-Anand (2013).
- The Botvinnik school
- A Soviet training system that produced champions like Karpov, Kasparov, and Kramnik under Mikhail Botvinnik.
- Magnus Carlsen
- Norwegian world champion (2013-2023), known for his universal style and multiple Chess Oscars.
- Garry Kasparov
- 13th world champion, political activist, and coach of Magnus Carlsen in 2009-2010.
- Ding Liren
- Current world champion from China, won the title in 2023 against Ian Nepomniachtchi.
Key ties
Who's at the centre, who's loved, who's hated — and what's between them.
Top rivalry:Alexander Alekhine · José Raúl Capablanca
Strongest pairs
The tightest bonds in this world.
Universe leaderboard
The world on the map
Where this world's cast comes from, placed by city of origin.
Characters
10FAQ
- Who are the world chess champions in this world?
- The world champions include Wilhelm Steinitz, Emanuel Lasker, José Raúl Capablanca, Alexander Alekhine, Max Euwe, Mikhail Botvinnik, Vasily Smyslov, Mikhail Tal, Tigran Petrosian, Boris Spassky, Bobby Fischer, Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik, Viswanathan Anand, Magnus Carlsen, and Ding Liren.
- What is the most famous rivalry in chess history?
- The rivalry between Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov, who played five world championship matches between 1984 and 1990, is one of the most famous. Other notable rivalries include Fischer vs. Spassky (1972) and Alekhine vs. Capablanca (1927).
- Who is the strongest female chess player?
- Judit Polgár, a Hungarian grandmaster born in 1976, is widely regarded as the strongest female chess player of all time. She is part of the Polgár sisters and also works as a sports commentator.
- What is the Botvinnik school?
- The Botvinnik school was a Soviet chess training system founded by Mikhail Botvinnik. It produced world champions like Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, and Vladimir Kramnik, who were all students of Botvinnik.