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World Championship matches

The decisive matches that produced every world champion since 1886. From Steinitz–Zukertort in New York to Gukesh–Ding in Singapore — 21 matches across the classical, FIDE, PCA, and unified cycles.

The modern era

9 matches
  1. 2024
    Dommaraju Gukesh vs Ding Liren 7.5–6.5 (Gukesh: 3 wins, 9 draws, 2 losses)
    Singapore, Singapore · Best of 14 classical games
  2. 2023
    Ding Liren vs Ian Nepomniachtchi 9.5–8.5 (rapid tiebreak after 7–7 classical)
    Astana, Kazakhstan · Best of 14 classical games + rapid tiebreaks
  3. 2021
    Magnus Carlsen vs Ian Nepomniachtchi 7.5–3.5 (Carlsen: 4 wins, 7 draws, 0 losses)
    Dubai, United Arab Emirates · Best of 14 classical games
  4. 2018
    Magnus Carlsen vs Fabiano Caruana 9–6 (rapid tiebreak after 6–6 classical)
    London, United Kingdom · Best of 12 classical games + rapid tiebreaks
  5. 2016
    Magnus Carlsen vs Sergey Karjakin 9–7 (rapid tiebreak after 6–6 classical)
    New York, United States · Best of 12 classical games + rapid tiebreaks
  6. 2014
    Magnus Carlsen vs Viswanathan Anand 6.5–4.5 (Carlsen: 3 wins, 7 draws, 1 loss)
    Sochi, Russia · Best of 12 classical games
  7. 2013
    Magnus Carlsen vs Viswanathan Anand 6.5–3.5 (Carlsen: 3 wins, 7 draws, 0 losses)
    Chennai, India · Best of 12 classical games
  8. 2012
    Viswanathan Anand vs Boris Gelfand 8.5–7.5 (rapid tiebreak after 6–6 classical)
    Moscow, Russia · Best of 12 classical games + rapid tiebreaks
  9. 2010
    Viswanathan Anand vs Veselin Topalov 6.5–5.5 (Anand: 3 wins, 7 draws, 2 losses)
    Sofia, Bulgaria · Best of 12 classical games

The Anand–Kramnik years

2 matches
  1. 2008
    Viswanathan Anand vs Vladimir Kramnik 6.5–4.5 (Anand: 3 wins, 7 draws, 1 loss)
    Bonn, Germany · Best of 12 classical games
  2. 2000
    Vladimir Kramnik vs Garry Kasparov 8.5–6.5 (Kramnik: 2 wins, 13 draws, 0 losses)
    London, United Kingdom · Best of 16 classical games

The Karpov–Kasparov rivalry

4 matches
  1. 1990
    Garry Kasparov vs Anatoly Karpov 12.5–11.5 (Kasparov: 4 wins, 17 draws, 3 losses)
    New York / Lyon, United States / France · Best of 24 classical games
  2. 1987
    Garry Kasparov vs Anatoly Karpov 12–12 (Kasparov retained as champion)
    Seville, Spain · Best of 24 classical games
  3. 1985
    Garry Kasparov vs Anatoly Karpov 13–11 (Kasparov: 5 wins, 16 draws, 3 losses)
    Moscow, Soviet Union · Best of 24 classical games
  4. 1984
    Anatoly Karpov vs Garry Kasparov 5–3 (Karpov, terminated; 40 draws)
    Moscow, Soviet Union · First to 6 wins (draws not counted)

The Soviet era

3 matches
  1. 1972
    Bobby Fischer vs Boris Spassky 12.5–8.5 (Fischer: 7 wins, 11 draws, 3 losses)
    Reykjavík, Iceland · Best of 24 classical games
  2. 1969
    Boris Spassky vs Tigran Petrosian 12.5–10.5 (Spassky: 6 wins, 13 draws, 4 losses)
    Moscow, Soviet Union · Best of 24 classical games
  3. 1960
    Mikhail Tal vs Mikhail Botvinnik 12.5–8.5 (Tal: 6 wins, 13 draws, 2 losses)
    Moscow, Soviet Union · Best of 24 classical games (Soviet era)

The classical era

3 matches
  1. 1927
    Alexander Alekhine vs José Raúl Capablanca 18.5–15.5 (Alekhine: 6 wins, 25 draws, 3 losses)
    Buenos Aires, Argentina · First to 6 wins (draws not counted)
  2. 1921
    José Raúl Capablanca vs Emanuel Lasker 9–5 (Capablanca: 4 wins, 10 draws)
    Havana, Cuba · First to 8 wins (Lasker resigned after Game 14)
  3. 1886
    Wilhelm Steinitz vs Johannes Zukertort 12.5–7.5
    New York / St. Louis / New Orleans, United States · First to 10 wins (draws not counted)