Chess Players

Profiles of the World Chess Champions who shaped the game: career facts, titles, peak ratings and their most famous games.

World Chess Champions

• Wilhelm Steinitz — United States
• Emanuel Lasker — German Empire
• José Raúl Capablanca — Cuba
• Alexander Alekhine — France
• Max Euwe — Netherlands
• Mikhail Botvinnik — Soviet Union
• Vasily Smyslov — Russia · Peak FIDE rating 2620
• Mikhail Tal — Latvia · Peak FIDE rating 2705
• Tigran Petrosian — Soviet Union · Peak FIDE rating 2660
• Boris Spassky — Russia · Peak FIDE rating 2690
• Bobby Fischer — United States · Peak FIDE rating 2785
• Anatoly Karpov — Russia · Peak FIDE rating 2780
• Garry Kasparov — Russia · Peak FIDE rating 2851
• Alexander Khalifman — Russia · Peak FIDE rating 2702
• Vladimir Kramnik — Russia · Peak FIDE rating 2817