Below is the list of classical world champions under the old formats. On the men’s side, different world championship formats were experimented after 1993. The title was finally united in 2006 by Kramnik, followed by Anand. On the women’s side, the same happened after 1999.
After the recent passing of Vasily Smyslov, Boris Spassky is now the oldest living classical world champion under the old formats, followed by Anatoly Karpov. On the women’s side, it is Nona Gaprindashvili, followed by Maia Chiburdanidze.
Undisputed Men’s Classical World Champions under the old formats:
# | Name | Year | Country | Age |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Wilhelm Steinitz | 1886–1894 | Austria-Hungary (Bohemia) United States |
50–58 |
2 | Emanuel Lasker | 1894–1921 | Germany | 26–52 |
3 | José Raúl Capablanca | 1921–1927 | Cuba | 33–39 |
4 | Alexander Alekhine | 1927–1935 1937–1946 |
France Russian émigré |
35–43 45–54 |
5 | Max Euwe | 1935–1937 | Netherlands | 34–36 |
6 | Mikhail Botvinnik | 1948–1957 1958–1960 1961–1963 |
Soviet Union (Russia) | 37–46 47–49 50–52 |
7 | Vasily Smyslov | 1957–1958 | Soviet Union (Russia) | 36 |
8 | Mikhail Tal | 1960–1961 | Soviet Union (Latvia) | 24 |
9 | Tigran Petrosian | 1963–1969 | Soviet Union (Armenia) | 34–40 |
10 | Boris Spassky | 1969–1972 | Soviet Union (Russia) | 32–35 |
11 | Bobby Fischer | 1972–1975 | United States | 29–32 |
12 | Anatoly Karpov | 1975–1985 | Soviet Union (Russia) | 24–34 |
13 | Garry Kasparov | 1985–1993 | Soviet Union (Azerbaijan) Russia |
22–30 |
Women’s Classical World Champions under the old format:
Name | Years | Country |
---|---|---|
1 Vera Menchik | 1927–1944 | Russia / Czechoslovakia / England |
2 Lyudmila Rudenko | 1950–1953 | Soviet Union / Ukraine |
3 Elisabeth Bykova | 1953–1956 | Soviet Union / Russia |
4 Olga Rubtsova | 1956–1958 | Soviet Union / Russia |
5 Elisabeth Bykova | 1958–1962 | Soviet Union / Russia |
6 Nona Gaprindashvili | 1962–1978 | Soviet Union / Georgia |
7 Maya Chiburdanidze | 1978–1991 | Soviet Union / Georgia |
8 Xie Jun | 1991–1996 | People’s Republic of China |
9 Susan Polgar | 1996–1999 | Hungary / United States |
Source: Wiki
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Kramnik did not go through the route of Interzonal, candidates’ matches, the world championship match. He was personally selected by Kasparov to play a match instead of the rightful Shirov. Kramnik shouldn’t belong on this list IMHO.
This is why Karpov is running for FIDE President. The world championship has been chaotic since the 90’s. The knockout format is a joke, absolute joke.
I also like the old format of candidates’s matches then wc matches.
It is ridiculous that you have left out both Kramnik and Anand both of whom are undisputed.
What’s ridiculous about it? She said these are the world champions under the OLD formats. She didn’t say they aren’t world champions. Learn to read before you protest.
Kramnik did not go through the route of Interzonal, candidates’ matches, the world championship match. He was personally selected by Kasparov to play a match.
That’s precisely what Steinitz, Lasker, Capablanca and Aljechin did back then. They picked …
Historically, one becomes world champion by beating the reigning champion in a match for the world championchip. That’s exactly what Kramnik did back in 2000.
And now that Anand has done this too, I’m also missing his name from the list.
It’s somehow embarrassing to see the guy who screwed it all up as the last hero in this list of the all-time greatest.
Anand and Kramnik are mentioned in the first paragraph but not under the old format.
I don’t know why people are making a big fuss. The previous format of Interzonal and Candidates’ Matches ended with Kasparov and Polgar. Many people including Karpov want to go back to this format where true and respected world champions were produced and not the crap shoot knockout.
Why have you left out Kramnik?
Kasparov is the greatest world champion ever. He helped created new world championship formats and ended the FIDE monopoly. Hail Kasparov.
No one left out Kramnik. He is busy on the toilet.
Who decided to change the world championship format and why?