All you need to know about FIDE world chess championships

Today FIDE ((Fédération Internationale des Échecs) World Chess Championship is conducted using an evolved format that consists of a Candidates Tournament and a Championship Match.

The history of the World Chess Championship dates back to the mid-19th century. The inaugural championship match took place in 1886 between Wilhelm Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort. Since then, the championship has seen legendary clashes and iconic champions.

FIDE conducts separate championships for classical, rapid, and blitz chess, each with its own format. Here is how’s a brief overview of each format:

FIDE World Chess Championship (Classical):

The FIDE World Chess Championship (Classical) is the traditional form of chess competition, played with the standard time control of a long time per move. The format for the World Chess Championship (Classical) typically involves a match between the reigning World Chess Champion and a challenger, who qualifies through events such as the Candidates Tournament. The match usually consists of a series of games, and the first player to reach a specified number of points or wins is declared the winner and becomes the World Chess Champion.

FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship:

The FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship is a shorter time control format, played at a faster pace than classical chess. Rapid chess usually involves a time control where players have more limited time per move, typically ranging from 10 to 30 minutes per player, with some additional time increments per move. The format for the World Rapid Chess Championship may vary, but it often involves a round-robin or Swiss system tournament, where players compete against each other to accumulate points, and the player with the highest score at the end is declared the winner.

FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship:

The FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship is an even faster time control format, played at a very rapid pace. Blitz chess typically involves a time control where players have even more limited time per move, often ranging from 3 to 5 minutes per player, with some additional time increments per move. The format for the World Blitz Chess Championship may also vary, but it often involves a round-robin or Swiss system tournament, similar to the World Rapid Chess Championship, where players compete against each other to accumulate points, and the player with the highest score at the end is declared the winner.

Prior to the actual world championship, Candidates Tournament takes place: The Candidates Tournament is a round-robin tournament that includes eight of the strongest chess players in the world. The players qualify for the Candidates Tournament through various methods, such as winning a major chess tournament or being the runner-up in the previous World Chess Championship. The tournament typically takes place over several weeks and is held in a different location each time. The player who finishes first in the Candidates Tournament becomes the challenger for the World Chess Championship.

From Candidates to the actual Championship:

Typically the one who emerges as a winner of the Candidates Tournament then goes on to challenge the reigning World Chess Champion in a one-on-one match, known as the Championship Match. The Championship Match usually consists of a series of games, and the first player to reach a specified number of points (or wins) is declared the winner and becomes the new World Chess Champion.Since 2014, the championship has settled on a two-year cycle

The time control, number of games, and other specific rules for the Candidates Tournament and the Championship Match may vary depending on the organizer and the specific event. FIDE (Fédération Internationale des Échecs), the international chess governing body, is responsible for setting the regulations and organizing the FIDE World Chess Championship. It’s important to check the most up-to-date information from FIDE or the official organizers for the latest details on the format of the FIDE World Chess Championship.

History says, the first event recognized as a world championship was the 1886 match between the two leading players in the world, Wilhelm Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort in which Steinitz won, thus becoming the first world champion.

Prior to the FIDE world championship format, London 1851 chess tournament, was considered as the first international chess tournament, organized by Staunton. It was played as a series/rounds of matches, and was won Adolf Anderssen of Germany.

Here a summary of players who have ruled the FIDE world championships over the years

Player	Winning Years
Wilhelm Steinitz	1886, 1889, 1890, 1892
Emanuel Lasker	1894, 1896, 1907, 1908, 1910, 1910
Jose Raul Capablanca	1921
Alexander Alekhine	1927, 1929, 1934, 1937
Max Euwe	1935
Mikhail Botvinnik	1948, 1951, 1954, 1958, 1961
Vasily Smyslov	1957
Mikhail Tal	1960
Tigran V. Petrosian	1963, 1966
Boris Spassky	1969
Bobby Fischer	1972
Anatoly Karpov	1975d, 1978, 1981, 1984
Garry Kasparov	1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1995
Vladimir Kramnik	2000, 2004, 2006
Viswanathan Anand	2007, 2008, 2010, 2012
Magnus Carlsen	2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, 2021

Aprat from the worldwide championship, if we consider FIDE approved tournaments (including world championships) Anatoly Karpov has won over 170 chess tournaments, more than any Grandmaster in history. Bobby Fischer has won the U.S. Chess Championship 8 times creating a record.

As of today:
Magnus Carlsen has been world champion since he defeated Viswanathan Anand in 2013. He successfully defended the title in 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2021. In 2022, he announced that he would not defend his title a fifth time, and so the 2023 championship is being played between the top two finishers of the qualifying 2022 Candidates Tournament instead: Ian Nepomniachtchi of Russia and Ding Liren of China.