The Library
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- 2024Dommaraju Gukesh vs Ding Liren 7.5–6.5 (Gukesh: 3 wins, 9 draws, 2 losses)
- 2023Ding Liren vs Ian Nepomniachtchi 9.5–8.5 (rapid tiebreak after 7–7 classical)
- 2021Magnus Carlsen vs Ian Nepomniachtchi 7.5–3.5 (Carlsen: 4 wins, 7 draws, 0 losses)
- 2018Magnus Carlsen vs Fabiano Caruana 9–6 (rapid tiebreak after 6–6 classical)
- 2016Magnus Carlsen vs Sergey Karjakin 9–7 (rapid tiebreak after 6–6 classical)
- 2014Magnus Carlsen vs Viswanathan Anand 6.5–4.5 (Carlsen: 3 wins, 7 draws, 1 loss)
- 2013Magnus Carlsen vs Viswanathan Anand 6.5–3.5 (Carlsen: 3 wins, 7 draws, 0 losses)
- 2012Viswanathan Anand vs Boris Gelfand 8.5–7.5 (rapid tiebreak after 6–6 classical)
- 2010Viswanathan Anand vs Veselin Topalov 6.5–5.5 (Anand: 3 wins, 7 draws, 2 losses)
The Anand–Kramnik years
2 matchesThe Karpov–Kasparov rivalry
4 matches- 1990Garry Kasparov vs Anatoly Karpov 12.5–11.5 (Kasparov: 4 wins, 17 draws, 3 losses)
- 1987Garry Kasparov vs Anatoly Karpov 12–12 (Kasparov retained as champion)
- 1985Garry Kasparov vs Anatoly Karpov 13–11 (Kasparov: 5 wins, 16 draws, 3 losses)
- 1984Anatoly Karpov vs Garry Kasparov 5–3 (Karpov, terminated; 40 draws)