List of undisputed World Chess Champions from Steinitz (1886) to Gukesh Dommaraju, with each champion's country, reign years, and year of birth.
Number | Champion | Country | Reign | Year Born |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilhelm Steinitz | Austria | 1886-1894 | 1836 |
| 2 | Emanuel Lasker | Germany | 1894-1921 | 1868 |
| 3 | Jose Raul Capablanca | Cuba | 1921-1927 | 1888 |
| 4 | Alexander Alekhine | France | 1927-1935; 1937-1946 | 1892 |
| 5 | Max Euwe | Netherlands | 1935-1937 | 1901 |
| 6 | Mikhail Botvinnik | Soviet Union | 1948-1957; 1958-1960; 1961-1963 | 1911 |
| 7 | Vasily Smyslov | Soviet Union | 1957-1958 | 1921 |
| 8 | Mikhail Tal | Soviet Union | 1960-1961 | 1936 |
| 9 | Tigran Petrosian | Soviet Union | 1963-1969 | 1929 |
| 10 | Boris Spassky | Soviet Union | 1969-1972 | 1937 |
| 11 | Bobby Fischer | United States | 1972-1975 | 1943 |
| 12 | Anatoly Karpov | Soviet Union | 1975-1985 | 1951 |
| 13 | Garry Kasparov | Russia | 1985-2000 | 1963 |
| 14 | Vladimir Kramnik | Russia | 2000-2007 | 1975 |
| 15 | Viswanathan Anand | India | 2007-2013 | 1969 |
| 16 | Magnus Carlsen | Norway | 2013-2023 | 1990 |
| 17 | Ding Liren | China | 2023-2024 | 1992 |
| 18 | Gukesh Dommaraju | India | 2024-present | 2006 |