Top 34 Chess Players of All Time

Explore a captivating showdown among giants and innovators of the chess world, where the classics clash with the modern masters, and surprising underdogs vie for the title. Dive into this battle of skill, charisma, and legacy—who will secure your vote?

1. 1
   Magnus Carlsen

   Norwegian World Champion from 2013 to 2023 who holds the highest classical rating ever recorded, 2882, and still dominates rapid and blitz.
   1000pts
2. 2
   Garry Kasparov

   World Champion from 1985 to 2000, known for his aggressive style
   737pts
3. 3
   Emanuel Lasker

   World Champion for 27 years, known for his psychological approach
   708pts
4. 4
   Vladimir Kramnik

   World Champion from 2000 to 2007, known for his solid openings
   619pts
5. 5
   Bobby Fischer

   World Champion in 1972, famous for his contributions to chess theory
   582pts
6. 6
   Mikhail Tal

   World Champion in 1960, celebrated for his imaginative tactics
   582pts
7. 7
   Anatoly Karpov

   World Champion from 1975 to 1985, known for his positional play
   541pts
8. 8
   Adolf Anderssen

   German master who won the first international tournament in London in 1851 and played both the Immortal Game and the Evergreen Game.
   541pts
9. 9
   Boris Spassky

   World Champion in 1969, known for his universal playing style
   541pts
10. 10
    Gukesh Dommaraju

    Indian prodigy who beat Ding Liren in 2024 to become, at 18, the youngest undisputed World Chess Champion in history.
    494pts
11. 11
    Hikaru Nakamura

    Five-time US champion and perennial top-three player whose blitz mastery and streaming made him the most-watched chess player online.
    494pts
12. 12
    Ding Liren

    First Chinese men's World Champion, who beat Ian Nepomniachtchi in the 2023 title match after a dramatic rapid tiebreak.
    494pts
13. 13
    Viktor Korchnoi

    Soviet-born defector who played two World Championship matches against Anatoly Karpov, in 1978 and 1981, and stayed at elite level into his seventies.
    442pts
14. 14
    Wilhelm Steinitz

    First official World Chess Champion, who won the 1886 match against Johannes Zukertort and founded the positional school of play.
    442pts
15. 15
    José Raúl Capablanca

    World Champion from 1921 to 1927, famous for his endgame skills
    442pts
16. 16
    Levon Aronian

    Top player known for his creativity and tactical prowess
    383pts
17. 17
    Veselin Topalov

    Bulgarian grandmaster who won the 2005 FIDE World Championship in San Luis and held the world number one ranking.
    383pts
18. 18
    Akiba Rubinstein

    Polish master whose five tournament wins in 1912 made him a deserved title challenger, still revered for his flawless rook endgames.
    383pts
19. 19
    Mikhail Chigorin

    Founder of the Russian chess school who challenged Wilhelm Steinitz for the world title in two matches, in 1889 and 1892.
    383pts
20. 20
    Vasily Smyslov

    World Champion in 1957, known for his strategic understanding
    316pts
21. 21
    Paul Keres

    Estonian grandmaster who won AVRO 1938 and finished second in four Candidates tournaments, often called the best player never to become world champion.
    316pts
22. 22
    Siegbert Tarrasch

    German theorist nicknamed the Teacher of Germany, who won a string of major tournaments in the 1890s and challenged Lasker for the title in 1908.
    316pts
23. 23
    Hou Yifan

    Chinese prodigy who became Women's World Champion at 16 in 2010 and won the women's title four times in total.
    316pts
24. 24
    David Bronstein

    Soviet grandmaster who drew his 1951 World Championship match with Mikhail Botvinnik 12-12, falling one game short of the title.
    316pts
25. 25
    Tigran Petrosian

    World Champion from 1963 to 1969, recognized for his defensive skills
    316pts
26. 26
    Fabiano Caruana

    Top contender known for his deep preparation and calculation
    238pts
27. 27
    Alexander Alekhine

    World Champion twice, known for his complex and creative play
    238pts
28. 28
    Paul Morphy

    American prodigy of the 1850s who crushed Europe's leading masters on his 1858 tour and is often called the greatest player of his era.
    238pts
29. 29
    Aron Nimzowitsch

    Hypermodern pioneer whose book My System reshaped chess strategy and who won Carlsbad 1929 ahead of Capablanca.
    147pts
30. 30
    Judit Polgár

    Hungarian prodigy and the strongest female player in history, who reached world number eight in 2005 and beat both Kasparov and Karpov.
    147pts
31. 31
    Mikhail Botvinnik

    World Champion three times, influential in chess education and theory
    147pts
32. 32
    Viswanathan Anand

    World Champion five times, known for his speed and versatility
    147pts
33. 33
    François-André Danican Philidor

    18th-century French composer and the strongest chess player of his age, whose 1749 book declared that pawns are the soul of chess.
    147pts
34. 34
    Max Euwe

    Dutch fifth World Champion who beat Alexander Alekhine in 1935 and later served as FIDE president from 1970 to 1978.
    147pts

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