A Tribute to the World Champions

Hi all.

I learned to play when I was 11, I'm nearly 60 now and I find this game just as fascinating and surprising as I did as a wide-eyed schoolboy. There is no question that chess has enriched my life and for some time now I have wanted to celebrate this by paying tribute to all of the official World Champions - men and women alike.

It will take this form, a small framed photo of each champion arranged around my home. The inscription will follow the FIDE convention of using Roman numerals, and in both cases the current World Champion will be honoured with a slightly larger frame and a fuller inscription, which will include a quote.

These are the images I have in mind, ladies first:

I Vera Menchik (USSR)

II Lyudmila Rudenko (USSR)

III Elisaveta Bykova (USSR)

IV Olga Rubtsova (USSR)

V Nona Gaprindashvilli (USSR)

VI Maia Chiburdanidze (USSR)

VII Xie Jun (China)

VIII Susan Polgar (Hungary)

IX Xhu Chen (China)

X Antoaneta Stefanova (Bulgaria)

XI Xu Yuhua (China)

XII Alexandra Kosteniuk (Russia)

XIII Hou Yifan (China)

XIV Anna Ushenina (Ukraine)

XV Mariya Muzychuk (Ukraine)

XVI Tan Zhongyi (China)

" Anyone who considers becoming a professional chess player should remember that besides being hard work, their subject will always be endlessly fascinating." - Ju Wenjun (China)

The 17th Women's World Chess Champion

And now the men...

I Wilhelm Steinitz (Germany)

II Emanuel Lasker (Germany)

III Jose Capablanca (Cuba)

IV Alexander Alekhine (France)

V Max Euwe (Netherlands)

VI Mikhail Botvinnik (USSR)

VII Vasilly Smyslov (USSR)

VIII Mikhail Tal (USSR)

IX Tigran Petrosian (USSR)

X Boris Spassky (USSR)

XI Bobby Fischer (USA)

XII Anatoly Karpov (USSR)

XIII Garry Kasparov (USSR)

XIV Vladimir Kramnik (Russia)

XV Viswanathan 'Vishy' Anand (India)

"Some people think it's okay to lose when your opponent plays a beautiful game but I don't. It's really not okay, you have to be ruthless." - Magnus Carlsen (Norway)

The 16th World Chess Champion

you didn't include all of the fide world champions.

That's right, the list only includes official, undisputed world champions.

I should perhaps have made that clear.

Anyone noticed today's Google Doodle!?

Wow!

Nice post. Spassky is in grave danger of burning the back of his hand with cigarette ash.

Karpov and Kosteniuk are frequently pestered to pose for photos together (they don't seem to mind). These two notables have quite a bit in common: they are both ethnically Russian and fiercely proud of it, they share the same initials, but what really draws the photographers is the fact that they both hold the distinction of being the Twelfth World Champion!

Nice.  There used to be a funny one. 

https://www.chess.com/forum/view/general/grandmastercelebrity-look-alikes

Indeed, there are so many great players and characters we might also mention. Personally though, if you were to give me a blank sheet of paper and a pencil and ask me to list the ten most worthy, I would immediately write down "Korchnoi", then stop and think.

Not exactly a 'nice' guy, but could anyone match Viktor the Terrible for fighting spirit?

Agon, the body which organises the World Chess Championship, have announced that the venue for the title match in November between Carlsen and Caruana will be The College, situated at Holborn, London. As it happens, this is a mere rook-lift from where your humble host was delivered into this world all those moons ago.

This magnificent venue boasts many splendid Victorian features, including a marble reception area and a stunning, glass-domed roof. Top hats and cravats are advised, while the syphillis is optional.

(Probably best not to mention that last one to the players)