The Greatest Chess Grandmasters of All Time

Chess Grandmasters are the best of the best. Getting that title from FIDE, the International Chess Federation, means you've spent years thinking 20 moves ahead while the rest of us are still deciding if we should play e4 or d4.

Some Grandmasters dominated the chess world for decades; others redefined how the game is played. In this blog, let’s check out the legends who made their mark in world history.

Garry Kasparov

Kasparov was terrifyingly good. From 1985 to 2000, he held the World Chess Championship, defeating legends like Karpov and Short. Known for his aggressive tactics, he became the youngest World Champion at 22.

His record-breaking peak rating of 2851 stood for years until Magnus Carlsen surpassed it. One of his most famous matches was against the IBM supercomputer Deep Blue in 1997, marking the beginning of AI in chess. While Deep Blue won the rematch, Kasparov had beaten it in their first match in 1996.

Magnus Carlsen

Carlsen is like a human chess engine, you know. He became World Champion in 2013, defeating Viswanathan Anand, and has defended his title multiple times since.

With a peak rating of 2882, the highest in history, Carlsen's chess game has been compared to past legends. He has also mastered rapid and blitz chess. His victories in tournaments like the Tata Steel Chess and Norway Chess are spellbinding.

Bobby Fischer

Fischer was the lone wolf of chess, and the world couldn’t look away. His 1972 World Championship victory against Boris Spassky was a defining Cold War moment.

Fischer had a perfect 11/11 score at the 1964 U.S. Championship. His game "Game of the Century" against Donald Byrne in 1956 is still studied in chess today. Beyond the board, Fischer’s erratic behaviour and controversial views often overshadowed his chess genius.