Editing World Chess Championship (section)

===Reunified title (since 2006)===
====Kramnik (2006–2007)====
{{see|World Chess Championship 2006}}
The [[World Chess Championship 2006]] reunification match between Topalov and Kramnik was held in late 2006. After much controversy, it was won by Kramnik. Kramnik thus became the first unified and undisputed World Chess Champion since Kasparov split from FIDE to form the PCA in 1993. This match, along with all subsequent world championships, was administered by FIDE.

====Anand (2007–2013)====
{{see|World Chess Championship 2007|World Chess Championship 2009|World Chess Championship 2011}}
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| total_width       = 350
| image1            = Vladimir Kramnik 2, Candidates Tournament 2018.jpg
| caption1          = [[Vladimir Kramnik]] defeated Kasparov in 2000, and became the undisputed world champion by beating Topalov in 2006.
| image2            = Viswanathan Anand (2016) (cropped).jpeg
| caption2          = [[Viswanathan Anand]], who held the FIDE title from 2000 to 2002, won the unified title in 2007 after defeating Kramnik and was the undisputed Champion till 2013.
}}
Kramnik played to defend his title at the [[World Chess Championship 2007]] in Mexico. This was an 8-player double round robin tournament, the same format as was used for the [[FIDE World Chess Championship 2005]]. This tournament was won by [[Viswanathan Anand]], thus making him the World Chess Champion. Because Anand's World Chess Champion title was won in a tournament rather than a match, a minority of commentators questioned the validity of his title.<ref>[http://www.jeremysilman.com/book_reviews_js/Topalov_Kramnik.html Topalov Kramnik 2006], book review by [[Jeremy Silman]] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120412083551/http://www.jeremysilman.com/book_reviews_js/Topalov_Kramnik.html |date=12 April 2012 }}</ref> Kramnik also made ambiguous comments about the value of Anand's title, but did not claim the title himself then.<ref>[http://www.kramnik.com/eng/interviews/getinterview.aspx?id=178 Interview with Kramnik] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080903125822/http://www.kramnik.com/eng/interviews/getinterview.aspx?id=178 |date=3 September 2008 }}, 10 July 2008</ref> (In a 2015 interview Kramnik dated the loss of his world championship title to his 2008 match against Anand rather than the 2007 tournament,<ref>{{cite news |last=McGourty |first=Colin |date=26 June 2015 |title=Vladimir Kramnik: "It turns out I'm 52, not 40!" |url=https://chess24.com/en/read/news/vladimir-kramnik-it-turns-out-i-m-52-not-40 |work=chess24.com |location= |access-date=21 September 2023 |quote=Most likely I finally felt liberated after losing the World Championship title in 2008. |archive-date=7 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007070258/https://chess24.com/en/read/news/vladimir-kramnik-it-turns-out-i-m-52-not-40 |url-status=live }}</ref> and he likewise did not contradict an interviewer who dated it thus in a 2019 interview.)<ref>{{cite news |last=Cox |first=David |date=18 July 2019 |title=Vladimir Kramnik Interview: 'I'm Not Afraid To Lose' |url=https://www.chess.com/article/view/vladimir-kramnik-interview-im-not-afraid-to-lose |work=chess.com |location= |access-date=21 September 2023 |quote=Your reign as champion ended with the 2008 defeat to Vishy Anand. |archive-date=7 October 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231007070258/https://www.chess.com/article/view/vladimir-kramnik-interview-im-not-afraid-to-lose |url-status=live }}</ref> Subsequent world championship matches returned to the format of a match between the champion and a challenger.

The following two championships had special clauses arising from the 2006 unification. Kramnik was given the right to challenge for the title he lost in a tournament in the [[World Chess Championship 2008]], which Anand won. Then Topalov, who as the loser of the 2006 match was excluded from the 2007 championship, was seeded directly into the Candidates final of the [[World Chess Championship 2010]]. He won the Candidates (against [[Gata Kamsky]]) to set up a match against Anand, who again won the championship match.<ref>[http://www.fide.com/component/handbook/?id=92&view=article Regulations for the 2007 – 2009 World Chess Championship Cycle] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210011645/http://www.fide.com/component/handbook/?view=article&id=92 |date=10 December 2008 }}, sections 4 and 5, [[FIDE]] online. Undated, but reported in [http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3948 Chessbase on 24 June 2007] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070921021714/http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3948 |date=21 September 2007 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5245 |title=Sofia R7: Topalov beats Kamsky, wins candidates match &#124; Chess News |date=26 February 2009 |publisher=Chessbase.com |access-date=26 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090301001836/http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5245 |archive-date=1 March 2009 |url-status=live }}</ref> The next championship, the [[World Chess Championship 2012]], had short knock-out matches for the Candidates Tournament. This format was not popular with everyone, and world No. 1 [[Magnus Carlsen]] withdrew in protest. [[Boris Gelfand]] won the Candidates. Anand won the championship match again, in tie breaking rapid games, for his fourth consecutive world championship win.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/4478-fide-world-chess-championship-match.html |title=FIDE World Chess Championship Match – Anand Retains the Title! |publisher=Fide.com |date=20 April 2010 |access-date=26 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130308182213/http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/4478-fide-world-chess-championship-match.html |archive-date=8 March 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Carlsen (2013–2023)====
{{see|World Chess Championship 2013|World Chess Championship 2014|World Chess Championship 2016|World Chess Championship 2018|World Chess Championship 2021}}
{{multiple image
| align             = right
| total_width       = 350
| image1            = FIDE World FR Chess Championship 2019 - Magnus Carlsen (cropped1).jpg
| caption1          = [[Magnus Carlsen]], became the World Champion after defeating Anand in [[World Chess Championship 2013|2013]]. He defended his title in four tournaments and was the Champion until 2023.
| image2            = World Chess Championship 2023, game 01, Ding Liren.jpg
| caption2          = [[Ding Liren]] became the World Champion in [[World Chess Championship 2023|2023]] after defeating [[Ian Nepomniachtchi]] as Carlsen refused to defend his title. He was the reigning champion until [[World Chess Championship 2024|2024]].
}}
Since 2013, the [[Candidates Tournament]] has been an eight-player double round robin tournament, with the winner playing a match against the champion for the title. Norwegian [[Magnus Carlsen]] won the 2013 Candidates and then convincingly defeated Anand in the [[World Chess Championship 2013]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/6902-magnus-carlsen-wins-fide-candidates-tournament.html |title=Magnus Carlsen wins FIDE Candidates' Tournament |publisher=Fide.com |date=1 April 2013 |access-date=26 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507173709/http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/6902-magnus-carlsen-wins-fide-candidates-tournament.html |archive-date=7 May 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7045-world-championship-match-press-release.html |title=World Championship Match – PRESS RELEASE |publisher=Fide.com |date=7 May 2013 |access-date=26 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130607061517/http://www.fide.com/component/content/article/1-fide-news/7045-world-championship-match-press-release.html |archive-date=7 June 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Beginning with the 2014 Championship cycle, the World Championship has followed a 2-year cycle: qualification for the Candidates in the odd year, the Candidates tournament early in the even year, and the World Championship match later in the even year. This and the next two cycles resulted in Carlsen successfully defending his title: against Anand in [[World Chess Championship 2014|2014]];<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.chessbase.com/post/sochi-g11-in-dramatic-finale-carlsen-retains-title |title=Sochi G11: In dramatic finale, Carlsen retains title |publisher=ChessBase |date=23 November 2014 |access-date=24 November 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141130105700/http://en.chessbase.com/post/sochi-g11-in-dramatic-finale-carlsen-retains-title |archive-date=30 November 2014 |url-status=live }}</ref> against [[Sergey Karjakin]] in [[World Chess Championship 2016|2016]];<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://nyc2016.fide.com/ |title=The World Chess Championship comes to New York City 11—30 November 2016 &#124; World Chess |access-date=30 November 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160825152814/http://nyc2016.fide.com/ |archive-date=25 August 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and against [[Fabiano Caruana]] in [[World Chess Championship 2018|2018]]. Both the 2016 and 2018 defences were decided by tie-break in rapid games.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Mather |first1=Victor |title=Magnus Carlsen Beats Fabiano Caruana to win the World Chess Championship |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/28/sports/magnus-carlsen-fabiano-caruana-world-chess-championship.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=28 November 2018 |date=28 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128191639/https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/28/sports/magnus-carlsen-fabiano-caruana-world-chess-championship.html |archive-date=28 November 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[COVID-19 pandemic]] disrupted the [[Candidates Tournament 2020|2020 Candidates Tournament]], and caused the next match to be postponed from 2020 to 2021.<ref>[https://www.fide.com/news/607 Arkady Dvorkovich: The match for the chess crown will be postponed to 2021] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200701105909/https://www.fide.com/news/607 |date=1 July 2020 }}, [[FIDE]], 30 June 2020</ref> Carlsen again successfully defended his title, defeating [[Ian Nepomniachtchi]] in the [[World Chess Championship 2021]].

====Ding (2023–2024)====
{{see|World Chess Championship 2023}}
Soon after the 2021 match, Carlsen indicated that he would not defend the title again.<ref name="chesscomDec21">[https://www.chess.com/news/view/magnus-carlsen-defend-world-chess-title-alireza-firouzja BREAKING: Carlsen Might Only Defend Title Vs. Firouzja] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211214133901/https://www.chess.com/news/view/magnus-carlsen-defend-world-chess-title-alireza-firouzja |date=14 December 2021 }}, Peter Doggers, [[chess.com]], 21 December 2021</ref> This was confirmed in an announcement by FIDE on 20 July 2022.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.fide.com/news/1872 |title=Statement by FIDE President on Magnus Carlsen's announcement |date=20 July 2022 |website=FIDE |access-date=20 July 2022 |archive-date=20 July 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220720131241/https://www.fide.com/news/1872 |url-status=live }}</ref> As a consequence, the top two finishers of the Candidates Tournament, [[Ian Nepomniachtchi]] and [[Ding Liren]], played in the [[World Chess Championship 2023|2023 championship]] in [[Astana|Astana, Kazakhstan]], from 7 April to 30 April 2023.<ref>{{cite news | title=Lacking Motivation, Magnus Carlsen Will Give Up World Chess Title | author=Victor Mather | date=20 July 2022 | newspaper=New York Times | url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/20/sports/chess-magnus-carlsen-world-championship.html | access-date=20 July 2022 | archive-date=21 July 2022 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220721011423/https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/20/sports/chess-magnus-carlsen-world-championship.html | url-status=live }}</ref> Ding won in rapid tiebreaks, making him the first World Chess Champion from China. FIDE referred to Ding as the "17th World Champion"; thus the "Classical" line of Champions during the split has been ''de facto'' legitimised over the FIDE line by FIDE itself.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://worldchampionship.fide.com/tiebreak/tpost/lvpnbvnea1-ding-liren-makes-history-becoming-world |title=Ding Liren makes history, becoming World Champion |last=Dinic |first=Milan |date=30 April 2023 |website=worldchampionship.fide.com |publisher=[[FIDE]] |access-date=16 May 2023 |quote=Ding Liren made history by becoming the 17th World Champion in chess, defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi in the final game of the tiebreaks |archive-date=24 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230824171643/https://worldchampionship.fide.com/tiebreak/tpost/lvpnbvnea1-ding-liren-makes-history-becoming-world |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.thearticle.com/shalom-alekhine-ding-joins-the-chess-greats |title=Shalom Alekhine: Ding joins the chess greats |last=Keene |first=Raymond |date=13 May 2023 |website=The Article |publisher= |access-date=16 May 2023 |quote=It’s reassuring to see that even FIDÉ now subscribes to the canonical view of who has and who has not been world champion. By openly conceding that the Chinese Grandmaster Ding Liren is the 17th champion, FIDÉ have confirmed that the true line of succession is Kasparov (13th champion), Kramnik (14), Anand (15), Carlsen (16) and now Ding Liren (17). |archive-date=16 May 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230516215543/https://www.thearticle.com/shalom-alekhine-ding-joins-the-chess-greats |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Gukesh (2024–present)====
{{further information|World Chess Championship 2024}}
[[File:Dommaraju Gukesh in 2023.jpg|thumb|right|[[Gukesh Dommaraju]] became the World Champion in [[World Chess Championship 2024|2024]] after defeating [[Ding Liren]].]]

The next world championship was held in [[World Chess Championship 2024|2024]], from 25 November to 12 December in [[Singapore]]. [[Ding Liren]] lost his title to [[Gukesh Dommaraju]], by 7½ to 6½. The match saw five wins (three by Gukesh and two by Ding) and nine draws in its 14 games; the players were tied going into the final game. At 18 years old, Gukesh became the youngest undisputed World Chess Champion.<ref>{{cite web |title=FIDE World Championship Cycle 2023-2024 |url=https://wcc.fide.com/cycle2023_2024.phtml |access-date=30 April 2023 |website=[[FIDE]] |archive-date=30 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230830203038/https://wcc.fide.com/cycle2023_2024.phtml |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Graham |first=Bryan Armen |date=2024-12-12 |title=Gukesh Dommaraju becomes youngest world chess champion after horrific Ding Liren blunder |url=https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2024/dec/12/gukesh-dommaraju-india-wins-world-chess-championship-youngest-champion-ding-liren |access-date=2024-12-12 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>