Magnus Carlsen is one of the greatest chess players the world has ever seen. Some fans even call him the GOAT — the Greatest of All Time. But when we compare him with past legends, is he truly the number one?
Let’s look at the numbers and the names, that define chess greatness.
Who’s Been World Number One?
In the 54-year history of FIDE’s ranking system, only seven players have ever reached the number one spot:
- Bobby Fischer
- Anatoly Karpov
- Garry Kasparov
- Vladimir Kramnik
- Veselin Topalov
- Viswanathan Anand
- Magnus Carlsen
Time at FIDE World Number One & Youngest Age Reached
| Player | Country | Months at No. 1 | Peak Rating | Date First No. 1 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garry Kasparov | Soviet Union / Russia | 255 | 2851 | Jan 1, 1984 |
| Magnus Carlsen | Norway | 182 | 2882 | Jan 1, 2010 |
| Anatoly Karpov | Soviet Union / Russia | 102 | 2780 | Jan 1, 1976 |
| Bobby Fischer | United States | 54 | 2785 | Jul 1, 1971 |
| Veselin Topalov | Bulgaria | 27 | 2816 | Apr 1, 2006 |
| Viswanathan Anand | India | 21 | 2817 | Apr 1, 2007 |
| Vladimir Kramnik | Russia | 9 | 2817 | Jan 1, 1996 |
Among these giants, Garry Kasparov is widely seen as the greatest by many top players, including Carlsen himself.
And here’s why.
Kasparov’s Incredible Record
Kasparov was ranked world number one for 255 months. That’s over 21 years.
Carlsen comes second, with 182 months (more than 15 years) at the top.
But there’s a twist: Carlsen has been #1 for 14 years in a row, something Kasparov never did. Even during Kasparov’s long reign, Karpov and Vladimir Kramnik overtook him at times.
World Champions: Who Ruled the Longest?
In the 139-year history of the World Chess Championship, there have been 18 undisputed world champions – players who were clearly the best at their time.
Most World Championship Match Wins
| Rank | Player | Record | Winning Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | Emanuel Lasker | 6–1 | 85.71% |
| T1 | Garry Kasparov | 6–1–1 | 81.25% |
| T3 | Magnus Carlsen | 5–0 | 100.00% |
| T3 | Mikhail Botvinnik | 5–3 | 62.50% |
| T3 | Viswanathan Anand | 5–4 | 55.56% |
| T3 | Anatoly Karpov | 5–4–1 | 55.00% |
| 7 | Alexander Alekhine | 4–1 | 80.00% |
| 8 | Vladimir Kramnik | 3–1 | 75.00% |
| 9 | Tigran Petrosian | 2–1 | 66.67% |
Carlsen won the world title five times: 2013, 2014, 2016, 2018, and 2021.
That’s amazing, but still behind Emanuel Lasker, who won six world titles, and held the crown for an incredible 27 years.
Behind him is Alexander Alekhine, who ruled for 17 years.
Of course, chess matches were much rarer back then. Players could hold on to the title for decades without frequent challenges.
Highest Winning Percentage in Decisive Games (World Championship Matches)
| Rank | Player | Winning % | Record (W–L–D) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magnus Carlsen | 84.62% | 11–2–43 |
| 2 | Emanuel Lasker | 75.00% | 45–15–42 |
| 3 | Bobby Fischer | 70.00% | 7–3–11 |
| 4 | Alexander Alekhine | 62.26% | 33–20–62 |
| 5 | Garry Kasparov | 57.41% | 31–23–143 |
| 6 | Anatoly Karpov | 56.25% | 45–35–159 |
| 7 | Tigran Petrosian | 54.17% | 13–11–45 |
| 8 | Jose Capablanca | 53.85% | 7–6–35 |
| 9 | Viswanathan Anand | 52.94% | 18–16–43 |
| 10 | Mikhail Botvinnik | 52.87% | 46–41–90 |
Carlsen’s Record-Breaking Elo
One thing is clear: Carlsen has the highest Elo rating of all time: 2,882, reached in 2014 and again in 2019.
Kasparov’s peak? 2,851.
Elo rating measures your strength based on how well you perform against others, especially those with higher or lower ratings. The higher your rating, the harder it becomes to gain points.
Carlsen’s high Elo is even more impressive in today’s world, where there are many strong players with well-prepared openings and powerful engines to study with.
FIDE Players by Peak Elo Rating
| Rank | Player | Country(s) | Peak Rating | Date | Born |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magnus Carlsen | Norway | 2882 | 2014-05 | 1990 |
| 2 | Garry Kasparov | Soviet Union / Russia | 2851 | 1999-07 | 1963 |
| 3 | Fabiano Caruana | Italy / United States | 2844 | 2014-10 | 1992 |
| 4 | Levon Aronian | Armenia / Germany / United States | 2830 | 2014-03 | 1982 |
| 5 | Wesley So | Philippines / United States | 2822 | 2017-02 | 1993 |
| 6 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | Azerbaijan | 2820 | 2018-09 | 1985 |
| 7 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | France | 2819 | 2016-08 | 1990 |
| 8 | Viswanathan Anand | India | 2817 | 2011-03 | 1969 |
| 8 | Vladimir Kramnik | Soviet Union / Russia | 2817 | 2016-10 | 1975 |
| 10 | Veselin Topalov | Bulgaria | 2816 | 2015-07 | 1975 |
| 10 | Hikaru Nakamura | United States | 2816 | 2015-10 | 1987 |
| 10 | Ding Liren | China | 2816 | 2018-11 | 1992 |
Could Carlsen Beat the Legends?
It’s hard to compare generations, but many experts believe Carlsen would do well against legends like Kasparov or Fischer, especially using today’s tools.
Hikaru Nakamura, world number two, said in 2020:
“Fischer would lose to today’s top players… but if he had a few years with computers, he’d reach our level.”
Technology has changed chess forever. Players now study thousands of games, train with engines, and prepare deeply, something that wasn’t possible decades ago.
20 World Titles And Counting
Since winning his first blitz world title in 2009, Carlsen has now won 20 world championships across classical, rapid, and blitz formats.
No other player in this period has won more than three.
That gap in dominance says a lot. Carlsen hasn’t just stayed at the top. He’s stayed far ahead of the rest.
Biggest Gaps in Elo
At one point in October 2013, Carlsen was 74 points ahead of the second-ranked player, Kramnik.
Only two players had bigger leads:
- Bobby Fischer: 125 points ahead of Spassky in 1972
- Kasparov: 82 points ahead of Anand in 2000
But it’s not just about the gap. The quality of opponents matters too.
Fischer’s lead came at a time when his rivals weren’t as strong as the players today.
Kasparov’s dominance, especially over the world’s top three, lasted longer.
At one point, Kasparov was also 125 points ahead of the third-ranked player.
Fischer’s Brief but Brilliant Peak
Fischer’s peak came fast and hard. He won the 1964 US Championship with a perfect 11/11 score, at just 21 years old.
In the 1971 Candidates Matches, he crushed both Taimanov and Larsen with perfect 6–0 scores. That’s unheard of.
But his peak was short. He vanished from competitive chess not long after becoming world champion in 1972.
That’s why most rankings place him third, behind Kasparov and Carlsen.
Final Verdict: Who’s the Greatest?
In 2020, Chess24 ranked the top three chess players of all time:
- Garry Kasparov
- Magnus Carlsen
- Bobby Fischer
Kasparov was not only dominant, but consistent for over two decades. Carlsen, however, is catching up fast.
Being number one is hard. Staying there is harder. And Carlsen has been doing just that, year after year, in the toughest era of chess ever.
So while Kasparov still holds the crown of history, Carlsen may soon take his place at the top.
The race for the greatest is not over, and Magnus is still playing.
Stats Summary:
- 7 players have held FIDE #1
- Carlsen: 182 months as #1 (14 consecutive years)
- Kasparov: 255 months as #1 (not consecutive)
- World titles: Carlsen (5), Lasker (6)
- Longest reign: Lasker (27 years), Alekhine (17 years),…., Carlsen (9 years)
- Highest Elo: Carlsen (2,882), Kasparov (2,851)
- Biggest rating gap: Fischer (125), Kasparov (82), Carlsen (74)
- Total world titles (all formats): Carlsen (20), others (max 3 during same period)
I’m Xuan Binh, the founder of Attacking Chess, and the Deputy Head of Communications at the Vietnam Chess Federation (VCF). My chess.com and lichess rating is above 2300, in both blitz and bullet. Follow me on Twitter (X).
