Born in India as chaturanga in the sixth century, it has evolved from its military roots to become a symbol of human intelligence, reflecting discipline, creativity, genius and eccentricities. After passing through Persia as a shatranj and spreading throughout Europe in the Middle Ages, it acquired its modern rules in the Renaissance.
Since the first official championship in 1886, won by Wilhelm Steinitz, 22 players have held the official title of World Champion, including legendary figures such as Emanuel Lasker, José Raúl Capablanca, Alexander Alekhine, Mikhail Botvinnik, Boris Spassky, Bobby Fischer, Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, Vladimir Kramnik, Viswanathan Anand, Magnus Carlsen, Ding Liren and Dommaraju Gukesh. Capablanca, nicknamed "The Mozart of chess", stood out for his clarity and natural talent; Kasparov dominated the chessboard between 1985 and 2000 and is considered by many to be the strongest in history; Carlsen, champion between 2013 and 2021, is famous for his technique in finals. The youth record is held by Gukesh, champion at only 18 years old in 2024, while Lasker was the oldest, defending the title until he was 53 years old. The history of chess is also marked by unique personalities: Alekhine lived a bohemian life and was fond of alcohol; Fischer, eccentric and controversial, retired after winning in 1972 and developed conspiratorial obsessions; Tal, "The Magician of Riga", played even sick; Kasparov became a political activist and writer; and Carlsen has modeled for fashion brands and is a football fan. Thus, chess has not only been the scene of intellectual feats, but also of intense and singular lives that reveal the human richness behind every move.
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