At the start of the match between Kasparov and Kramnik, 136 games had been lost by reigning world champions. As the world championship began in 1886, this is a little over one per year. Let me first explain how I arrive at that number of 136.

For one thing, I do not recognize Khalifman as a world champion. From 1972 on, the world champions were: Fischer until 1975, Karpov until 1985, and Kasparov until now.

<As said, I only count games that the world champions lost while holding the title, < and only serious games: < rapid, blitz, exhibition, computer, consultation, correspondence, cable and Internet games are not included in my number. < I also don't count games that were played in matches and tournaments for the world championship.>>>>

The throne must somehow be seen as vacant during such competitions, and there would also be a categorizing problem: if the world champion loses the last game in a match, as did Tal against Botvinnik in 1961, or Karpov against Kasparov in 1985, then did the world champion lose, or did the world champion win that game?

The 136 true cases of regicide that remain are divided over the 13 world champions as follows.

Steinitz (1886 - 1894): 0. Steinitz never played an official tournament during those years - but there were very few tournaments then. He did lose some games, including both games in a cable match against Chigorin, but he did not lose any games that meet my criteria.

Lasker (1894 - 1921): 17. However few tournaments there were in Lasker's time, he holds the record for 'most losses by a world champion in one year'. In his first full year as world champion, 1895, Lasker lost no less than seven games. On the other hand, during the last 11 years of his reign, Lasker only lost once - but he only played 24 games during that period. Four of Lasker's losses as a world champion were against Pillsbury.

Capablanca (1921 - 1927): 3. With only half a lost game per year, Capablanca is still, if we measure by this criterion, the least beaten world champion.

Alekhine (1927 - 1935 and 1937 - 1946): 21. Four losses against Bogoljubow and, at the end of his career, two against Lupi. This Portuguese player may have been the weakest ever to beat a world champion, and he certainly is the weakest to beat a world champion twice.

Euwe (1935 - 1937): 7. One against 67-year old Lasker (the famous blunder in Nottingham, 1936.) With 3½ losses per year, Euwe is the world champion who lost most often.

Botvinnik (1948 - 1957, 1958 - 1960 and 1961 - 1963): 15. Three losses against Geller. Botvinnik was not a very active world champion.

Smyslov (1957 - 1958): 1.

Tal (1960 - 1961): 1.

Petrosyan (1963 - 1969): 18. Belying his reputation of invincibility, Petrosyan was second only to Euwe in being the most often beaten world champion. Three times against Portisch and Korchnoi each - the latter scored 2-0 against him in an inter-city match, Moscow - Leningrad, 1965.

Spassky (1969 - 1972): 3.

Fischer (1972 - 1975): 0. Of course, Fischer never played a serious game while being world champion.

Karpov (1975 - 1985) 23. Almost 2½ per year, but still a very good record, considering how much he played. Three losses against Timman.

Kasparov (1985 - (2000)check) 27. Even better than Karpov. He lost 5 games against Ivanchuk (the greatest number of losses of a world champion against one single player) and three against Kramnik. <Thanks to a hint of User: Olavi Kasparov lost only 4 games against Ivanchuk (counter-checked it with chesbase)>

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NEW to the original Krabbe list

Kramnik (2000-2007)
Anand (2007-2013)
Carlsen (2013 - 2023)
Ding Liren (2023 - 2024) <7+> (til Dec 2024) Gukesh (2024 - reigning champ) <1>

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The player who beat a reigning world champion most often is <Bogoljubow> with 6; 4 against Alekhine, and 2 against Euwe. <Geller, Larsen and Ivanchuk> each collected 5 scalps; Geller and Larsen also sharing the distinction of having beaten the greatest number of different world champions. Geller beat Botvinnik three times, and Petrosyan and Karpov once; Larsen beat Petrosyan and Karpov twice, and Spassky once.

The other players who committed regicide more than once are:

Four times:

Pillsbury (4x Lasker)
Korchnoi (3x Petrosyan, 1x Spassky)
Portisch (3x Petrosyan, 1x Karpov)
Timman (3x Karpov, 1x Kasparov)

Three times:

Taimanov (2x Botvinnik, Karpov)
Kramnik (3x Kasparov)

Twice:

Blackburne (2x Lasker)
Fine (2x Alekhine)
Lupi (2x Alekhine)
Keres (2x Botvinnik)
Smyslov (2x Botvinnik)
Gligoric (2x Petrosyan)
Torre (2x Karpov)
Seirawan (1x Karpov, 1x Kasparov)
Anand (2x Kasparov)
Lautier (2x Kasparov)
Topalov (2x Kasparov)

Among the players who never beat a reigning world champion, there are three world champions. Even if their eminences offered them fewer chances than ordinary players, it is still surprising to see who they are: Capablanca, Fischer and Kasparov.

Tim Krabbe

Königsmord-Sammlung begonnen / commenced: 2017.06.16

a similar idea: https://www.chess.com/blog/Spektrow...