The first announced World Chess Championship match was played between Wilhelm Steinitz and Johannes Zukertort in the year 1886. Wilhelm Steinitz won it and was awarded the title of World Champion. However, there had been legendary chess players before this who are considered to be the pioneers of modern chess. Some of these legendary players were Ruy López de Segura, Paolo Boi, Leonardo da Cutri, Alessandro Salvio and Gioachino Greco.

The 18th century was dominated by French legends like Legall de Kermeur, Francois-Andre Philidor, Alexandre Deschapelles, Louis-Charles Mahé de La Bourdonnais and many more. Adolf Anderssen from Germany was one of the prominent players of the time who is referred to as the first master of modern chess. In the year 1858, Anderssen lost to Paul Morphy from America and the world accepted Morphy as the World Champion. Many believe that Morphy held the title of World Champion till his death in the year 188

The retirement of Morphy left Anderssen to be the World Champion again with his win in the London chess tournament in the year1862. The International tournament in London in the year 1883 established Johannes Zukertort a leading player followed by Steinitz. The tournament reconfirmed Steinitz and Zukertort as the two best players in the world and they were the ones to play the first World Championship ever in the year 1886.

Chess players tried to form an international organization, which could take care of the World Championship events. It was in the year 1924 on 20th July that participants at the Paris Tournaments formed FIDE, the players' union. FIDE has lesser power when it was formed. Eventually in the year 1926, FIDE proposed the title of 'Champion of FIDE' and in the year 1928, referred to the match between Bogoljubow and Euwe being the first 'FIDE championship'.

Alekhine who was the reigning chess master of the time agreed to put the forthcoming World Championship matches under the banner of FIDE. However his condition was FIDE allowing him to play Capablanca under the same conditions, which were there in the 1927 tournament. Sooner after Alekhine won the world championship match in the year 1929, the title 'Champion of FIDE' was forgotten.

Alexander Alekhine's death along with the damages imposed upon by the Second World War created confusion in the chess world and in the normal cycle of World Championship. Countries could not send representatives for their deteriorated financial conditions. It was in the year 1947 that Soviet Union sent a telegram to FIDE requesting FIDE Committees to let USSR to participate in the future tournaments organized by FIDE. Mikhail Botvinnik was the first World Chess Champion under the FIDE system that rejuvenated itself after the Second World War.

There were proposals passed in the year 1948. It included the mention of procedure by which challengers for the World Championship would be selected in every three years. The proposal also stated that the countries have to be affiliated by FIDE to send players to the Zonal Tournaments. The players having the highest scores in the Zonal tournament will contest in the Interzonal Tournament and eventually as the numbers of players participating increased, it was decided that the qualifiers at the Interzonal tournament will have to compete in the Candidates Tournament to contest in the World Championship Match. Hence, a format was created thus, allowing FIDE to work smoothly.

PCA or Professional Chess Association was formed in the year 1993. It was a rival organization of FIDE that was formed by Garry Kasparov and Nigel Short. It was formed as a result of the feud that took place between FIDE and Garry Kasparov. Kasparov formed PCA with the help of Short and appointed Bob Rice as the commissioner of the organization.

The World Chess Championship 1993 was played under the banner of PCA between Kasparov and Short. The match was organized in the Savoy Theatre, London. Kasparov won the title of PCA World Chess Championship with a score of 12.5 to 7.5. FIDE responded to this incident by stripping off Kasparov of the FIDE World Chess Champion title and organization between Anatoly Karpov and Jan Timman. Anatoly Karpov, however, won the title of FIDE World Chess Championship. It was for the first time in the history of World Chess Championship, that two players held the title of World Championship at the same time.

PCA was dissolved in the year 1996 as its main sponsor Intel moved out of the organization. Finally the split was healed and a reunification match was held between Kramnik and Champion Veselin Topalov. The match was won by Kramnik.