What is the difference between a Champion and Undisputed Champion in chess?

Indian grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju has become the youngest undisputed champion in world chess.

What may sound as an unbelievable feat, 18-year-old Indian grandmaster Gukesh Dommaraju dethroned defending champion Ding Liren to become the youngest undisputed chess world champion.

Gukesh’s victory was surgical in many a sense. With the championship hanging in the balance in game 14, Ding appeared to have a risk-free position and instead of pressing for an advantage, he liquidated into a pawn-down endgame that objectively seemed drawable. But as tension mounted, Ding crumbled under Gukesh’s relentless pressure.

The final scoreline—7.5 to 6.5—crowned Gukesh the youngest undisputed world champion in chess history, meanwhile also securing a $1.35 million prize money and fulfilling a childhood dream.

But for the uninitiated, you must wonder why there is a special emphasis on undisputed in the case of Gukesh. we would tell you the chess has seen evolution over couple of years with different sort of narratives unravel and, in this article, we will try to unravel the difference between a chess Champion and Undisputed Champion.

Also Read: Top six youngest winners in FIDE World Chess Championship history

Difference between Champion and Undisputed Champion

The words “champion” and “undisputed champion” mean very different things in chess. A champion might win a tournament or match and get a title, but an undisputed champion stands for something much more clear-cut this is due to what chess has gone through times when it was split up, with many players or groups saying they were world champions at the same time.

One may wonder when did it happen? The split happened from 1993 to 2006 when Garry Kasparov’s Professional Chess Association (PCA) and FIDE were at odds. During this time, players like Alexander Khalifman and Ruslan Ponomariov could be called champions, but not everyone agreed with their titles.

An undisputed champion comes about when there’s one world title that everyone accepts, with no other claims or championships going on at the same time. Chess got to this point in 2006 when Vladimir Kramnik beat Veselin Topalov bringing the chess world back together.

After that, champions like Viswanathan Anand, Magnus Carlsen, and now Gukesh Dommaraju, are true undisputed world champions—the global chess governing body (FIDE) recognizes them, and no other groups or title holders compete with them.

The main difference boils down to being legit and getting worldwide recognition. An undisputed champion isn’t just someone with a title; they’re the one player everyone agrees is the best in the world, with no other claims or championships challenging their spot at the top.

Notable Undisputed Champions

• Garry Kasparov (1985-1993)
• Vladimir Kramnik (2006-2007)
• Viswanathan Anand (2007-2013)
• Magnus Carlsen (2013-2023)
• Ding Liren (2023-2024)
• Gukesh Dommaraju (2024-present)

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram