Clash for the Crown: Celebrating Chess Champions explores the histories of the World Chess Championship and Women’s World Chess Championship through a display of artifacts from the collection of the World Chess Hall of Fame (WCHOF), the International Chess Federation (FIDE); and loans from world chess champions and private lenders. The exhibition will begin with the 1886 World Chess Championship, held in New York City, Saint Louis, and New Orleans, won by Wilhelm Steinitz, and continue through the present world chess champion, Ding Liren. It will also track the history of the Women’s World Chess Championship from its first winner, the legendary Vera Menchik, to Ju Wenjun, the reigning women’s world chess champion. This exhibition is being held in connection with the 100th anniversary of the founding of FIDE.

Displays in the exhibition will include an area where visitors can view videos of many of the past world champions and women’s world champions and interactive stations where people can learn about past champions. Programming will include lectures about the history of the World Chess Championship, collaborations with FIDE celebrating their golden anniversary, and possible collaborations with current and past champions.

Take a Tour

Virtually Explore the Exhibit

Timelines & Bios

World Chess Championship Timeline

World Chess Championship Bios

Women's World Chess Championship Timeline

Women's World Chess Championship Bios

Exhibit Highlights

Replica of the 2023 World Chess Championship Trophy

won by Ding Liren, lent by FIDE

Amber chess set

once owned by World Chess Champion Mikhail Tal and is now owned by World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen

Chess set used in game 3 of the 1972 World Chess Championship

Women’s World Championship medal

won by Women’s World Chess Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk

Women’s World Chess Championship trophy

won by Women’s World Chess Champion Susan Polgar (also the first woman to be inducted into both the U.S. and World Chess Halls of Fame) and dress and scarf worn by her at the closing ceremony of the competition

Tablecloth created by Martha Lasker

(wife of World Chess Champion Emanuel Lasker) featuring the embroidered signatures of two world chess champions (Emanuel Lasker and Jose Raul Capablanca) as well as Women’s World Chess Champion Vera Menchik

Photos by famed photojournalist Harry Benson CBE

from the 2018 World Chess Championship match between Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana and the 1972 World Chess Championship

The medal won by Nona Gaprindashvili 

in the 1975 Women’s World Chess Championship

A signed first-day cover from the 1984 Women’s World Chess Championship

between Maia Chiburdanidze and Irina Levitina

Artwork by LeRoy Neiman

depicting the 1972 World Chess Championship

Videos from World Chess Championships

World Chess Championship medals

lent by World Chess Champion Viswanathan Anand

World Chess Championship trophies

lent by World Chess Champion Magnus Carlsen

Prototype of the table used in 1978 World Chess Championship

created by Cesar Iligan

Score sheets from numerous World Championships

lent by FIDE

Score sheets from numerous Women’s World Championships

lent by FIDE