Which players did the world champions meet most often in battle? Who were their most dangerous contemporaries? These counts are from Chess Informant's '200 greatest tournaments' and do not include world championship events or Olympiads.
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Steinitz, W. | Chigorin, M. | 12 |
| Steinitz, W. | Pillsbury, H. | 12 |
| Steinitz, W. | Lasker, Em | 10 |
| Steinitz, W. | Blackburne, J. | 6 |
| Steinitz, W. | Janowsky, D. | 6 |
| Steinitz, W. | Schlechter, C. | 6 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Lasker, Em | Chigorin, M. | 12 |
| Lasker, Em | Pillsbury, H. | 12 |
| Lasker, Em | Steinitz, W. | 10 |
| Lasker, Em | Capablanca, J. | 10 |
| Lasker, Em | Janowsky, D. | 9 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Capablanca, J. | Marshall, F. | 15 |
| Capablanca, J. | Alekhine, A. | 13 |
| Capablanca, J. | Spielmann, R. | 11 |
| Capablanca, J. | Nimzowitsch, A. | 10 |
| Capablanca, J. | Lasker, Em | 10 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Alekhine, A. | Tartakower, S. | 15 |
| Alekhine, A. | Capablanca, J. | 13 |
| Alekhine, A. | Bogoljubov, E. | 13 |
| Alekhine, A. | Nimzowitsch, A. | 13 |
| Alekhine, A. | Spielmann, R. | 12 |
| Alekhine, A. | Vidmar, M. | 12 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Euwe, M. | Tartakower, S. | 8 |
| Euwe, M. | Bogoljubov, E. | 7 |
| Euwe, M. | Capablanca, J. | 6 |
| Euwe, M. | Spielmann, R. | 5 |
| Euwe, M. | Alekhine, A. | 5 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Botvinnik, M. | Keres, P. | 11 |
| Botvinnik, M. | Smyslov, V. | 11 |
| Botvinnik, M. | Taimanov, M. | 10 |
| Botvinnik, M. | Flohr, S. | 10 |
| Botvinnik, M. | Lilienthal, A. | 8 |
| Botvinnik, M. | Boleslavsky, I. | 8 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Smyslov, V. | Geller, E. | 17 |
| Smyslov, V. | Petrosian, T. | 12 |
| Smyslov, V. | Keres, P. | 12 |
| Smyslov, V. | Botvinnik, M. | 11 |
| Smyslov, V. | Bronstein, D. | 10 |
| Smyslov, V. | Boleslavsky, I. | 10 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Tal, M. | Petrosian, T. | 13 |
| Tal, M. | Spassky, B. | 13 |
| Tal, M. | Karpov, An | 12 |
| Tal, M. | Portisch, L. | 12 |
| Tal, M. | Timman, J. | 11 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Petrosian, T. | Spassky, B. | 16 |
| Petrosian, T. | Geller, E. | 14 |
| Petrosian, T. | Tal, M. | 13 |
| Petrosian, T. | Smyslov, V. | 12 |
| Petrosian, T. | Korchnoi, V. | 12 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Spassky, B. | Portisch, L. | 22 |
| Spassky, B. | Larsen, B. | 21 |
| Spassky, B. | Ljubojevic, Lj | 19 |
| Spassky, B. | Karpov, An | 18 |
| Spassky, B. | Timman, J. | 18 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Fischer, R. | Petrosian, T. | 8 |
| Fischer, R. | Ivkov, B. | 5 |
| Fischer, R. | Gligoric, S. | 4 |
| Fischer, R. | Unzicker, W. | 4 |
| Fischer, R. | Donner, J. | 4 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Karpov, An | Timman, J. | 41 |
| Karpov, An | Portisch, L. | 32 |
| Karpov, An | Ljubojevic, Lj | 31 |
| Karpov, An | Andersson, U. | 24 |
| Karpov, An | Beliavsky, A. | 20 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Kasparov, G. | Timman, J. | 25 |
| Kasparov, G. | Ivanchuk, V. | 24 |
| Kasparov, G. | Short, N. | 23 |
| Kasparov, G. | Kramnik, V. | 23 |
| Kasparov, G. | Anand, V. | 22 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Khalifman, A. | Anand, V. | 6 |
| Khalifman, A. | Beliavsky, A. | 5 |
| Khalifman, A. | Ivanchuk, V. | 4 |
| Khalifman, A. | Kramnik, V. | 4 |
| Khalifman, A. | Karpov, An | 4 |
| Khalifman, A. | Ehlvest, J. | 4 |
| Khalifman, A. | Kasparov, G. | 4 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Kramnik, V. | Anand, V. | 25 |
| Kramnik, V. | Topalov, V. | 24 |
| Kramnik, V. | Ivanchuk, V. | 23 |
| Kramnik, V. | Kasparov, G. | 23 |
| Kramnik, V. | Shirov, A. | 18 |
| Player | Opponent | Ct |
|---|---|---|
| Anand, V. | Kramnik, V. | 25 |
| Anand, V. | Gelfand, B. | 24 |
| Anand, V. | Ivanchuk, V. | 24 |
| Anand, V. | Kasparov, G. | 22 |
| Anand, V. | Topalov, V. | 19 |