Anatoly Karpov

The positional boa constrictor. Karpov squeezed opponents with flawless technique, won over 160 tournaments, and fought the greatest rivalry in chess history against Kasparov.

The Quiet Conqueror

Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov was born on May 23, 1951, in Zlatoust, a industrial city in the Ural Mountains of Russia. He learned chess at age four from his father, an engineer who played at a reasonable club level. By twelve, Karpov was studying at the Botvinnik Chess School, where the patriarch recognized his exceptional positional understanding.

Karpov's style was the opposite of Tal's pyrotechnics. He was a positional player of extraordinary subtlety, slowly tightening his grip on positions until opponents had no useful moves left. His endgame technique was flawless, his defensive skills nearly impenetrable, and his ability to exploit tiny advantages unmatched in his generation. He won games that other grandmasters would have drawn, squeezed victories from positions that seemed balanced, and accumulated points with the relentless consistency of a machine.

Champion by Default

Karpov became World Champion in 1975 when Bobby Fischer refused to defend his title. The manner of his ascension bothered Karpov deeply; he had wanted to earn the title over the board against the legendary American. He set out to prove his worthiness by playing an extraordinary schedule of tournaments, winning virtually everything he entered for the next decade.

Between 1975 and 1985, Karpov dominated world chess with an authority that rivaled Capablanca's. He won over 100 tournaments during this period, a record that has never been approached. His tournament performances were models of consistency: he rarely lost, frequently won, and almost always finished in the top three.

The Kasparov Rivalry

Beginning in 1984, Karpov faced Garry Kasparov in five World Championship matches that would define both their careers and an entire era of chess. Their first match, in 1984, was the most controversial: Karpov built a 5-0 lead, then watched as Kasparov staged a historic comeback before FIDE controversially terminated the match. Karpov lost the 1985 rematch 13-11, then drew the 1986 and 1987 matches (losing on tiebreak rules), and lost the 1990 match 12.5-11.5.

Across 144 championship games, the cumulative score was nearly even: Kasparov 36, Karpov 32, draws 76. No two players have ever been so closely matched at such a high level for so long.

"Chess is everything: art, science, and sport." — Anatoly Karpov