Garry Kasparov: The Most Successful Chess Player in History

Estimated read time 5 min read
Copyright 2007, S.M.S.I., Inc. – Owen Williams, The Kasparov Agency.
Full NameGarry Kimovich Kasparov
Date of BirthApril 13, 1963
Place of BirthBaku, Azerbaijan
OccupationChess Player, Author, and Commentator
Peak Elo Rating2851 (July 1999)
World Chess Champion1985 – 2000
Total Number of Matches as World Champion20
Net Worth$10 million (estimated)
Notable Books“My Great Predecessors,” “How Life Imitates Chess,” “Winter is Coming”
Organizations foundedKasparov Chess Foundation, United Civil Front
Awards and HonorsChess Oscar (11 times), Presidential Medal of Freedom (awarded in 2021)

Biography

Chess is a strategy, skill, and intelligence-testing game. It has been played for centuries and has produced a number of outstanding players who have greatly influenced the game. But because of their remarkable talent and dominance in the game, certain chess players stand out from the crowd. Garry Kasparov is one of such players.

Most people agree that Garry Kasparov is the best chess player that has ever lived. He was born in Baku, Azerbaijan, in 1963, and started playing chess when he was six years old. He had won the Soviet Union’s junior championship before the age of 13. At the age of 22, he set a record by becoming the youngest-ever world chess champion, which is still in effect today.

Kasparov’s chess career was highlighted by a number of noteworthy triumphs. He was well-known for his aggressive play and held the title of world chess champion for 15 years, from 1985 to 2000. He triumphed in several competitions and contests against other elite athletes, notably Anatoly Karpov, whom he defeated in multiple world championship contests.

Chess prowess also led to substantial fortune for Kasparov. Throughout his career, he won millions of dollars in prizes and was a well-known author and game commentator. In addition to biographies of other elite players, he has produced several books on chess strategy and tactics. Additionally, he has frequently commented on chess tournaments and matches, giving millions of fans across the world insights into the game.

Kasparov has achieved success in business and politics in addition to his chess income. He has been involved with several businesses, such as a software firm and a charity that supports chess instruction in schools. He has also been a vocal opponent of Russian politics and a part of a number of opposition movements in his own nation.

In general, Garry Kasparov is a genuine chess icon. Chess players all over the world have been inspired by him and his contributions to the game because of his prowess and success on the board. Although his riches is a consequence of his success, his legacy in the game of chess will be remembered for a long time.

A chronology of some of the significant occasions in Garry Kasparov’s life and career is shown below:

In Baku, Azerbaijan, Garry Kasparov is born in 1963.

1976: At the age of 13, Kasparov wins the Soviet Junior Championship as the youngest player ever.

At the age of 22, Kasparov overcomes Anatoly Karpov to win the title of youngest-ever world chess champion.

1986–1990: Kasparov defeats Karpov 3-2 in a rematch to retain his title as world chess champion.

1993 saw Kasparov face off against IBM’s Deep Blue in a six-game battle, making him the first chess grandmaster to do so.

Kasparov overcomes Vishwanathan Anand in 1995 to win the title of world chess champion.

1997: In a rematch, Kasparov confronts Deep Blue and loses 3.5-2.5, becoming the first human champion of chess to be defeated by a machine.

Kasparov loses the title of world chess champion to Vladimir Kramnik in 2000.
Kasparov quits from competitive chess in 2005.

2007: Kasparov declares his candidacy for the Russian President, but it is rejected.

2013: Kasparov publishes “Winter is Coming,” a book on his disapproval of Vladimir Putin’s administration.

Kasparov supports Hillary Clinton for president of the United States in 2016.

President Joe Biden of the United States presents Kasparov with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2021.

The top five fascinating facts, according to Garry Kasparov:

  1. Kasparov became the youngest-ever undisputed World Chess Champion in 1985 at the age of 22.
  2. He ruled the world for 255 months, which is the longest length of time.
  3. In a 1997 six-game chess duel versus IBM’s Deep Blue computer, Kasparov was defeated 3.5 to 2.5.
  4. Kasparov is an accomplished author and commentator who has written several books and provided analysis for significant chess tournaments.
  5. He founded the Kasparov Chess Foundation in 2002 to assist young people all around the world in gaining educational benefits from playing chess.

Here are 5 quotes from Garry Kasparov:

  1. “The highest art of the chess player lies in not allowing your opponent to show you what he can do.”
  2. “You cannot play at chess if you are kind-hearted.”
  3. “In chess, as in life, a man is his own most dangerous opponent.”
  4. “Chess is a unique cognitive nexus, a place where art and science come together in the human mind and are then refined and improved by experience.”
  5. “It is better to lose a game than to lose your heart.”

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