52 Facts About Anatoly Karpov

Anatoly Karpov was the 12th World Chess Champion from 1975 to 1985, a three-time FIDE World Champion, twice World Chess champion as a member of the USSR team, and a six-time winner of Chess Olympiads as a member of the USSR team.

Anatoly Karpov had a peak Elo rating of 2780, and his 102 total months at world number one is the third-longest of all time, behind Magnus Carlsen and Garry Kasparov, since the inception of the FIDE ranking list in 1970.

Anatoly Karpov was born into a Russian family on May 23,1951, in Zlatoust, in the Urals region of the former Soviet Union, and learned to play chess at the age of four.

Anatoly Karpov's early rise in chess was swift, as he became a candidate master by age 11.

Anatoly Karpov acknowledged that his understanding of chess theory was very confused at that time, and later wrote that the homework Botvinnik assigned greatly helped him, since it required that he consult chess books and work diligently.

Anatoly Karpov improved so quickly under Botvinnik's tutelage that he became the youngest Soviet master in history at the age of fifteen in 1966; this tied the record established by Boris Spassky in 1952.

Anatoly Karpov finished first in his first international tournament, in Trinec, several months later, ahead of Viktor Kupreichik.

Anatoly Karpov won a gold medal for academic excellence in high school, and entered Moscow State University in 1968 to study mathematics.

Anatoly Karpov later transferred to Leningrad State University, eventually graduating from there in economics.

In 1970, Anatoly Karpov tied for fourth and fifth places with Pal Benko at an international tournament in Caracas, Venezuela, and earned the international grandmaster title.

Anatoly Karpov won the 1971 Alekhine Memorial tournament in Moscow, ahead of a star-studded field, for his first significant adult victory.

Anatoly Karpov finished equal first in the Leningrad Interzonal, qualifying for the 1974 Candidates Matches.

Anatoly Karpov defeated Lev Polugaevsky by the score of +3=5 in the first Candidates' match, earning the right to face former champion Boris Spassky in the semifinal round.

Anatoly Karpov was on record saying that he believed Spassky would easily beat him and win the Candidates' cycle to face Fischer, and that he would win the following Candidates' cycle in 1977.

Anatoly Karpov took an early lead, winning the second game against the Sicilian Dragon, then scoring another victory in the sixth game.

When Fischer did not agree, FIDE President Max Euwe declared on April 3,1975, that Fischer had forfeited his title and Anatoly Karpov was the new World Champion.

Anatoly Karpov later attempted to set up another match with Fischer, but the negotiations fell through.

Garry Kasparov argued that Anatoly Karpov would have had good chances because he had beaten Spassky convincingly and was a new breed of tough professional, and indeed had higher quality games, while Fischer had been inactive for three years.

Spassky thought that Fischer would have won in 1975, but Anatoly Karpov would have qualified again and beaten Fischer in 1978.

Anatoly Karpov has said that if he had had the opportunity to play Fischer for the championship in his twenties, he could have been a much better player as a result.

Anatoly Karpov convincingly won the Milan tournament in 1975, and captured his first of three Soviet titles in 1976.

Anatoly Karpov created a phenomenal streak of tournament wins against the strongest players in the world.

Anatoly Karpov held the record for most consecutive tournament victories until it was shattered by Garry Kasparov.

Anatoly Karpov then won the very next game to retain the title.

Anatoly Karpov won the prestigious Bugojno tournament in 1978,1980 and 1986, the Linares tournament in 1981 and 1994, the Tilburg tournament in 1977,1979,1980,1982, and 1983, and the Soviet Championship in 1976,1983, and 1988.

Anatoly Karpov represented the Soviet Union at six Chess Olympiads, in all of which the USSR won the team gold medal.

In Olympiad play, Anatoly Karpov lost only two games out of 68 played.

Anatoly Karpov had cemented his position as the world's best player and world champion by the time Garry Kasparov arrived on the scene.

In game 31, Anatoly Karpov had a winning position but failed to take advantage and settled for a draw.

Anatoly Karpov lost the next game, after which 14 more draws ensued.

Anatoly Karpov held a solidly winning position in Game 41, but again blundered and had to settle for a draw.

Anatoly Karpov needed to win the final game to draw the match and retain his title, but lost, surrendering the title to his opponent.

Anatoly Karpov remained a formidable opponent until the mid-1990s.

Anatoly Karpov fought Kasparov in three more world championship matches in 1986,1987, and 1990.

Anatoly Karpov won the 23rd game when Kasparov miscalculated a combination.

In 1992, Anatoly Karpov lost a Candidates Match against Nigel Short.

The next major meeting of Kasparov and Anatoly Karpov was the 1994 Linares chess tournament.

Anatoly Karpov defended his FIDE title against the rising star Gata Kamsky in 1996.

Anatoly Karpov refused to defend his title, and ceased to be FIDE World Champion after the FIDE World Chess Championship 1999.

Anatoly Karpov had been a member of the Supreme Soviet Commission for Foreign Affairs and the president of the Soviet Peace Fund before the Soviet Union dissolved.

In 2003, Anatoly Karpov opened his first American chess school in Lindsborg, Kansas.

Anatoly Karpov has been a member of the sixth, seventh and eighth Russian State Dumas.

Anatoly Karpov has involved himself in several humanitarian causes, such as advocating the use of iodised salt.

On December 17,2012, Anatoly Karpov supported the law in the Russian Parliament banning adoption of Russian orphans by US citizens.

Anatoly Karpov expressed support of the annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, and accused Europe of trying to demonize Putin.

Anatoly Karpov had been scheduled to teach a summer camp at the Chess Max Academy.

Dlugy said that Anatoly Karpov had been questioned at the US embassy in Moscow about whether he planned to communicate with American politicians.

Anatoly Karpov was among the Russian State Duma members placed under sanctions by the EU and UK during the Russo-Ukrainian War.

In November 2022, Anatoly Karpov received a head injury that left him concussed; according to some sources, he was placed in an induced coma.

In March 2010, Anatoly Karpov announced that he would be a candidate for the presidency of FIDE.

Anatoly Karpov is known to have large chess stamp and chess book collections.

Anatoly Karpov has authored or co-authored several books, most of which have been translated into English.