Garry Kasparov: The All-Time Best Russian Chess Grandmaster

Born in Azerbaijan of the former Soviet Union in April 13, 1963, Garry Kasparov is probably one of the most popular names in the world of chess. He became the youngest world champion in chess at a tender age of 22. Since then, he stayed as world chess champion for 15 long years between 1985 and 2000. This feat established him as one of the most successful player in the history of the game.

Kasparov was a man of diverse interests. Chess, journalism, and politics are just some of the key areas that this Russian chess grandmaster has entered. His career in chess officially ended when he made himself available as presidential candidate for Russia's election in 2008. This career shift as a politician is aimed at serving and leading his beloved country towards a better future.

Kasparov became a very big part of the Federation Internationale des Echecs or the World Chess Federation, of which he was champion till 1993. Later on, he chose to abandon the chess federation and moved into a rival organization. Soon, he would find a home with the Professional Chess Association. From then on, he continued to play excellently while staying as World Chess Champion before suffering a setback in 2000 at the hands of Vladimir Kramnir.

The career of this Russian chess grandmaster was colorful indeed. Besides the accolades and titles that he was won throughout his career, he set another stunning record when he got himself defeated by a computer in 1997. This defeat made Kasparov the first ever world champion in chess to fail against a computer.

The greatness and magnitude of Kasparov's career in chess is undeniable. He was ranked number one in the whole wide world by Elo's rating from 1986 until he officially retired in 2005. Throughout the history of chess, he owns the highest ranking ever by raking up a total score of 2851. His successive victories in huge chess tournaments and record number Chess Oscars solidified his place as the top chess player of all time.

In his teenage years, Kasparov became a top contender of the USSR Chess Championship for two successive years. The 1982 Moscow Interzonal, the Candidates Tournament, and the 1984 World Chess Championship are among his key achievements in the earlier parts of his career. He also shares the glory of Bobby Fischer for being the two youngest players who have qualified for the prestigious Candidates Tournament.