Kasparov (Weinstein), Garry Kimovich

Kasparov, the world's top-ranked player for the last 20 years, announced on March 10, 2005 that he was retiring from competition. "I don't think that someone else can do what I did," Mr. Kasparov said. "It is hard to keep the No. 1 rating for five years. That would already be an accomplishment." Although he is 41, past the usual peak for chess players, Mr. Kasparov's announcement took many fans by surprise. He had just won his second elite tournament in a row and seemed to be playing with a vigor that he had not shown in some time. No one has retired while ranked as the world's top player since the American Paul Morphy did in 1859.

In an interview with Dylan Loeb McClain in The New York Times (March 26, 2005), Kasparov said his decision had been building for some time. He said it was partly fueled by his frustration with the World Chess Federation because it had been unable to arrange a match between him and its current champion, Rustam Kasimdzhanov. But "I had no more goals in chess," he continued, adding, "I want to do things that excite me."

Kasparov, who is half-Jewish, began to play chess at the age of 6. Several other chess masters commented on his style of play. Petrosian called it "dynamic and effective." Tal said that "[Kasparov] possesses thorough skill of strategy and superb technique"; and Smyslov said of Kasparov that he was "...imaginative and logical... sees chess as a sport and an art-form." Botvinnik stated that "[he has] an unusual gift of formulating combinations, that compares him with Alekhin himself."

In 1985, at 22, Garry became the youngest world champion in history. He has been compared to Bobby Fischer among the century's greatest chess masters. Known for enormous creativity and energy at the board, he has always been reluctant to admit that someone, or something, might be his equal at chess. After he lost a 1997 match to Deep Blue, a computer developed by I.B.M., he accused the company and the computer's programmers of cheating by having grandmasters help it find the best moves.

Birth and Death Dates:
b. April 13, 1963

Career Highlights:

Kasparov was 13th World Champion: 1985 - 1993.
and CPA Champion: 1993 - ...

Garry became an International Grand Master: 1980, and an Honored Master of the Sport in 1985. He won numerous prestigious matches and tournaments, and was a President of the International Grand Master association (1986).

In 1993 he won the title of the World Champion among non-FIDE chess players

As part of the USSR team, Kasparov took victories in Olympiads of 1980 (scoring 9.5 points out of 12), 1982 (8.5 out of 11), 1986 (8.5 out of 11 - best results among all players). He was a member of Russia's select team for the 1996 Olympiad (scoring 7 out of 9).

http://www.kasparovchess.com/serve/templates/folders/ck_home.asp?p_folderID=2

Origin:
Russia, USSR (b. Baku, Azerbajan)

Category:
World Champion

< Previous |  Next >