Which one of these phenominal players do you like the best?????

Both are phenomenal players and both stayed at the top for a very long time.  I can't separate them at their peak, but Karpov's play has deteriorated markedly with age whereas Kasparov was the best right up to his retirement.

Yes I agree that these two's genious cannot be split.

No affront to Karpov intended....

 

but Garry Kasparov, whom most people would consider the strongest player of all time, brought to the game a vitality and energy that only a few players before him could manage.  He was both fearless and progressive in his approach to chess. I would credit him with being a prime mover in making chess as popular as it is today. For that alone we owe him our appeciation.

Kasparov was clearly more phenomenal...but Karpov filled the gaps which Kasparov missed...so in ordr to see their brilliance, they must not be separated.

kasparov plays more scientifically

I've met them both.  Karpov has always been friendly, is a more social person, doesn't mind signing autographs or getting his picture taken.  Kasparov was all business, not too friendly, not as socialable, did not like to sign autographs or get his picture taken (at least in New York at the 1990 World Chess Championship, first half).  As a player, Kasparov is more exciting and stronger, but Karpov, is still playing.  Besides, Karpov and I are the same age, born in the same month.  I've known Karpov longer, first meeting him and his wife, Natasha, in Seattle during the Karpov-Hjartarson match. 

Kasparov and Karpov r both excelent players and connot be seperated but to me personally i like Kasparov best

All comments made here seem right on the mark. I would put my money on Kasparov if both were playing in their prime, although you can never underestimate Karpov. Chess can often go beyond itself. It's the chemistry of life. Being that chess is an amalgamation of more than a game, but of art, science, math, etc...the exact moment and conditions of 2 great players coming together has something to do with not only themselves in a vaccuum.

 

Without doubts, the MAN is Kasparov, no comments.....

they played each other loads, there should be no debate, Kasparov is the man, although Karpov is one of the top players ever in the game.

vernon wrote: Kasparov and Karpov  both excelent players and connot be seperated but to me personally i like Kasparov best

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Kasparov...

I ll do the opposition..my vote goes for Karpov.

Kasparov rules...but one must also respect Karpov (for obvious reasons)

kasparov

 

Undoubtedly, Kasparov is stronger. Kasparov did not lose any match to Karpov

(they played 5 matches).

Ok, I guess I will be in the minority and say Karpov. I really like his simple positional style where he will play for a small advantage and slowly convert it for the full point. Karpov really made chess seem simple in many of his victories.

If it's simply a matter of who I like the best, I'd have to say Karpov. He's my favorite player ever. Kasparov was the greatest of all time though, with Karpov a close second. If you just look at their world championship clashes, however, the results are statistically insignificant. Karpov retained the title in 1984 by two games and then either lost by something like 1 point or drew in the other encounters (1985, 1986, 1987, 1990). You can't really say Kasparov is better than Karpov simply based on their encounters....they were just too close to have any meaning in terms of skill. Compare Kasparov's other title defenses (excluding 2000) with the Karpov encounters: crushed both Short and Anand by miles. Besides Kramnik, Karpov is really the only player that gave Kasparov a meaningful challenge for his crown....and vice versa! Take Kasparov away and Karpov kicks the crap out of every other chess player (talking about the 80s and 90s here)....as he did with Timman, Kamsky, and Anand in the FIDE championships of the 90s. To the extent that we can say Kasparov was better, and I do believe he was, it is only because of the influence that he had on the game and his creativity, which is really remarkable. Somebody said "Kasparov plays more scientifically"....???? What? Not really. Karpov is the one who's known for playing "scientifically," by which I mean positionally. In fact, he made fewer mistakes on average in his career than Kasparov.

Karpov and Kasparov have played more than 180 games against one another, which must be the most games between two top class players in history? Kasparov leads by +7 I believe.....while this is certainly significant I dont understand how this relatively small plus leads so many to think he "dominated" Karpov. Kasparov did lose his last match with Karpov , a rapid match in which the older Karpov was given little to no chance by Kasparov fans. :-)  I have met them both and can tell you Karpov is much less arrogant than Kasparov. I got the same impression from meeting them that Bill Wall got.