A brief biography of Garry Kasparov

Garry Kasparov was born on April 13, 1963, in Baku, then part of the Soviet Union (now Azerbaijan). He’s widely considered to be one of the greatest chess players of all time. In 1985, at just 22 years old, he became World Champion by defeating the legendary Anatoly Karpov — a rivalry that became one of the most famous in chess history. Kasparov dominated the game for two decades, holding the world number one ranking for over 20 years. He was known for his aggressive style, deep preparation, and powerful strategic thinking. Beyond classical chess, he’s also famous for his matches against the computer Deep Blue in 1996 and 1997, which sparked worldwide discussion about artificial intelligence vs human intellect. After retiring from professional chess in 2005, Kasparov became active in politics, writing, and human rights advocacy — particularly as a vocal critic of the Russian government. Even though he's no longer competing, he remains one of the most influential figures in both chess and public life.