Anatoly Karpov

Karpov was born into a Russian family on May 23, 1951,How Karpov Wins, p. xiiiDeep Blue: An Artificial Intelligence Milestonebats, p. 44 in Zlatoust, in the Urals region of the former Soviet Union, and learned to play chess at the age of four.{{cite magazine|title=Anatoly Karpov|last=Keene|first=Raymond|magazine=Chess Life & Review|date=October 1978|volume=XXIII|number=10|page=539}} His early rise in chess was swift, as he became a candidate master by age 11. At 12, he was accepted into Mikhail Botvinnik's prestigious chess school, though Botvinnik made the following remark about the young Karpov: "The boy does not have a clue about chess, and there's no future at all for him in this profession."{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/01/books/getting-it-off-his-chess.html|title=Getting It Off His Chess|last=Arrabal|first=Fernando|date= March 1, 1992|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 15, 2021}}

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.{{cite book | title=Karpov on Karpov: A Memoirs of a Chess World Champion | author=Karpov, A. | publisher=Atheneum | year=1992 | isbn=0-689-12060-5}} 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.{{Cite web |author=Editorial Staff |date=April 15, 2022 |title=Boris Spassky - The Russian Chess Grandmaster Legend - Chess Player Profile |url=https://www.chessjournal.com/boris-spassky/ |access-date=August 4, 2022 |website=The Chess Journal |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=ANATOLY KARPOV |url=https://ruchess.ru:443/en/persons_of_day/anatoly_karpov/ |access-date=August 4, 2022 |website=Федерация шахмат России |language=en}}

File:Anatoly Karpov (1967).jpg

Karpov finished first in his first international tournament, in Třinec, several months later, ahead of Viktor Kupreichik. In 1967, he won the annual Niemeyer Tournament in Groningen.{{cite magazine|title=Junior Meet|magazine=Chess Review|date=April 1968|volume=36|number=4|page=99|quote= The Niemeyer International Junior Tournament in Groningen, Holland, went to Karpov of the Soviet Union with 5½–1½, half a point ahead of Jocha of Hungary.}}{{cite web|url=http://www.365chess.com/tournaments/EU-ch_U18_f-A_6768_1967/26508 |title=EU-ch U18 f-A 6768 1967|website=365Chess.com|access-date=October 20, 2013}} Karpov won a gold medal for academic excellence in high school, and entered Moscow State University in 1968 to study mathematics. He later transferred to Leningrad State University, eventually graduating from there in economics. One reason for the transfer was to be closer to his coach, grandmaster Semyon Furman, who lived in Leningrad. In his writings, Karpov credits Furman as a major influence on his development as a world-class player.{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/03/01/books/getting-it-off-his-chess.html |first=Fernando |last=Arrabal |title=Getting It Off His Chess |date=March 1, 1992 |website=The NY Times |access-date=November 16, 2022}}

In 1969, Karpov became the first Soviet player since Spassky (1955) to win the World Junior Championship, scoring an undefeated 10/11 in the final A group at Stockholm.{{cite web|url=http://www.365chess.com/tournaments/Wch_U20_fin-A_1969/26788 |title=Wch U20 fin-A|publisher=365Chess.com|access-date=October 20, 2013}} This victory earned him the International Master title.{{cite magazine|title=Tenth Junior World Championship. Stockholm, August 10 – 29, 1969|last=Trifunovich|first=Petar|magazine=Chess Review|date=October 1969|volume=37|number=10|page=315}} In 1970, Karpov tied for fourth and fifth places with Pal Benko at an international tournament in Caracas, Venezuela,{{cite web|url=http://www.365chess.com/tournaments/Caracas_1970/22885 |title=Caracas 1970|website=365Chess.com|access-date=October 20, 2013}} and earned the international grandmaster title.{{cite magazine|title=Don't Walk – Run|last=Kavalek|first=Lubosh|magazine=Chess Life & Review|date=September 1970|volume=XXV|number=9|page=483|quote=Anatoli Karpov is a new International Grandmaster. Playing "waiting chess" he just made the grandmaster norm.}} FIDE awarded him the title during its 41st congress, held during the Chess Olympiad in Siegen, West Germany in September 1970.{{cite magazine|title=FIDE'S 41st -and Greatest -Congress|last=Cramer|first=Fred|magazine=Chess Life & Review|date=January 1971|volume=XXVI|number=1|page=24|quote=The Congress awarded IGM titles to Anatoly Karpov and Buchuti Gurgenldze of the USSR and to Walter Browne of Australia.}}

Karpov won the 1971 Alekhine Memorial tournament in Moscow (jointly with Leonid Stein), ahead of a star-studded field, for his first significant adult victory.{{Cite web|url=https://www.365chess.com/tournaments/Alekhine_mem_1971/23191|title=Alekhine mem 1971 |website=www.365chess.com}} His Elo rating shot from 2540 in 1971 to 2660 in 1973,{{Cite web|url=https://www.olimpbase.org/Elo/player/Karpov,%20Anatoly.html|title=FIDE rating history: Karpov, Anatoly}} during which he shared second place in the 1973 Soviet championship, one point behind Spassky,{{Cite web|url=https://www.olimpbase.org/ind-urs/urs-1973.html|title=41st Soviet Chess Championship, Moscow 1973|website=www.olimpbase.org}} and qualified for the Leningrad Interzonal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.365chess.com/tournaments/Leningrad_Interzonal_1973/23554|title=Leningrad Interzonal 1973 |website=www.365chess.com}}

Karpov's world junior championship qualified him for one of the two Interzonals,[https://www.mark-weeks.com/chess/zonals/1972-75q.htm Zonal Qualifiers 1972-1975], Mark Weeks' Chess Pages{{cite magazine|title=The 1973 Interzonals|last=Cramer|first=Fred|magazine=Chess Life & Review|date=January 1973|volume=XXVIII|number=1|page=34}} a stage in the 1975 World Championship cycle to choose the challenger to play world champion Bobby Fischer. He finished equal first in the Leningrad Interzonal, qualifying for the 1974 Candidates Matches.

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. Karpov was on record saying that he believed Spassky would easily beat him and win the Candidates' cycle to face Fischer, and that he (Karpov) would win the following Candidates' cycle in 1977. Spassky won the first game as Black in good style, but tenacious, aggressive play from Karpov secured him overall victory by +4−1=6.

The Candidates' final was played in Moscow with Victor Korchnoi. Karpov took an early lead, winning the second game against the Sicilian Dragon, then scoring another victory in the sixth game. Following ten consecutive draws, Korchnoi threw away a winning position in the seventeenth game to give Karpov a 3–0 lead. In game 19, Korchnoi succeeded in winning a long endgame, then notched a speedy victory after a blunder by Karpov two games later. Three more draws, the last agreed by Karpov when he was in a clearly better position, closed the match, with Karpov prevailing +3−2=19, entitling him to move on to challenge Fischer for the world title.chessgames.com, [https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?tid=79939 Karpov - Korchnoi Candidates Final (1974)]

Though a world championship match between Karpov and Fischer was highly anticipated, those hopes were never realised. Fischer not only insisted that the match be the first to ten wins (draws not counting), but also that the champion retain the crown if the score was tied 9–9. FIDE, the International Chess Federation, refused to allow this proviso, and gave both players a deadline of April 1, 1975, to agree to play the match under the FIDE-approved rules.{{cite magazine |last=Hochberg |first=Burt |date=May 1975 |title=News & Views |magazine=Chess Life and Review

|location=Newburgh, New York |publisher=United States Chess Federation }} When Fischer did not agree, FIDE President Max Euwe declared on April 3, 1975, that Fischer had forfeited his title and Karpov was the new World Champion.{{cite book |last=Byrne |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Byrne (chess player) |date=1976 |title=Anatoly Karpov, The Road to the World Chess Championship |location=New York |publisher=Bantam Books |page=1 |isbn=0-553-02876-6}} Karpov later attempted to set up another match with Fischer, but the negotiations fell through. This thrust the young Karpov into the role of World Champion without having faced the reigning champion.

Garry Kasparov argued that 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.Kasparov, My Great Predecessors, part IV: Fischer, p. 474 This view is echoed by Karpov himself.{{cite web|url=https://en.chessbase.com/post/karpov-interview-tania-sachdev|title=Karpov on Fischer, Korchnoi, Kasparov and the chess world today|publisher=Chessbase|date=February 5, 2020|access-date=February 6, 2020}} Spassky thought that Fischer would have won in 1975, but Karpov would have qualified again and beaten Fischer in 1978.In [http://www.chesscafe.com/text/polgar26.pdf an article] (PDF) published in 2004 on the Chesscafe website Susan Polgar wrote: "I spoke to Boris Spassky about this same issue and he believes that Bobby would have won in 1975, but that Anatoly would have won the rematch." 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.{{Cite web |date=May 21, 2021 |title="Каспаров получил от меня 48 бесплатных уроков". Большое интервью Карпова |url=https://www.sport-express.ru/chess/reviews/kak-prohodili-matchi-po-shahmatam-anatoliya-karpova-protiv-garri-kasparova-intervyu-1790651/ |access-date=July 4, 2022 |website=sport-express.ru |language=ru}}

===World champion===

File:Max Euwe, wife and Karpov 1976.jpg and wife in 1976]]

Determined to prove himself a legitimate champion, Karpov participated in nearly every major tournament for the next ten years. He convincingly won the Milan tournament in 1975, and captured his first of three Soviet titles in 1976. He created a phenomenal streak of tournament wins against the strongest players in the world. Karpov held the record for most consecutive tournament victories (9) until it was shattered by Garry Kasparov (15). As a result, most chess professionals soon agreed that Karpov was a legitimate world champion.{{cite book |last=Seirawan |first=Yasser |title=Winning Chess Strategies |year=2005 |publisher=Microsoft Press |isbn=978-1857443851}}

In 1978, Karpov's first title defence was against Viktor Korchnoi, the opponent he had defeated in the 1973–75 Candidates' cycle; the match was played at Baguio, Philippines, with the winner needing six victories.

As in 1974, Karpov took an early lead, winning the eighth game after seven draws to open the match. When the score was +5−2=20 in Karpov's favour, Korchnoi staged a comeback, and won three of the next four games to draw level with Karpov. Karpov then won the very next game to retain the title (+6−5=21).chessgames.com, [https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chess.pl?tid=54641 Karpov vs Korchnoi, 1978] Three years later, Korchnoi reemerged as the Candidates' winner against German finalist Robert Hübner to challenge Karpov in Merano, Italy. Karpov handily won this match, 11–7 (+6−2=10), in what is remembered as the "Massacre in Merano".

Karpov's tournament career reached a peak at the Montreal "Tournament of Stars" tournament in 1979, where he finished joint first (+7−1=10) with Mikhail Tal ahead of a field of strong grandmasters completed by Jan Timman, Ljubomir Ljubojević, Boris Spassky, Vlastimil Hort, Lajos Portisch, Robert Hübner, Bent Larsen and Lubomir Kavalek. He dominated Las Palmas in 1977 with 13½/15. He also won the prestigious Bugojno tournament in 1978 (shared), 1980 and 1986, the Linares tournament in 1981 (shared with Larry Christiansen) and 1994, the Tilburg tournament in 1977, 1979, 1980, 1982, and 1983, and the Soviet Championship in 1976, 1983, and 1988.chessgames.com, [https://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessplayer?pid=20719 Anatoly Karpov]

Karpov represented the Soviet Union at six Chess Olympiads, in all of which the USSR won the team gold medal. He played as the first reserve at Skopje 1972, winning the board prize with 13/15. At Nice 1974, he advanced to board one and again won the board prize with 12/14. At La Valletta 1980, he was again board one and scored 9/12. At Lucerne 1982, he scored 6½/8 on board one. At Dubai 1986, he scored 6/9 on board two. His last was Thessaloniki 1988, where on board two he scored 8/10. In Olympiad play, Karpov lost only two games out of 68 played.{{Cite web |title=Karpov at 70: "My great blunder was I agreed to hold the match with Kasparov in the Soviet Union" |url=https://chess24.com/en/read/news/karpov-at-70-my-great-blunder-was-i-agreed-to-hold-the-match-with-kasparov-in-the-soviet-union |access-date=June 2, 2022 |website=chess24.com |language=en}} To illustrate Karpov's dominance over his peers as champion, his score was +13−1=22 versus Spassky, +8=19 versus Robert Hübner, +12−1=29 versus Ulf Andersson, +3−1=10 versus Vasily Smyslov, +1=19 versus Mikhail Tal, +19-7=23 versus Ljubomir Ljubojević.

{{excerpt|Karpov-Kasparov Rivalry|Overview}}

Image:Anatoly Karpov.jpg

In 1992, Karpov lost a Candidates Match against Nigel Short. But in the World Chess Championship 1993, Karpov reacquired the FIDE World Champion title when Kasparov and Short split from FIDE. Karpov defeated Timman – the loser of the Candidates' final against Short.

The next major meeting of Kasparov and Karpov was the 1994 Linares chess tournament. The field, in eventual finishing order, was Karpov, Kasparov, Shirov, Bareev, Kramnik, Lautier, Anand, Kamsky, Topalov, Ivanchuk, Gelfand, Illescas, Judit Polgár, and Beliavsky; with an average Elo rating of 2685, the highest ever at that time. Impressed by the strength of the tournament, Kasparov had said several days before the tournament that the winner could rightly be called the world champion of tournaments. Perhaps spurred on by this comment, Karpov played the best tournament of his life. He was undefeated and earned 11 points out of 13 (the best world-class tournament winning percentage since Alekhine won San Remo in 1930), finishing 2½ points ahead of second-place Kasparov and Shirov. Many of his wins were spectacular (in particular, his win over Topalov is considered possibly the finest of his career). This performance against the best players in the world put his Elo rating tournament performance at 2985, the highest performance rating of any player in history up until 2009, when Magnus Carlsen won the category XXI Pearl Spring chess tournament with a performance of 3002. Chess statistician Jeff Sonas considers Karpov's Linares performance the best tournament result in history.[http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=5828 "Facts and figures: Magnus Carlsen's performance in Nanjing"]. ChessBase. Retrieved October 26, 2009.

Karpov defended his FIDE title against the rising star Gata Kamsky (+6−3=9) in 1996. In 1998, FIDE largely scrapped the old system of Candidates' Matches, instead having a large knockout event in which a large number of players contested short matches against each other over just a few weeks. In the first of these events, the FIDE World Chess Championship 1998, champion Karpov was seeded straight into the final, defeating Viswanathan Anand (+2−2=2, rapid tiebreak 2–0). In the subsequent cycle, the format was changed, with the champion having to qualify. Karpov refused to defend his title, and ceased to be FIDE World Champion after the FIDE World Chess Championship 1999.{{cite news |author1=Leonard Barden |title=Games |work=The Guardian |date=4 September 1999 |location=Greater London |page=37 |quote=Anatoly Karpov refused to defend his title because of the absence of a challenge round and has now filed a breach of contract suit against the world chess body, claiming more than $1m in compensation.}}

Karpov's classical tournament play has been seriously limited since 1997, since he prefers to be more involved in Russian politics. He 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 addition, he has been involved in several disputes with FIDE.{{Cite web|date=July 22, 1999|title=Karpov may sue over LV tourney - Las Vegas Sun Newspaper|url=https://lasvegassun.com/news/1999/jul/22/karpov-may-sue-over-lv-tourney/|access-date=May 6, 2021|website=lasvegassun.com|language=en}} In the September 2009 FIDE rating list, he dropped out of the world's Top 100 for the first time. Karpov usually limits his play to exhibition events, and has revamped his style to specialize in rapid chess. In 2002, he won a match against Kasparov, defeating him in a rapid time control match 2½–1½. In 2006, he tied for first with Kasparov in a blitz tournament, ahead of Korchnoi and Judit Polgár.{{cite web|url=http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=3310|title=The Credit Suisse Blitz – in pictures|date=August 27, 2006|publisher=ChessBase|access-date=October 21, 2010}}

Karpov and Kasparov played a mixed 12-game match from September 21–24, 2009, in Valencia, Spain. It consisted of four rapid (or semi-rapid) and eight blitz games and took place exactly 25 years after the two players' legendary encounter at the World Chess Championship 1984.{{cite web |url=http://previews.chessdom.com/kasparov-karpov-valencia-2009 |title=Kasparov and Karpov to play 12 games match in Valencia |access-date=July 8, 2009 |publisher=Chessdom |archive-date=July 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090712002707/http://previews.chessdom.com/kasparov-karpov-valencia-2009 |url-status=dead }} Kasparov won the match 9–3. Karpov played a match against Yasser Seirawan in 2012 in St. Louis, Missouri, an important center of the North American chess scene, winning 8–6 (+5−3=6).{{cite web|url=http://saintlouischessclub.org/news/2012-06-12/karpov-seirawan-head-rapid-play-saint-louis|title=Karpov, Seirawan Head to Rapid Play in Saint Louis |date=June 12, 2012 |publisher=St Louis Chess Club|access-date= June 12, 2012}} In November 2012, he won the Cap d'Agde rapid tournament that bears his name (Anatoly Karpov Trophy), beating Vasyl Ivanchuk (ranked 9th in the October 2012 FIDE world rankings) in the final.

File:Karpov chess school.jpg

In 2003, Karpov opened his first American chess school in Lindsborg, Kansas.{{Cite web|title=Anatoly Karpov International School of Chess|url=http://www.anatolykarpovchessschool.org/history.html|access-date=September 19, 2021|website=www.anatolykarpovchessschool.org}} On March 2, 2022, the school announced a name change to International Chess Institute of the Midwest due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.{{Cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/InternationalChessInstituteoftheMidwest/posts/pfbid02giD1VtacQPeb8pxUTcieTAYvSiCu4KNdtNCCz8m67doSfpYFsxNUfDSU347umwJTl|title=International School of Chess of the Midwest|website=www.facebook.com}}

Karpov has been a member of the sixth, seventh and eighth Russian State Dumas.{{cite web|url=http://duma.gov.ru/duma/persons/99111854/|title=Карпов Анатолий Евгеньевич|website=Государственная Дума}} Since 2005, he has been a member of the Public Chamber of Russia. He has involved himself in several humanitarian causes, such as advocating the use of iodised salt.{{cite web|url=http://www.unicef.org/ceecis/reallives_1345.html|title=Stories from the region|website=www.unicef.org|access-date=March 26, 2018|archive-date=January 8, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100108100717/http://www.unicef.org/ceecis/reallives_1345.html|url-status=dead}} On December 17, 2012, Karpov supported the Dima Yakovlev Law banning adoption of Russian orphans by U.S. citizens.{{cite web|url=http://vote.duma.gov.ru/vote/79982|title=(2 чтение) ФЗ №186614-6 "О мерах воздействия на лиц, причастных к нарушению основополагающих прав и свобод человека, прав и свобод граждан РФ" – Система анализа результатов голосований на заседаниях Государственной Думы|website=vote.duma.gov.ru|access-date=March 26, 2018}}

Karpov expressed support of the unilateral annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation, and accused Europe of trying to demonize Putin.{{cite web|url=http://www.aif.ru/society/people/rusofobiya_zashkalivaet|title=Анатолий Карпов: Европа пытается демонизировать Путина, а не Россию|first=Владимир|last=Кожемякин|website=www.aif.ru|date=June 23, 2015|access-date=March 26, 2018}} In August 2019, Maxim Dlugy said that Karpov had been waiting since March for the approval of a non-immigrant visa to the United States, despite frequently visiting the country since 1972. Karpov had been scheduled to teach a summer camp at the Chess Max Academy. Dlugy said that Karpov had been questioned at the US embassy in Moscow about whether he planned to communicate with American politicians.{{Cite news|url=https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-karpov/russian-chess-legend-anatoly-karpov-unable-to-get-u-s-visa-friend-says-idUKKCN1VC031|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190822032245/https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-usa-karpov/russian-chess-legend-anatoly-karpov-unable-to-get-u-s-visa-friend-says-idUKKCN1VC031|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 22, 2019|title=Russian chess legend Anatoly Karpov unable to get U.S. visa, friend says|date=August 22, 2019|work=Reuters|access-date=August 22, 2019|language=en}} Karpov was among the Russian State Duma members placed under sanctions by the EU and UK during the Russo-Ukrainian War.{{cite news|url=http://chess-news.ru/node/28745|title=Анатолий Карпов попадает под санкции Европейского союза|website=chess-news.ru|date=February 23, 2022|access-date=February 23, 2022|archive-date=February 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220224133535/http://chess-news.ru/node/28745|url-status=dead}}{{cite web |title=CONSOLIDATED LIST OF FINANCIAL SANCTIONS TARGETS IN THE UK |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1150217/Russia.pdf |access-date=16 April 2023}} In March 2022, after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the FIDE Council suspended Karpov's title of FIDE Ambassador for Life.{{Cite web |title=The Official Statement of FIDE Council |url=https://www.fide.com/news/1603 |access-date=March 3, 2022 |website=www.fide.com |language=en}}

In November 2022, Karpov was placed in an induced coma after receiving a head injury.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-31 |title=Breaking News: Anatoly Karpov in hospital with fractured skull |url=https://en.chessbase.com/post/breaking-news-anatoly-karpov-in-hospital-after-incident |access-date=2022-11-02 |website=Chess News |language=en}} Karpov's daughter Sofia and the Russian Chess Federation said that he had accidentally fallen.{{Cite web |date=2022-10-31 |title=Conflicting claims as Anatoly Karpov enters induced coma: Assault or a domestic accident? |url=https://www.marca.com/en/more-sports/2022/10/31/635ff87c268e3e2a678b4570.html |access-date=2022-11-02 |website=MARCA |language=en}} Karpov made a full recovery from the injury.{{cite web | url=https://en.chessbase.com/post/karpov-is-back-home | title=Karpov is back home | date=November 18, 2022 }}

In March 2010, Karpov announced that he would be a candidate for the presidency of FIDE. The election took place in September 2010 at the 39th Chess Olympiad.{{Cite web |first=Peter |last=Doggers |url=http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/karpov-candidate-for-fide-president/#more-22636 |date=March 2, 2010 |title=Karpov candidate for FIDE President |access-date=March 2, 2010 |publisher=Chess Vibes |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100305224226/http://www.chessvibes.com/reports/karpov-candidate-for-fide-president/#more-22636 |archive-date=March 5, 2010}} In May, a fundraising event took place in New York with the participation of Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen, who both supported his bid and campaigned for him.{{cite web|url=http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=6343|title=Big Karpov fund-raiser in New York|date=May 18, 2010|publisher=ChessBase|access-date=March 26, 2018}} Nigel Short also supported Karpov's candidacy. On September 29, 2010, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov was reelected as president of FIDE, 95 votes to 55.{{cite news |url=http://reports.chessdom.com/news-2010/fide-elections-2010-ilyumzhinov-karpov |title=Kirsan Ilyumzhinov wins 2010 FIDE elections |work=Chessdom.com |year=2010 |access-date=October 11, 2010 |archive-date=October 2, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101002103318/http://reports.chessdom.com/news-2010/fide-elections-2010-ilyumzhinov-karpov |url-status=dead }}

Karpov's playing style, described as a "boa constrictor",{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1980/09/17/archives/chess-revengeful-karpov-presses-like-a-cool-boa-constrictor.html|title=Chess:; Revengeful Karpov Presses Like a Cool Boa Constrictor Unsuspected Strength Shown|last=Byrne|first=Robert|date=September 17, 1980|work=The New York Times|access-date=February 15, 2021}}{{cite news|url=https://apnews.com/article/deec2a2e3dd5acb07764b0c37c19f3e2|title=Karpov A Master Of Willpower, Squeeze Play With AM-World Chess|last=Goodman|first=David|date=December 19, 1987|work=AP News|access-date=February 15, 2021}} is solidly positional, taking minimal risks but reacting mercilessly to the slightest error by his opponent. As a result, he is often compared to José Raúl Capablanca, the third world champion.{{cite magazine|title=Keres Annotates... Two Karpov Wins|magazine=Chess Life & Review|date=January 1973|volume=XXVIII|number=1|page=8|quote=His general style of play is rather calm, centered on positional considerations and somehow recalling Capablanca's attitudes towards the game.}} Karpov himself describes his style as follows:

Let us say the game may be continued in two ways: one of them is a beautiful tactical blow that gives rise to variations that don't yield to precise calculations; the other is clear positional pressure that leads to an endgame with microscopic chances of victory.... I would choose [the latter] without thinking twice. If the opponent offers keen play I don't object; but in such cases I get less satisfaction, even if I win, than from a game conducted according to all the rules of strategy with its ruthless logic.{{cite book |last1=Hooper |first1=David |author-link1=David Vincent Hooper |last2=Whyld |first2=Kenneth |author-link2=Ken Whyld |year=1996 |title=The Oxford Companion to Chess |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=edEZAQAAIAAJ&q=%22would+choose+the+latter+without+thinking+twice%22+%22of+victory%22 |location=Oxford |publisher=Oxford University Press |page=192 |isbn=0192800493 |access-date=26 September 2016 }}

{{AN chess|pos=secright}}

• [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1067748 Viktor Korchnoi vs. Anatoly Karpov, Moscow 1973] Karpov sacrifices a pawn for a strong center and {{chessgloss|queenside}} attack.
• [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1068373 Anatoly Karpov vs. Gyula Sax, Linares 1983] Karpov sacrifices for an attack that wins the game 20 moves later, after another spectacular sacrifice from Karpov and counter-sacrifice from Sax. It won the tournament's first {{chessgloss|brilliancy prize}}. This was not the first time Karpov used the sharp Keres Attack (6.g4) – see his win in [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1057525 Anatoly Karpov vs. Vlastimil Hort, Alekhine Memorial Tournament, Moscow 1971].
• [http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1038842 Anatoly Karpov vs. Veselin Topalov, Dos Hermanas 1994] This game features a sham sacrifice of two pieces, which Karpov regains with a {{chessgloss|forcing move|forcing}} variation, culminating in the win of an exchange with a technically won endgame.

Karpov's extensive stamp collection of Belgian philately and Belgian Congo stamps and postal history covering mail from 1742 through 1980 was sold by David Feldman's auction company between December 2011{{cite web|url=http://www.davidfeldman.com/buying/auctions/upcoming-auctions/autumn-sales-series-geneva-december-6-10-2011/belgium-collection/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130102115140/http://www.davidfeldman.com/buying/auctions/upcoming-auctions/autumn-sales-series-geneva-december-6-10-2011/belgium-collection/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=January 2, 2013 |title=Belgium collection formed by Anatoly Karpov |publisher=David Feldman |year=2011 |access-date=October 12, 2011 }} and 2012. He is also known to have large chess stamp and chess book collections. His private chess library consists of 9,000 books.{{cite web|url=http://www.watch-clone.com/articles/c4.html |title=Anatoly Karpov: The Owner of the Unique Stamp Collection |publisher=Watch-Clone.com |access-date=March 28, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110218055011/http://www.watch-clone.com/articles/c4.html |archive-date=February 18, 2011 }}

Karpov is also an enthusiastic Backgammon player.{{cite web | url=https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/23/archives/backgammon-eschew-the-obvious-to-force-miss-muffet-off-that-tuffet.html | title=Backgammon | work=The New York Times | date=December 23, 1979 | last1=Magriel | first1=Paul }}

• Order of Merit for the Fatherland, 3rd class (2001) – for outstanding contribution to the implementation of charitable programmes, the strengthening of peace and friendship between the peoples
• Order of Friendship (2011) – for his great contribution to strengthening peace and friendship between peoples and productive social activities
• Order of Lenin (1981)
• Order of the Red Banner of Labour (1978)
• Order of Merit, 2nd class (Ukraine) (November 13, 2006) – for his contribution to the victims of the Chernobyl disaster
• Order of Holy Prince Daniel of Moscow, 2nd class (1996)
• Order of St. Sergius of Radonezh, 2nd class (2001)
• Medal "For outstanding contribution to the Collector business in Russia"
• Honorary member of the Soviet Philately Society (1979)
• Diploma of the State Duma of the Russian Federation No. 1
• Order "For outstanding achievements in sport" (Republic of Cuba)
• Medal of Tsiolkovsky Cosmonautics Federation of Russia
• Medal "For Strengthening the penal system", 1st and 2nd class
• Breastplate of the 1st degree of the Interior Ministry
• International Association of Chess Press, 9 times voted the best chess player of the year and awarded the "Chess Oscar"
• Order of Saint Nestor the Chronicler, 1st class
• Asteroid 90414 Karpov is named after Karpov{{cite web|url=http://tournaments.chessdom.com/kasparov-karpov-valencia-2009-day-3|title=Kasparov – Karpov Valencia 2009, day 3 LIVE! - Chessdom|website=tournaments.chessdom.com|access-date=March 26, 2018}}
• Anatoly Karpov International Chess Tournament, an annual round-robin tournament held in his honour in Poikovsky, Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, Russia since 2000{{cite web|url=http://poikovsky.dem.ru/background.htm|title=Background of the tournament|website=3rd Karpov International Chess Tournament|access-date=August 28, 2015|archive-date=May 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517090153/http://poikovsky.dem.ru/background.htm|url-status=dead}}

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

• Karpov, A.E. Ninth vertical. 1978. Moscow: Molodaya Gvardia.
• {{cite book

| last1=Karpov

| first1=Anatoly

| last2=Roshal

| first2=Alexander

| author-link2= Alexander Roshal

| title=Chess Is My Life

| publisher=Pergamon Press

| year=1979

| isbn=0-0802-3119-5}}

• {{cite book

| last=Karpov

| first=Anatoly

| title=The Open Game in Action

| publisher=Batsford

| year=1988

| isbn=978-0713460964}}

• {{cite book

| last=Karpov

| first=Anatoly

| title=The Semi-Open Game in Action

| publisher=Collier

| year=1988

| isbn=978-0020218012}}

• {{cite book

| last=Karpov

| first=Anatoly

| title=The Closed Openings in Action

| publisher=Collier/MacMillan

| year=1990

| isbn=978-0020339854}}

• {{cite book

| last=Karpov

| first=Anatoly

| title=The Semi-Closed Openings in Action

| publisher=Collier/MacMillan

| year=1990

| isbn=978-0020218050}}

• {{cite book

| last=Karpov

| first=Anatoly

| year=1990

| title=Karpov on Karpov: Memoirs of a chess world champion

| publisher=Liberty Publishing

| isbn= 0-689-12060-5}} (also a 1992 Simon & Schuster edition)

• {{cite book

| last=Karpov

| first=Anatoly

| year=1992

| title=Beating the Grünfeld

| publisher=Batsford

| isbn= 978-0-7134-6468-9}}

• {{cite book

| last=Karpov

| first=Anatoly

| title=Caro-Kann Defence: Advance Variation and Gambit System

| publisher=Batsford

| year=2006

| isbn=0-7134-9010-1}}

• {{cite book

| last=Karpov

| first=Anatoly

| title=My Best Games

| publisher=Edition Olms

| year=2007

| isbn=978-3-2830-1002-7}}

• {{cite book

| last1=Karpov

| first1=Anatoly

| last2=Henley

| first2=Ron

| author-link2= Ron Henley (chess player)

| title=Elista Diaries: Karpov–Kamsky, Karpov–Anand, Anand Mexico City 2007 World Chess Championship Matches

| publisher=Batsford

| year=2007

| isbn=978-0-923891-97-8}}

• {{cite book

| last=Karpov

| first=Anatoly

| title=How To Play The English Opening

| publisher=Batsford

| year=2007

| isbn=978-0-7134-9065-7}}

{{Reflist}}

• Fine, Rueben (1983). The World's Great Chess Games. Dover. {{ISBN|0-486-24512-8}}.
• Hurst, Sarah (2002). Curse of Kirsan: Adventures in the Chess Underworld. Russell Enterprises. {{ISBN|978-1-88869-0-156}}.
• {{Cite book

|last1=Károlyi|first1=Tibor|author-link=Tibor Károlyi (chess player)

|last2=Aplin|first2=Nick|author-link2=Nick Aplin

|title=Endgame Virtuoso Anatoly Karpov

|year=2007

|publisher=New in Chess

|isbn=978-90-5691-202-4}}

• {{cite book

|last=Karolyi

|first= Tibor

|title=Karpov's Strategic Wins 1: The Making of a Champion 1961–1985

|year=2011

|publisher=Quality Chess

|isbn=978-1-906552-41-1}}

• {{cite book

|last=Karolyi

|first= Tibor

|title=Karpov's Strategic Wins 2: The Prime Years 1986–2009

|year=2011

|publisher=Quality Chess

|isbn=978-1-906552-42-8}}

• Karpov, Anatoly (2003). Anatoly Karpov's Best Games. Batsford. {{ISBN|0-7134-7843-8}}.
• {{Cite book

|last=Kasparov|first=Garry|author-link=Garry Kasparov

|year=2006

|title=My Great Predecessors, part V

|publisher = Everyman Chess

|isbn=1-85744-404-3

}}

• {{cite book

|last=Markland

|first=Peter

|author-link=Peter Markland

|title=The Best of Karpov

|year=1975

|publisher=Oxford University Press

|isbn=978-0-19-217534-2}}

• Winter, Edward G., editor (1981).World Chess Champions. Pergamon Press. {{ISBN|0-08-024094-1}}.

{{Sister project links|auto=1}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20060629052152/http://www.karpov.on.ru/ Karpov's official homepage] {{in lang|ru}}
• {{365Chess.com player|Anatoly_Karpov}}
• {{Chessgames player|20719}}
• {{OlimpBase player|r93brrbf}}
• Edward Winter, [http://www.chesshistory.com/winter/extra/korchnoikarpov.html "Books about Korchnoi and Karpov"], Chess Notes
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20160303224921/http://www.onlinechesslessons.net/2012/06/19/anatoly-karpov-interview/ 25 minute video interview with Karpov], OnlineChessLessons.NET, June 19, 2012
• "Anatoly Karpov tells all" (2015 interview by Sport Express, translated by ChessBase): [http://en.chessbase.com/post/anatoly-karpov-tells-all-1-4 part 1], [http://en.chessbase.com/post/anatoly-karpov-tells-all-2-4 part 2], [http://en.chessbase.com/post/anatoly-karpov-tells-all-3-4 part 3], [http://en.chessbase.com/post/anatoly-karpov-tells-all-4-4 part 4]

{{S-start}}

{{S-ach|aw}}

{{s-bef|before= Bobby Fischer}}

{{s-ttl|title= World Chess Champion|years= 1975–1985}}

{{s-aft|after= Garry Kasparov}}

{{s-bef|before= Garry Kasparov}}

{{s-ttl|title= FIDE World Chess Champion|years= 1993–1999}}

{{s-aft|after= Alexander Khalifman}}

{{S-ach|ach}}

{{s-bef|before = Bobby Fischer
Garry Kasparov}}

{{s-ttl|title = World No. 1|years = January 1, 1976 – December 31, 1983
July 1, 1985 – December 31, 1985}}

{{s-aft|after = Garry Kasparov
Garry Kasparov}}

{{S-end}}

{{World Chess Championships}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Karpov, Anatoly}}

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