Anatoly Karpov

1951– Soviet Union / Russia World Champion 1975–1985 Peak rating 2780

World champion 1975–1985 and winner of more tournament first prizes than anyone in history. Karpov's python-like positional squeeze — improving quietly until resistance collapses — made him Kasparov's perfect opposite across five title matches.

3,525games
1,367won · 39%
1,651drawn · 47%
496lost · 14%
1961–2022span

Games in the Archive

3,525 games
1-0 Anatoly Karpov vs Ponomariov, Boris 1961 · Zlatoust · French Defense: Exchange Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Anatoly Karpov vs Alekseev, V. 1961 · Zlatoust · Sicilian Defense: French Variation, Normal The Soviet School ½-½ Anatoly Karpov vs Budakov 1961 · Zlatoust · Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense The Soviet School 1-0 Anatoly Karpov vs Gaimaletdinov 1961 · Zlatoust · Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense The Soviet School 1-0 Anatoly Karpov vs Kalashnikov, Viacheslav 1961 · Zlatoust · Ruy Lopez: Exchange Variation, Lutikov Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Anatoly Karpov vs Mukhudulin 1961 · Zlatoust · Sicilian Defense: Classical Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Anatoly Karpov vs Shefler 1961 · Zlatoust · French Defense: Exchange Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Kalashnikov, Viacheslav vs Anatoly Karpov 1961 · Zlatoust · Queen's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation, Sämisch Variation The Soviet School 1-0 Anatoly Karpov vs Zyulyarkin 1961 · Zlatoust · Sicilian Defense: Closed The Soviet School 1-0 Tarinin, X. vs Anatoly Karpov 1961 · Zlatoust · Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense The Soviet School 0-1 Zadneprovsky vs Anatoly Karpov 1961 · Zlatoust · Nimzo-Indian Defense: Sämisch Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Kirillov, Vladimir Grigorevic vs Anatoly Karpov 1962 · Zlatoust · English Opening: King's English Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Kolishkin vs Anatoly Karpov 1962 · Zlatoust · Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense The Soviet School 0-1 Ziuliarkin, X. vs Anatoly Karpov 1962 · Zlatoust · Italian Game: Hungarian Defense The Soviet School ½-½ Kalashnikov, Viacheslav vs Anatoly Karpov 1962 · Zlatoust · Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense The Soviet School 1-0 Anatoly Karpov vs Piskunov 1962 · Zlatoust · Alekhine Defense: Exchange Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Kalashnikov, Viacheslav vs Anatoly Karpov 1963 · Zlatoust · Ponziani Opening: Romanishin Variation The Soviet School 0-1 Korotaev, A. vs Anatoly Karpov 1963 · Zlatoust · Queen's Indian Defense, with e3 The Soviet School 0-1 Ziuliarkin, X. vs Anatoly Karpov 1963 · Zlatoust · Queen's Gambit Declined: Orthodox Defense, Rubinstein Variation The Soviet School ½-½ Ravinsky, Grigory Ionovich vs Anatoly Karpov 1966 · Leningrad · Ruy Lopez: Steinitz Defense, Nimzowitsch Attack The Soviet School ½-½ Ciric, Dragoljub M vs Anatoly Karpov 1967 · EU-ch casual · Ruy Lopez: Closed, Chigorin Defense The Soviet School ½-½ Zara, Dan vs Anatoly Karpov 1967 · EU-ch U18 f-A 6768 · Queen's Indian Defense: Classical Variation, Traditional Variation, Nimzowitsch Line The Soviet School 1-0 Anatoly Karpov vs Schaufelberger, Heinz 1967 · EU-ch U18 sf 6768 · Sicilian Defense: Closed The Soviet School 1-0 Anatoly Karpov vs Moles, John 1967 · EU-ch U18 f-A 6768 · Ruy Lopez: Morphy Defense, Wormald Attack The Soviet School