The match for the 1985 World Chess Championship pitted challenger Garry Kasparov against reigning titleholder Anatoly Kasparov. Spanning from September 3 to November 9, the contest culminated with Kasparov claiming victory to become both the thirteenth world champion and the youngest player ever to hold that distinction.
Fun Facts:
- Born on April 13, 1963, in Baku, Soviet Union, Garry Kasparov hails from the region now known as the independent nation of Azerbaijan.
- At just 22 years old, Kasparov dethroned the reigning champion Anatoly Karpov, making him the youngest-ever undisputed World Chess Champion in history.
- For years, he sat atop the chess world as the highest-rated player — a position he maintained until Magnus Carlsen finally overtook him in 2013.
- Garry Kasparov kept his grip on the FIDE world title for a full eight years, holding it until 1993.
- A bitter dispute with FIDE eventually led him to break away and establish the Professional Chess Association.
- History was made in 1997 when Garry Kasparov became the first reigning world champion to fall to a computer opponent under standard time controls.
- Garry Kasparov's reign as world Chess Championship holder ultimately came to an end in 2000 when Vladimir Kramnik defeated him.
- After enjoying many years of remarkable success in the chess world, the champion stepped away from professional competition in 2005.
- Fearing persecution, Garry Kasparov left Russia in 2013 and initially made his home in New York. He went on to acquire Croatian citizenship in 2014 and has been living in the country ever since.