25 June 2015
Vladimir Kramnik celebrates his anniversary
14th World Chess Champion Vladimir Kramnik was born on June 25 forty years ago.
Vladimir Kramnik was born in Tuapse in a family of painters. He was taught chess by his father. Vladimir rapidly made a first category and became a candidate master. Soon he won the men's championship of his native city. When Vladimir was 11, Botvinnik saw his games, appreciated his talent and invited him to a session of Botvinnik and Kasparov chess school. Kramnik made a rapid progress, becoming the U16 and U18 World Champion. In 1991 he became a grandmaster.
His first notable success in adult chess came at the Chess Olympiad in Manila, where the young GM played for the Russian team and finished with 8.5/9. Since that time Kramnik became an indispensable player of the Russian national team (he won at the Olympiads in 1992, 1994, and 1996), and in 1993 he already challenged the chess crown. However, the first attempt was not successful for him, as he did not manage to get through to the final duel.
In 1995 Garry Kasparov asked Kramnik to be his second in the World Chess Championship against the challenger Viswanathan Anand. Later Kramnik used this experience, defeating Kasparov in London in 2000 and becoming the World Chess Champion.
From 2000 to 2007 Vladimir Kramnik held the World Champion title. he played World Championship matches against Peter Leko (2004, Brissago, 7-7) and Veselin Topalov (2006, Elista, 8.5-7.5). In 2007 Vishy Anand replaced him as a champion, finishing first at the event in Mexico. Kramnik tied for the second place and challenged Anand in a rematch in Bonn, 2008, but lost 4.5-6.5.
During his brilliant chess carrier Vladimir Kramnik won more than 50 tournaments. He successfully played in different events, beating the strongest grandmasters of the world, and still continues bringing joy to the numerous fans with new successes. Kramnik achieved a unique record – he won the Dortmund supertournament 11 times! For 20 years Kramnik remains among the world's best grandmasters.
Like many outstanding grandmasters, Kramnik is a versatile player, however, experts emphasize his brilliant opening preparation, rare strategic gift, and distinguished professionalism. In March 2013 in the Candidates tournament in London Kramnik tied for first with Magnus Carlsen, however, the Norwegian was named first due to a greater number of wins – a rather arbitrary tie-breaker for such an important event.
The Candidates tournament took a lot of Vladimir's mental energy, but he recovered, confidently winning the main trophy at the Chess World Cup in Tromsø, Norway. At the end of 2013, playing for the Russian national team, Kramnik won the World Team Championship.
He is married to a French journalist Marie-Laure Germon. Their daughter Daria was born on December 28, 2008, and the son Vadim – on January 29, 2013.
Russian Chess Federation congratulates the outstanding chess player with his birthday and wishes him health, happiness, new victories and achievements!
