Vladimir Kramnik is a Russian chess grandmaster who is widely recognized as one of the strongest players in the history of chess. He was born on 25 June 1975. He was the Classical World Chess Champion from 2000 to 2006 and the undisputed World Chess Champion from 2006 to 2007. He employed undefeated match streaks, positional skills and endgame expertise to consolidate his achievements throughout his career.
Kramnik started his career in chess from an early age, becoming a grandmaster at 16 and winning the World Under-18 Championship in 1991. He was part of the Russian team that won the Chess Olympiad in 1992. By 1994, he had become a challenger to the World Champion, Garry Kasparov.
In 2000, Kramnik faced Kasparov in the World Chess Championship. Kramnik utilized a Berlin Defence strategy to surprise his opponent and ended up winning the match to take the title. In 2004, he defended the title against Hungarian grandmaster Peter Leko.
Kramnik played a decisive role in the unification of the championship titles, by agreeing to play against FIDE World Champion Veselin Topalov in a twelve-game match in 2006. Despite the acrimonious circumstances, Kramnik won the title of Undisputed World Champion.
In 2008, Kramnik surrendered his title to Viswanathan Anand but remained as one of the top players in the world, winning various international tournaments. He announced his retirement in 2019.
Kramnik’s legacy lies in his versatility. He was an expert on openings, known for his deep strategic thinking and calculating ability. He played a crucial role in the development and popularization of the Berlin Defence. He has also authored two books.
Kramnik’s career has not been without controversy. He was at the center of 'Toiletgate' during the 2006 match against Topalov, which led to widespread debate and rule changes in the chess world. Despite this, many consider him one of the greatest players of all time.