#14 World Chess Champion
Vladimir Kramnik – 14th World Chess Champion
The man who ended Garry Kasparov’s long reign, Kramnik redefined elite chess with deep positional understanding and revolutionary opening ideas.
- Country: Russia
- Title reign: 2000–2007
- Style: Positional mastery, deep preparation, strategic clarity
Overview
Vladimir Kramnik is regarded as one of the greatest positional players in chess history. He rose to prominence in the late 1990s and shocked the chess world in 2000 by defeating Garry Kasparov in London to become World Champion.
Kramnik’s influence on modern chess is immense, particularly through his revival and refinement of the Berlin Defense, which reshaped elite opening theory and championship match strategy for decades to come.
World Championship highlights
- Defeated Garry Kasparov in the 2000 World Championship match in London without losing a single game.
- Successfully defended his title against Peter Leko in 2004, narrowly retaining the crown with a last-round victory.
- Unified the World Chess Championship titles in 2006 by defeating Veselin Topalov in the controversial “Toiletgate” match.
- Lost the unified title to Viswanathan Anand in 2007 after holding the crown for seven years.
Playing style & legacy
Kramnik’s style emphasized deep positional understanding, prophylaxis, and long-term strategic planning. He was especially effective in quiet positions where subtle advantages could be accumulated over time.
Beyond his results, Kramnik’s legacy lives on in opening theory and match preparation. His work influenced a generation of World Champions, including Anand and Carlsen, and helped define what “modern classical chess” looks like today.
Vladimir Kramnik on ChessTV
On ChessTV.com you can explore Kramnik’s legendary career through:
- Complete game archive from elite tournaments and World Championship matches.
- Head-to-head records against Kasparov, Anand, Topalov, and other legends.
- Coverage of his most influential contributions to opening theory, including the Berlin Defense.