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    Rivalry · 5 title events

    12th world champion · 1975–1985

    Anatoly Karpov

    v

    13th world champion · 1985–2000

    Garry Kasparov

    Anatoly Karpov v Garry Kasparov

    25

    Karpov wins

    129

    draws

    39

    Kasparov wins

    193 recorded games, 1975–2009. Score 89.5–103.5 to Kasparov. Source: chessgames.com

    Their title matches

    YearWinnerScoreWhereFormat
    1984Anatoly Karpov25–23MoscowFirst to 6 wins
    1985Garry Kasparov13–11MoscowBest of 24
    1986Garry Kasparov12½–11½London (1–12), Leningrad (13–24)Best of 24
    1987Garry Kasparov12–12SevilleBest of 24
    1990Garry Kasparov12½–11½New York City (1–12), Lyon (13–24)Best of 24

    How they compare

    KarpovMeasureKasparov
    1951Born1963
    10Years as champion15
    3 of 7Title events won6 of 7
    25Head-to-head wins39
    18Wins with White30
    7Wins with Black9
    2780 Jul 1994Peak FIDE rating2851 Jul 1999
    2849On today's scale2885
    +40Lead over No. 2 at peak+80

    A star marks the better figure. "On today's scale" and the lead are explained on the champions page.

    Trophy cabinets

    KarpovHonourKasparov
    3

    1975, 1978, 1981

    		World titles6

    1985, 1986, 1987, 1990, 1993, 1995

    3

    1974, 1987, 1990

    		Candidates1

    1984

    1

    1973*

    		Interzonals1

    1982

    1

    1988

    		Rapid1

    2001

    3

    1976, 1983, 1988*

    		National2

    1981*, 1988*

    1

    1969

    		Junior1

    1980

    6

    1972, 1974, 1980, 1982, 1986, 1988

    		Olympiad team8

    1980, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2002

    3

    1972, 1974, 1988

    		Olympiad board3

    1986, 1988, 1992

    2

    1985, 1989

    		World team–
    4

    1973, 1977, 1980, 1983

    		European team2

    1980, 1992

    9

    1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1984

    		Oscars11

    1982, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1995, 1996, 1999, 2001, 2002

    Each year links to its source. * Shared title. World championship titles are title events won or kept. Olympiad board golds are the best score on a board. Most of these events didn't exist before the 1920s.

    Their ratings over time

    Anatoly KarpovGarry Kasparov
    2500255026002650270027502800285029001980199020002010

    Move over the chart to compare both ratings on any list.

    FIDE standard rating on each list (twice a year until 2000, then monthly from 2003). Each line ends at the player's last rating change: FIDE keeps an inactive player's rating on its lists. Sources: OlimpBase, FIDE.

    Decade by decade

    1970s1 – 0 – 0
    1980s17 – 96 – 20
    1990s3 – 26 – 9
    2000s4 – 7 – 10

    Karpov wins – draws – Kasparov wins, per decade.

    Famous games between them

    Anatoly Karpov v Garry Kasparov, World Chess Championship 1984–85, game 9 · 1–0

    Instead of regaining his pawn, 47.Ng2 activated his king to break into Black's position.

    Garry Kasparov
    Anatoly Karpov

    Start position

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    71. 1–0

    Arrow keys step through the moves; click any move to jump to it. Pieces by Colin M. L. Burnett (BSD licence).

    Anatoly Karpov v Garry Kasparov, World Chess Championship 1985, game 16 · 0-1

    A pawn sacrifice, then an "octopus knight" on d3 dominating all three of White's major pieces.

    Garry Kasparov
    Anatoly Karpov

    Start position

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    41. 0-1

    Arrow keys step through the moves; click any move to jump to it. Pieces by Colin M. L. Burnett (BSD licence).

    Every recorded game

    YearWhiteResultMovesEvent
    1975Karpov1-045Leningrad
    1981Karpov½–½41Moscow-4teams
    1981Kasparov½–½41Moscow-4teams
    1981Kasparov½–½18Moscow
    1984Karpov½–½36Karpov - Kasparov World Championship Match 1984/85
    1984Kasparov½–½47Karpov - Kasparov World Championship Match 1984/85
    1984Karpov1-031Karpov - Kasparov World Championship Match 1984/85
    1984Kasparov½–½44Karpov - Kasparov World Championship Match 1984/85
    1984Karpov½–½21Karpov - Kasparov World Championship Match 1984/85
    1984Kasparov0-170Karpov - Kasparov World Championship Match 1984/85
    1984Karpov1-044Karpov - Kasparov World Championship Match 1984/85
    1984Kasparov½–½20Karpov - Kasparov World Championship Match 1984/85
    1984Karpov1-070Karpov - Kasparov World Championship Match 1984/85
    1984Kasparov½–½15Karpov - Kasparov World Championship Match 1984/85
    1984Karpov½–½41Karpov - Kasparov World Championship Match 1984/85

    Every game between them in the chessgames.com database (checked 2026-11-04): classical, rapid, blitz and exhibition games together, as the database records them.

    Quick answers

    Who won more games, Anatoly Karpov or Garry Kasparov?

    In the 193 games between them in the chessgames.com database (1975–2009), Karpov won 25, Kasparov won 39 and 129 were drawn: Kasparov leads. The count includes every recorded game, not only classical ones.

    How many world championship matches did Karpov and Kasparov play?

    5: 1984 (Karpov won, 25–23); 1985 (Kasparov won, 13–11); 1986 (Kasparov won, 12½–11½); 1987 (Kasparov won, 12–12); 1990 (Kasparov won, 12½–11½).

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