Beating Kasparov - An Interview With the Champ

Who is a grandmaster and at what age can a person begin to call themselves a grandmaster? At what age can a child begin to aspire to the status of a grandmaster? To answer these questions we must journey back in time to learn who a grandmaster is, what they did to achieve this title, and why they are still playing.

How to play chess

Garry Kasparov was born in 1954 in St. Petersburg (now known as Saint Petersburg). At the early age of five, Garry Kasparov began learning how to play chess by observing his relatives solve chess problems in a newspaper. After some time, his natural talent for the game was soon recognized and from an early age he began attending the Young Pioneer Palace in Baku, where for some time he also became known as " Garry Bronstein." His talent and recognition soon earned him a place at the University of Texas where he studied for two years, becoming one of the best-known American grandmasters of the game.

During the late sixties and early seventies, while traveling across Europe and visiting many famous grandmasters, Kasparov frequently discussed chess with several other players. At first, none of them knew much about the game. After spending time with both Viswanathan Anand and Freddie Blodgett, however, the other players started calling him "Simba" or "Doctor." Eventually, with Freddie Blodgett's encouragement, Kasparov secured a scholarship to the University of Cambridge, where he began studying mathematics. By studying mathematical problems in depth, Kasparov began to transform himself into a better player, winning the U.S. Championship in 1974 and the International Master Chess Championship the following year. He also won the French and British Opens and the U.S. Championship in that same year.

From that point on, virtually everyone thought Kasparov was the next world chess champion. The United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union were all interested in having Kasparov as a member of their chess clubs. However, he declined all of these offers, saying he wanted to focus on world chess champion status. Still, in interviews, he maintained that he considered himself a world-class player and even considered himself the best chess player of all time.

Throughout his career, Kasparov learned how to deal with criticism and defeat, but he never lost sight of the fact that he still craved the challenge of facing his numerous opponents each week. He did, however, learn how to be mentally tough and how to mentally prepare for any eventuality. He studied chess matches from earlier players and accumulated valuable information about the different styles of play and formations that various teams used. Finally, he learned how to read his opponents and decide whether or not he should resign rather than trying to win the game.

Early on in his career, Kasparov also became an instructor at the Moscow Chess Club. He met fellow players such as Alexey Meshkov, Vasili Oschepkov, and Maxim Rodman who all impressed him and made him more determined to pursue his dream of becoming a world champion. Later, while playing for a club in Uzbekistan, a match was held against an expert player from Teamsters, Vasily Petrenko. During this match, Petrenko displayed an incredible hand skill that Kasparov said was the equivalent of having a grandmaster at your back.

Career Boost

The incredible hand skill was what changed Kasparov's career. After this victory, he began learning from Vasili Oschepkov, who was considered the best classical chess player of all time. Oschepkov would introduce Kasparov to the many sides (Rook, Queen, Bishop, Knight) and open his eyes to the fact that white is really the stronger color in a world championship game. From thereon, Kasparov began to display a sense of tactical genius that has to lead him to become one of the most dominant players of all time. After being named as the US Chess Championship's World Champion in 1998, Kasparov led his team to victory in the subsequent Chess Olympics, which put him in the same shoes as the world champion.

From that point on, Kasparov began dominating the game of chess with aplomb. In 2021, at age forty-six, he became the oldest player to ever be named the world chess champion. He has since retained this title four times, with the only dissension coming between him and Roger Federer. Kasparov defeated Federer in the final game, securing his hold on the crown. Perhaps his greatest accomplishment to date is the eight-year reign he has reigned over the chess world. He is now ranked fifth in the world, just a few spots below Fabiano Caruana and Viswanathan Anand.

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