Vladimir Kramnik May 2026

Vladimir Kramnik (born June 25, 1975) is a Russian chess grandmaster and the 14th undisputed World Chess Champion. He is most famous for ending the 15-year reign of Garry Kasparov in 2000, becoming the first player in nearly 80 years to defeat a world champion in a match without losing a single game.

In a historic 16-game match, Kramnik defeated Kasparov 8½–6½. He famously used the "Berlin Defense" to neutralize Kasparov’s attacking prowess, a strategy that reshaped modern opening theory. Vladimir Kramnik

He held a peak rating of 2817 (October 2016), ranking as the joint-eighth-highest-rated player in history. He also won the prestigious Dortmund tournament a record 10 times. Playing Style and Theoretical Legacy Vladimir Kramnik (born June 25, 1975) is a

Kramnik successfully unified the fractured world titles by defeating FIDE World Champion Veselin Topalov in a controversial "reunification match" in Elista. He famously used the "Berlin Defense" to neutralize