Kramnik, Vladimir, 1975–, Russian chess player, b. Tuapse. Kramnik started to play chess at the age of four, and at eleven began studying with both Mikhail Botvinnik and Gary Kasparov Kasparov, Gary (kəspär`ôf, –ŏf), 1963–, Armenian chess player, b.
..... Click the link for more information. . Deeply versed in theory, he has been influenced by the styles of such masters as Capablanca, Fischer, Karpov, and Kasparov. He became the world's junior champion in 1991 and the following year, despite his youth, played in the prestigious Chess Olympiad, where he won a gold medal. In 2000 he defeated Kasparov, who had been world champion for the previous 15 years, and in a 2006 match he defeat Veselin Topalov Topalov, Veselin, 1975–, Bulgarian chess player. Topalov won the under-14 world championship in 1989 and placed second in the under-16 the following year, becoming a grandmaster in 1992 and a potential challenger for the world championship by 1996.
..... Click the link for more information. to become the undisputed world champion.

Bibliography

See his autobiography (2000).

Kramnik, Vladimir

(born June 25, 1975, Tuapse, Russia, U.S.S.R.) Russian international chess grandmaster. He won the world championship in 2000 from his countryman Garry Kasparov. Kramnik learned to play when he was four years old from his father and began taking instruction at the local Pioneers (a Soviet youth organization) at the age of five. At age 11 he became a “candidate” master. Kramnik had success during his early years, winning the World Under 18 Championship in 1991 and a gold medal for his performance at the 1992 Men's Chess Olympiad. The years from 1992 to 2000 saw Kramnik move into the world's elite by winning numerous international chess tournaments.