Vladimir Kramnik

Grandmaster and former World Chess Champion. Born in Sovient Unioin, he became a Grandmaster in 1992. Kramnik is renowned for defeating Garry Kasparov in 2000, ending Kasparov's 15-year reign as World Champion. He successfully defended his title in 2004 against Peter Leko and in 2006 unified the World Chess Championship by defeating Veselin Topalov. Known for his deep strategic understanding and defensive prowess, Kramnik has made significant contributions to opening theory, particularly with the Berlin Defense in the Ruy Lopez. He retired from competitive chess in January 2019 but remains active in the chess community through coaching and commentary.