Kramnik, Vladimir – Kasparov, Garry

2802 2001 · Draw

The ultimate grudge match: Vladimir Kramnik, reigning World Champion after his stunning victory over Kasparov in 2000, faces the 'Beast of Baku' again just one year later. Kramnik had stunned the chess world by using the Berlin Wall to completely neutralise Kasparov’s attacking game in their title match, but here the battlefield is the Slav Defence. Kasparov, fifteen years at the pinnacle of world chess and widely regarded as the greatest player of all time, comes into the game with his competitive fire fully intact.