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FIDE World Championship 96 - Kamsky / Karpov
ABOUT THE PLAYERS

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Gata Kamsky (United States)

Gata Kamsky, 21, of the United States, is the current FIDE challenger. Kamsky emigrated to the United States with his family in 1989. He has quickly become one of the country's top players, winning the 1991 U.S. Championship. Kamsky qualified for the FIDE title match by defeating Paul van der Sterren, Viswanathan Anand, and Valery Salov in successive Candidates' Matches. Kamsky nearly achieved a rare double appearance in both the FIDE and PCA title matches, but lost his PCA semi-final match to eventual PCA challenger, Viswanathan Anand. Kamsky is the first U.S. player since Fischer to challenge for the FIDE title.

Anatoly Karpov (Russia)

Anatoly Karpov, 45, of Russia, is the current FIDE World Champion. Karpov burst onto the international chess scene in the early 1970's, earning a spot in the finals against champion Bobby Fischer in 1975. When Fischer resigned his title, Karpov became FIDE World Champion by default. Karpov successfully defended his title twice against fellow-Russian Viktor Korchnoi in 1978 and 1981, before facing Garry Kasparov in 1984. The 1984 title match, a 48-game marathon stretching over many months, was halted without a clear winner. Karpov then lost his title during the 1985 rematch with Kasparov. Kasparov and Karpov played three more world championship matches (1986, 1987, 1990), with Kasparov prevailing in each. In 1993, Kasparov and challenger Nigel Short, of England, left FIDE to form the PCA. FIDE continued to hold its own world championship cycle, pitting Karpov against Jan Timman, of the Netherlands. Karpov won the 1993 FIDE match, and has held the FIDE title ever since.