Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov (born May 23, 1951) is a Russian chess Grandmaster and former World Chess Champion. He was the official World Champion from 1975 to 1985 and FIDE World Champion from 1993 to 1999. Karpov’s style is characterized by his exceptional positional play, prophylactic thinking, and ability to squeeze wins from seemingly equal positions.

Karpov became World Champion by default in 1975 when Bobby Fischer refused to defend his title. He then defended his title successfully against Viktor Korchnoi in two highly contentious matches (1978 and 1981). His rivalry with Garry Kasparov in the 1980s produced some of the most epic and long-running matches in chess history.

Known for his “boa constrictor” style, Karpov would slowly but surely constrict his opponents, denying them counterplay and converting small advantages with ruthless efficiency. His deep understanding of prophylaxis and his ability to avoid mistakes made him an incredibly difficult opponent to beat.