Life of a Famous chess genius Garry Kasparov's career is as diverse as his analytical mind is brilliant. Victories in chess that excited the world, sudden departure at the peak of fame, literary and political activities are only a small part of the achievements of the great grandmaster. Truly, the great representatives of humanity are multifaceted and talented in everything.
Childhood
On April 13, 1963, Baku heard the cry of a baby of the future chess champion. Parents, Weinstein Kim Moiseevich and Kasparyan Klara Shagenovna, were immensely happy. Both were people with engineering specialties, but loved to while away the evenings playing chess.
Little Garik Kasparov (a chess player in the future) from an early age demonstrated a remarkable intelligence and grasped everything on the fly. Unnoticed by everyone, the curious baby watched the chess battles of mom and dad, absorbing all sorts of tricks and solutions like a sponge. One day, completely unexpectedly, at the age of 5, he suggested a way out of a chess problem that his parents were puzzling over. At that moment, Kim Moiseevich saw a future champion in his son.
In 1970, after the death of his father, a little chess lover begins to visit a section of the local Pioneer Palace. In the first year of study he receives the 3rd category and the road to international competitions opens up for him.
From this moment on, constant travel begins. Kasparov (chess player), whose nationality was Jewish from birth, at that time had the sonorous surname Weinstein. His mother understood that it would be quite difficult for him to achieve success in chess. And in 1974, the surname was changed to Kasparov. Now little Garik is Armenian. Now this position may seem strange, but at that time it was the only right decision. Anti-Semitic persecution would hardly allow a Jew to win and gain fame in the sport of chess.
The first victories of the young chess player
The beginning of his career was quite easy for the little chess player. Success accompanied the talented child. In 1973, at the All-Union Youth Games in Vilnius, Kasparov the chess player found a mentor in the person of the master of sports Alexander Nikitin. Captivated by the young talent, Nikitin gives him a recommendation for admission to the school of deep studies chess art under the leadership Without thinking twice, in the same year, Garik and his mother go to Dubna, where without any problems he enters training. After some time, Botvinnik himself notices the boy and takes him under his wing, providing all possible support.
A year later, Kasparov, a chess player with a capital “C,” became a participant in the USSR Youth Championship for the first time. This time he takes only 7th place, which delights those watching, because the age of the other participants is at least 6 years ahead of the age of the little chess player. The next year, the persistent child returns to the tournament and wins a brilliant victory. At this moment, the young talent was noticed by the highest circles in the game of chess and since then they have not taken their gaze off, following the achievements of young Garik.
Already at the age of 15, having received a master of sports in chess, the brilliant child participates in the selection for the country's major league. And again he wins. In 1980, at the next tournament in Baku, chess player Garry Kasparov received the title of grandmaster, defeating Igor Zaitsev, the coach of his future opponent Anatoly Karpov.
Fight of two "K"s for the title of "World Champion"
In 1984, Kasparov (chess player) entered into a confrontation with the incumbent Anatoly Karpov. The fight and the desire to become the best consumes both and drags on for 10 years. All this time, the world is watching with tension the battle between the two greatest chess players.
The first fight begins in the fall of 1984. With what attention the whole world is watching the game. The fight has no time limit and the final must be 6 victories of one of the participants. Difficult games and incredible tension do not allow anyone to relax. The fight drags on for 159 days and perhaps could have lasted longer, but the President of the International Chess Federation decides to interrupt the chess battle. The result is a draw and the title, according to the rules, remains with Karpov. It is the epoch-making duel between the two that is included as the first and only unfinished chess battle.
Six months later, Kasparov and Karpov meet again for a decisive battle. This time the match has a limit of 24 games. On November 9, with the score 13:11, Garry Kasparov - a chess player whose biography is interesting to his fans - wins a well-deserved victory and becomes the youngest World Champion. At this moment he is only 22 years old.
Over the next 10 years, two brilliant chess players collide in three more battles. But each of them ends in Kasparov’s victory.
Life of a Champion
Since receiving the title of world chess champion, Kasparov has repeatedly confirmed his unique talent. Wins tournaments, defeats brilliant chess players.
At the same time, Kasparov advocates the opening of the Professional Chess Organization (PSA), which holds a number of matches and tournaments.
In 1993, the chess genius left FIDE (International Chess Organization) and was almost deprived of all titles, titles and place in the world ranking. But some time later, justice triumphs, and the title returns to its rightful owner.
At this time, Garry Kimovich is actively engaged in social activities. Opens schools for young talents and supports the development of chess in various countries in every way. The photo of Kasparov the chess player is recognized all over the world.
The fight between man and computer
In 1996, the creators of computer technology challenged the champion and he accepted it without hesitation. Based on curiosity and interest, the genius chess player enters into a battle with the machine. The first match leaves the man victorious, although Kasparov loses one game. And in May 1997, during the second match, Kasparov was defeated and the computer became the winner of the match.
After losing 2 more times, the grandmaster enters into a chess battle with the machine. Both times the result is a draw.
Years later, Kasparov’s interest in computer technology does not fade and several interesting chess programs are released in his name.
Political career
Despite the enormous busyness in developing his sports career, constant training, and traveling, Kasparov is madly attracted to politics.
After the devastating actions in Baku in 1990, the champion moved with his family to Moscow and became involved in the political activities of the country. The chess player advocates the introduction of democracy and promotes the Democratic Party.
At the moment, the political career of the famous chess player is in full swing. A participant in election campaigns, an activist in the creation of parties, the brilliant chess player can no longer imagine life without politics, the main direction of which remains democracy.
Leaving a sports career
The fall of 2000 becomes, to some extent, a milestone in the life of the grandmaster.
As part of the next tournament to identify the leader in ancient game, turns out to be more successful and defeats the great chess player. Kasparov ceases to be world champion, but only officially.
After the loss, Garry Kimovich, being a multifaceted personality, is not particularly sad and for another 5 years continues to take part in all kinds of chess tournaments and championships. Naturally, winning numerous victories.
And in 2005 he suddenly announced his intention to end his career as a chess player. It was from this moment that the main direction of his activity became politics, into which Kasparov plunged headlong.
Literary activity
At the beginning of his movement to the chess Olympus, Kasparov quite often wrote articles that were published in various publications.
In addition, he has written several books on management chess games and their ending.
In 1987, the autobiography book “Child of Change” was published. The book was published on English language and was not written in his own hand, but by dictation to a local journalist. After which Kasparov published several more books, devoting them to his beloved ancient game.
Personal life
Heart life famous chess player as diverse as the directions of his activity in the outside world.
In 1986, he met Maria Arapova. The young and lovers enter into an official union two years later, and after another three years the family is replenished. And a wonderful daughter is born - Polina. But everyday problems, conflicts between his beloved wife and his equally dear mother lead to the collapse of the family, and in 1993 the couple filed for divorce. After some time, the ex-wife and daughter Polina leave the country and currently live in the USA.
Three years later, chess player Garry Kasparov, whose biography is described in the article, begins to develop feelings for a young student and enters into an official marriage with her. Kasparov's son is born. But this marriage does not bring happiness either and ends in divorce in 2005. After which Kasparov marries St. Petersburg resident Daria Tarasova. The marriage produces two children - son Nikolai and daughter Aida.
At the moment, the name of chess player Kasparov is known all over the world. Garry Kimovich remains an unsurpassed master of chess art who has gone down in history. Winner of several chess Oscars and many awards. A man who, with the unshakable tenacity inherent in his strong character, defends his opinion in the world. A person about whom even after the end of his life’s journey they will talk and create legends.
The daughter of the chess king and Marina Neyolova charmed the director of the London gallery
The 13th world chess champion Garry KASPAROV recently gave birth to a son. It is probably no coincidence that the boy was named in the American manner - Nicholas. Three years ago, Harry Kimovich, completely disillusioned with Putin’s rule, left Russia and settled in the United States.
Kasparov bought a three-bedroom apartment with an area of 160 square meters in Manhattan in New York. m. For this family nest, where his young wife Daria Tarasova, their 9-year-old daughter Aida and the chess player himself live, he paid $3.4 million. Now he will have to make room a little - there are four of them.
The 52-year-old former world champion knows a lot about female beauty. Daria is 20 years younger than him, and some Americans, seeing them together, mistakenly think that she is his daughter. When the romance between Kasparov and Tarasova, a student at the St. Petersburg Humanitarian University of Trade Unions, was in full swing, Dasha was once asked how she related to the great chess player. The spectacular brunette, without blinking an eye, answered: “I am his wife.” Although Kasparov at that moment was married to a completely different young lady - Yulia Vovk! But Tarasova achieved her goal. In 2006, she actually married a chess genius.
As a student, Daria practiced in Washington under a program supported by the US government. She opened her own store in St. Petersburg, and Valery Leontyev even dedicated one of his songs to her. In general, this lady also knew her worth.
Harry Kimovich and Daria have been together for over 10 years, and, I must say, this is a great achievement for the wife. After all, the winner of all kinds of chess tournaments has always had a weakness for the fair sex.
The whole theater of Moscow was gossiping about the romance of young Kasparov with the wonderful actress Marina Neyolova. When they met, Marina was 37 years old, and Garik was 21. He then lived in Baku and visited Moscow only on short visits. Neelova received her young lover in her apartment on Chistye Prudy. But they appeared together more than once in the world. When Kasparov first met Anatoly Karpov in a match for the world title in 1984, Neelova was sitting in the hall next to the chess player’s mother. But it was Klara Shagenovna who separated them. First she told her son:
- You need to concentrate on chess. And if you want to marry an actress, it’s better to marry the whole factory dormitory right away. She will infect you with a bad disease!
When Neyolova became pregnant, Klara Shagenovna inspired her son that an illegitimate child could negatively affect his sports career. The ambitious Harry, who had already won the world title, did not object. His mother stated in the press: “This is not our child.” As if hinting that Neelova was simultaneously dating another man. The proud actress did not utter a word then. But the daughter Nika, whom she gave birth to, turned out to be exactly like Kasparov. Neelova’s colleagues at the Sovremennik Theater were outraged by the grandmaster’s action, and Valentin Gaft publicly stated:
- Kasparov is not worthy to be received in a decent house.
Now Nika is 28 years old. She went to first grade in Paris. When she grew up, she became a sculptor, graduating from the Royal Academy of Arts in the Netherlands. Later, Nika continued her studies in England, and in 2010 she became the winner of the “New Sensations” competition, which was held by the London Saatchi Gallery. Her father was replaced by Neelova's current husband, Russian diplomat Kirill Gevorgyan. It was thanks to Nick's stepfather school age visited different countries and learned a few foreign languages. Neelova's daughter, a sultry brunette, looks very attractive, although she says that she never considered herself a beauty.
“I have a boyfriend, we live together in London,” Nika admitted several years ago. - He is Italian, he also works here. Not an artist or a sculptor. Maybe this is for the best - the two of us are not bored.
However, Nika never decided to introduce that same Italian to the public. Later he went to his homeland, and the couple broke up. Meanwhile, Neelova Jr. literally charmed the director of the London gallery “Charlie Smith” Zavier Ellis. First, using his extensive connections, he helped Nika show her works in the capital of England, then in Berlin, Amsterdam and other European cities. Outwardly, everything looked quite ordinary: a patron of art was helping a young talent pave the way to success. But when at an exhibition in London's Somerset House, where works by leading British artists and sculptors were shown, suddenly the creations of Nika Neelova, the only foreigner, appeared, many wondered: why would this be? She undoubtedly has talent, but without high patronage you won’t get into the cohort of the chosen so quickly. This vernissage, by the way, was supervised by Zavier.
Ellis's former favorite, Tessa Farmer, understood everything. The woman made a scandal for her ex-boyfriend:
- What is it about this Russian? Her work is completely ordinary. You are driven by personal sympathy.
Tessa persistently asked Zavier, for the sake of the cause, to forget about the Russian sculptor. But he did not listen and began to lose his head more and more from his new favorite. Now Nika is seen with the gallery director not only at exhibitions and museums. Ellis takes her on trips, they have dinner together in restaurants, walk around the city.
According to our information, Nika Neelova was once offered a job in Moscow, but she did not want it. The mother invited her daughter to Paris, where she has been living in recent years, and received a polite refusal. And when Nick asks Ellis for something (or vice versa), there is no refusal.
Nika prefers not to talk about Kasparov. She, like her mother, crossed him out of her life.
Stole a girl from Short
In 1986, friends introduced Harry to the pretty blonde Maria Arapova. A graduate of the Faculty of Philology of Moscow State University worked as a translator at Intourist. It is curious that her dad was well acquainted with Karpov, the 12th world champion and Kasparov’s sworn rival, but Klara Shagenovna found out about this too late. Otherwise, perhaps she would not have given her blessing for the marriage. Three years after the wedding, Maria gave her husband a daughter, who was named Polina. Arapova decided to give birth in Finland, where her parents lived at that time. And Kasparov remained in Moscow, with his mother. They say that Klara Shagenovna was seriously offended by her daughter-in-law. When Harry was planning to buy a new home for his family in the center of Moscow, Masha cautiously suggested moving out her mother-in-law and buying her an apartment in the building next door. The imperious Klara Shagenovna, accustomed to living with her son under the same roof, could not tolerate such treachery.
Kasparov's wife and daughter spent several months in Finland, but Harry visited them very rarely. And then he went to London for a match for chess crown with Englishman Nigel Short. The duel lasted two whole months, but Maria never appeared in London. It became clear that the spouses had lost interest in each other. And it soon became clear that Kasparov dealt a double blow to Short: he won the match against him and stole Nigel’s girlfriend, chess player Virginia More. The relationship with this young French woman lasted two years.
Maria Arapova did not remain silent. In one interview she said:
“Probably something has changed for Harry personally.” Returning from London, he declared that he was ready for a divorce. I tried to talk to him, but he doesn’t want to come back... They are putting pressure on me. If I do not agree to its terms, I will be deprived of my credit card. He fights us as if he were his chess players or political opponents. But we are just talking about a woman with your own child. I'm disappointed in Harry. God will be his judge.
It got to the point that the spouses began to communicate only through lawyers. The divorce and division of property lasted for a year and a half. As a result, Maria and her daughter left for permanent residence in the United States - Kasparov bought them an apartment in New Jersey. By court decision, he received the right to take the child with him for two months every year. But the ex-wife never let Polina go to her father. However, when the passions subsided and the girl grew up, normal communication improved. Polina did not inherit her father’s love of chess, but she did gymnastics for several years. Now that Harry Kimovich lives in New York, he has the opportunity to see his daughter much more often.
Kasparov and Arapova had a family secret that they hid for a long time. The fact is that first Mary gave birth to her husband’s son. But the boy was barely saved, and a few days later he still died. Harry took this as a bad sign. Even then, he slowly began to move away from Maria.
In 1995, at the Mikhail Tal Memorial in Riga, Kasparov drew attention to the slender and sexy beauty Yulia Vovk. A classmate invited her to a banquet on the occasion of the closing of the tournament, and, as it turned out, the girl came there for a reason. A romance immediately broke out between the 32-year-old “king of chess” and the 18-year-old student. Many of Kasparov's colleagues believed that this relationship would last five to six months. Well, at least a year. And they were wrong. Julia managed to please not only Harry, but also, most importantly, his mother. Klara Shagenovna gave the go-ahead for the wedding.
When Julia was seven months pregnant, a very unpleasant incident occurred. Harry and his young wife were kayaking in the Adriatic Sea. Suddenly the wind blew, a lot of water filled the kayak, and it capsized. All this happened not far from a small island - the stunned couple managed to swim to it. Fortunately, Boris Yeltsin’s chief pilot and commander of the 235th government detachment, Alexander Larin, was not far from the scene of the disaster. He took the couple from that island.
Despite the shock, Julia gave birth to a healthy child. Note that Klara Shagenovna was present at the birth, but Harry was not there. But Kasparov certainly loves his son Vadim. For example, when the boy was five years old, dad, as promised, took him to Paris, to EuroDisneyland. Vadik was in seventh heaven. In 2004, having become the champion of Russia, after the award, Kasparov withdrew gold medal and hung it around the neck of his eight-year-old son. It was very important for the famous chess player that his son be proud of him.
Alas, a year later Kasparov’s second marriage broke up. His ex-wife Yulia still lives in Riga, and Vadim has already reached two meters in height and now weighs 120 kilograms. To the disappointment of the father, the son is absolutely indifferent to chess, but he enjoys lifting iron. Vadim became a weightlifter and participated in the Latvian deadlift championship. When his father was arrested in Moscow in 2007 (Kasparov participated in an unauthorized march for free elections), the guy was shocked. And Harry Kimovich himself did not believe that he would be sent to prison.
“They gave me five days, although they could have given me 15,” the chess player, who became an enemy of Putin’s government, later said. - We decided to teach you a lesson. I was placed in a cell for three: three beds screwed to the floor, the passage between them was literally a meter. But there were also concessions. For example, I could walk as much as I wanted, but only in a cage about three meters by five, on the top floor. The lights were not turned on at six in the morning. I managed to take a bar of chocolate and a bottle of water with me (they let me into the cell with this!). I was wondering how long this supply would last me - I refused the prison gruel. However, you can survive five days without food.
Apparently, after this incident, Kasparov decided to flee to the West. He tried to obtain Latvian citizenship, but was refused. But the Croats met halfway. But Harry Kimovich prefers to live in the USA. He once admitted that he sometimes plays chess on the Internet under a pseudonym. And he experiences great pleasure when his virtual opponents are amazed at the quality of his play. In general, the rogue likes America much more than Russia, and work for the benefit of the United States is paid very generously. In his own words, Kasparov now publishes books, gives lectures in different cities of America and abroad, earning quite decently - almost the same as he did during his sports career. But he does not serve the country that raised him and glorified him throughout the world. Kasparov was not on the same path with Russia.
And there was another case
* Garry Kasparov really liked the famous German figure skater Katharina Witt. One day he managed to meet her in Germany, and mutual sympathy already arose between the young people. However, the mother of the Olympic champion, seeing a guy with a Caucasian appearance, categorically told her daughter: “We don’t need someone like that!” Harry was hurt and offended.
Everyone knows that Garry Kimovich Kasparov(52) always appreciated the fair sex. There were legends about his love affairs. Now the brilliant chess player has settled down, bought an apartment in Manhattan, where he lives with his young wife Daria Tarasova, 9 year old daughter Aida and a very young son Nicholas, who was born on July 6 this year.
The champion always knew a lot about female beauty. There are rumors that he could not resist Daria, who is 20 years younger than him, while still legally married to Yulia Vovk(37), who bore him a son Vadim (19).
The most scandalous can be considered the affair between Harry Kimovich and the actress. Marina Neelova(68). When they met, the artist was 37, and the grandmaster was 21. The 16-year difference did not bother the couple. But she separated them Klara Shagenovna, Kasparov's mother, believing that Garry Kimovich needs to focus on chess, and not on a woman. When Neyolova became pregnant, Clara convinced her son that an illegitimate child would negatively affect his career and stated in the press: “This is not our child.” Marina Neelova did not get involved in these scandals in the media and did not comment on anything. However, the daughter Nika, which she gave birth to, was very similar to Kasparov. Now Nika is already 28 years old. Her father was replaced by Neelova’s husband, a Russian diplomat Kirill Gevorgyan. They prefer not to talk about the chess player.
And recently the details of Kasparov’s divorce from his first wife came to light Maria Arapova. It turns out that Maria gave birth to not only a daughter to Harry Kimovich Polina! The couple's first son was born, whom doctors were unable to save after birth. Kasparov began to move away from his wife, unable to bear the tragedy.
We hope that Harry Kimovich has finally settled down and is happily married!
The heroine of “Saturday” became the reason for the thirteenth world chess champion to request Latvian citizenship
Whoever is not with Kasparov is... with the Kremlin?
Last week, the famous Russian chess player and opposition politician Garry Kasparov sent letters in Latvian to almost all factions of the Sejm (except for the Harmony Center) with a request to grant him Latvian citizenship for special merits.
“As a citizen of Latvia, I will have the opportunity, without restrictions, to engage in political activity in the name of democracy, peace and justice both in Russia and in other countries of the world where human rights are violated and democratic norms are violated,” Kasparov explained his desire.
Garry Kimovich indicated that his life in his youth was closely connected with Latvia. Here in the 1970s he won important victory in chess. The mother of his son Vadim is a citizen of Latvia. And my son has a residence permit in Latvia, and he regularly visits Riga.
Kasparov suggested that as a citizen of Latvia he could contribute to the education of schoolchildren and students through the programs of the Kasparov Chess Foundation. And in the future he could also run from Latvia for the post of new president of the International Chess Federation (FIDE). The current head of Russia is now vying for him, Kirsan Ilyumzhinov, with whom Kasparov decided to compete for this post.
In conclusion, Kasparov threatened that denying him citizenship “will prove that in Latvia many more politicians are looking towards Russia.” The chess player promised to personally come from the USA (where he has settled since June of this year) to Riga in December to once again discuss all the details.
It is curious that in 2010, the 12th world chess champion Anatoly Karpov unsuccessfully fought with Ilyumzhinov for the post of head of FIDE. And in August of this year, Kirsan already came to Riga to personally open the largest international chess festival in the Baltic countries - RTU Open. But for some reason he didn’t mention citizenship for such service to Latvia.
An ideal husband and an imperfect husband
Kasparov’s Riga wife Yulia Vovk was one of the heroes of Saturday’s publications. Her mother Nadezhda won our “Ideal Husband” competition.
Our readers sent the editor stories about their husbands, in which they argued why they considered them the best.
The most touching story was told by Nadezhda Vovk - about her husband Vladimir and two daughters.
Without any doubt, we gave the Vovk family the main prize - a tourist trip to Cyprus. And the youngest daughter Katya was given her childhood dream - a huge elegant house for Barbie. At that time, the eldest daughter Yulia was only 17 years old - she had just entered the university, and a few months later, in front of Saturday's correspondents, she met Harry - during the closing of the Mikhail Tal Memorial chess tournament, in which Kasparov won. Julia came to the tournament with a classmate, and left the event with Harry.
It is curious that at that time Kasparov held slightly different views on democracy. In 1993 he split chess world- founding in contrast to the tolerant better times FIDE has its own Professional Chess Association (PCA), where it attracted about five million dollars in investment investments. At that time, many of the world's leading grandmasters accused Kasparov of dictatorial habits. Instead of answering, Harry Kimovich developed the organization's code of ethics, which provides for monetary fines for freethinkers.
Soon the Riga woman married the chess king. Their son was born that same year. Harry’s mother, Clara Shagenovna, was personally present at the birth, and the father himself saw the baby only after her. The name Vadim was given to the child only a few days after the birth as a result of complex numerological calculations: the sum of the serial numbers of the letters in the alphabet gave the number 13 - Harry’s lucky number (he is the thirteenth world champion). Riga's grandparents gave their grandson a stroller with a car seat. Then they shared with “Saturday” their dream - about a granddaughter. Julia really wanted a girl.
Garry Kimovich did not make an ideal husband. Nine years later the marriage broke up. Another wife, Daria Tarasova, gave birth to a daughter, 20 years younger than him.
There is power!
The fate of Kasparov’s only son, Vadim, from Riga, whose sporting hobby is very different from his father’s, was a curious one: he is a weightlifter.
16-year-old Vadim Kasparov (weight - 120.65 kg) trains in Riga and participates in the “Riga without Drugs” program. This summer he won the Open category deadlift championship, which took place in Kekava. Russian-Latvian project of the movement “For a sports society!” posted a video on YouTube featuring Kasparov Jr. under the motto “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight with you, then you win!”
Vadim indicated three barbell weights that he intends to lift next year - 200, 250, 300 kg... By the way, unlike his mother, Kasparov Jr. is not a citizen of our country. Perhaps he has something to think about too.
Harry's Don Juan List
Marina Neyolova. I arranged it until I wanted to get married
Kasparov experienced his first strong feeling in 1984 - he fell in love with the prima of the Sovremennik Theater, the star of Soviet cinema Marina Neyolova, whom he met while visiting a famous couple - pianist Vladimir Krainev and figure skating coach Tatyana Tarasova. The actress was 16 years older than Kasparov. The novel caused a lot of rumors in the acting community. Kasparov himself later spoke about him this way: “Marina suited me because she didn’t want to get married. She understood the true nature of my struggle (for the world champion title with Anatoly Karpov. - Ed.) and provided me with every possible support.” Two years later the union broke up. And soon after that, Marina gave birth to a daughter, Nika, whom Kasparov did not recognize.
Maria Arapova. Competition with a child
Soon after breaking up with Neyolova, Kasparov began dating 22-year-old Muscovite Maria Arapova, who worked as a translator at the Novosti Press Agency and as a guide at Intourist. The young people got married only three years later - in 1989. The couple had a son, who died a few days after birth.
In April 1992, Maria gave birth to a daughter, Polina, in Finland. A year later the marriage broke up. “I used to give my whole soul to Harry,” Maria explained the breakup. - But a little man appeared who also demanded a lot. Harry was far from these worries. He didn't even take us to London for the match with Short, which lasted three months. And upon arrival he declared that he was morally ripe for divorce.”
As the Western press wrote, during the London match, Kasparov became interested in the young French chess player Virginia Mora and began to regularly visit the girl. However, this affair did not lead to serious consequences.
Katharina Witt. Mom was against it
After the divorce, Kasparov became interested in the legendary German figure skater Katharina Witt. I was even going to get married, but then the figure skater’s mother (who is also a coach) opposed it and forbade her daughter to even think about Kasparov.
Julia Vovk. Almost drowned
In 1995, 32-year-old Harry met 18-year-old student Yulia Vovk.
Soon they got married. And that same year, Kasparov and his young wife almost drowned. While on holiday on Red Island in the Adriatic Sea, Harry took his pregnant wife on a 5km kayak swim into the open sea. On the way back, the kayak took on so much water that it capsized. Fortunately, the “crash” occurred not far from a small island - the couple managed to quickly swim to land. The chief pilot of the Russian President and commander of the government 235th detachment, Alexander Larin, was not far from the scene of the disaster, and he took the couple off the island.
Two months after the happy return, a son, Vadim, was born into the Kasparov family.
In one of his interviews, Harry said: “I want to play for another five years, until Vadim grows up. The son must realize who his father is.” The marriage lasted nine years.
Daria Tarasova. 20 years difference in love is not a hindrance
When Kasparov plunged into active political activity, he was increasingly noticed in the company of a young graduate of the Faculty of Economics of the St. Petersburg Humanitarian University of Trade Unions, Dasha Tarasova. In public, the girl boldly introduced herself as the wife of a chess player.
The grandmaster bought his beloved an apartment in the center of St. Petersburg, and his wife - in Gagarinsky Lane in Moscow. Soon he divorced Yulia in order to immediately formalize his marriage with Daria. In 2006, their daughter Aida was born. The girl was named after the chess player's mother. According to her passport, Klara Shagenovna is Aida, and her late husband and relatives called her Klara.
Now most The Kasparovs spend time in an apartment in Manhattan, purchased for 3.4 million. In New York, Harry gives chess master classes and heads his own chess foundation in Montville, New Jersey. It is curious that it is in this state that his ex-wife Maria Arapova and daughter Polina live.
Ironically, none of his children play chess. Viva! recalls well-known and not so well-known facts from the biography of the 13th world chess champion, writer, the most influential Russian oppositionist in the West, personal enemy of the Kremlin and recognized playboy Garry Kasparov.
1. The main coach and advisor is mom.“I can be frank with her like with no one else. In critical moments, you hear a voice that you have been accustomed to believing for many years. Each of us needs someone whom you can trust, to express everything without hiding, calling things by their proper names. And then most often you yourself understand what to do. Mom jokes that she absorbs my stress.”
2. The first serious romance was with a famous actress.“Our close communication with Marina Neelova lasted more than two years. She was 16 years older than me, like all my friends at that time. Partly because I matured very quickly. But rather more due to the fact that women of the same age, as a rule, wanted to get married quickly. Of course, I couldn’t even think about this, as I was preparing for my first world championship match. Everything - my health, my training, my aspirations - was subordinated to this goal. On the other hand, I was a normal young man with normal needs and desires. Not a monk at all. It is quite possible that our union was also based on a sense of our exclusivity.”
3. Garry Kasparov did not recognize his daughter from Marina Neyolova.“We had a relationship. They were not fixed, moreover, they were in no way limited to the two of us. They probably didn’t end very well, but, nevertheless, I had no reason to believe that I abandoned her with the child. In any case, I believe that if I had something to do with the child, life would have turned out differently.”
4. In 2005, Garry Kasparov exchanged chess for politics.“In Russian politics there are too many generals and colonels and not enough intelligence. I hope that my ability to think strategically will help my homeland.”
5. Garry Kasparov considers chess players to be ordinary people.“Luzhin's Defense”, Zweig's chess novels - great literature, unfortunately, has created clichés that cannot withstand any clash with reality. It is clear that there are people with their own quirks. But there are no more of them than in any other mental activity that requires tension.”
6. Garry Kasparov is 19 years apart from his third wife.“I met my wife in St. Petersburg, at a lecture on alternative history. I was married, I had a son, but I decided to divorce. I realized that Dasha and I are on the same wavelength and I practically don’t feel the 19-year age difference. Now I lead an extremely exemplary lifestyle and I really like myself that way. Although I am constantly on the move. I don’t have an oil well or a candle factory; I live mainly from lectures.”
7. Has a reputation as a playboy.“At the age of 22 I became the world champion, I had money, status, opportunities. All this created a lot of temptations. Therefore, life, let's say, was quite chaotic. The fans did not besiege the entrance, but there is something to remember. There was less confusion than one might expect, but still enough.”
8. Garry Kasparov plays sports every day.“In the late 90s, I had ideal athletic tone, I did a hundred push-ups. Having a routine has always been important to me. It doesn’t matter which one - the main thing is that it exists. Whenever possible, you need to get enough sleep. I try to sleep during the day. In addition, it is important to eat properly and efficiently. Naturally, I have never smoked, I have no need for alcohol. For me, four weeks at sea is recovery, six weeks is recharge. Walking, swimming, proper food, plus an hour a day - sports. You can do push-ups and pump up your abs without any exercise equipment.”
9. Garry Kasparov considers Putin to be Hitler's successor.“I have the feeling that Putin instinctively tries to repeat even the rhythm of Hitler’s speeches. How he does it is another matter, but the style of his statements has long become the style of the Third Reich. Many psychological moments in his behavior with world leaders are a copy of what the Fuhrer did. And I believe the final part of the equation will be the same.”
10. Garry Kasparov’s favorite number is 13.“I must strongly support the magical belief in the power of the number 13, because I have a lot connected with it: I was born on April 13, I became the 13th world champion. Although, it must be said that most of our superstitions are made up of a set of facts that are analyzed after the fact. We create for ourselves a kind of mosaic picture that has lined up successfully, and then we begin to adjust everything to it. Accordingly, we carefully push aside what does not fit into it.”
