Happy 60th Birthday to Anatoly Karpov

Hello everybody!

Today I’d like to wish a most wonderful birthday to the 12th World Chess Champion Anatoly Evgenievich Karpov.

There is a lot that connects me to Anatoly, and not only our initials (we’re both “A.K.”!)

In the photo you can see me getting an autograph from Anatoly when I was only 6 years old, in 1990. That autograph was one of my most prized possessions, and stimulated me to work hard on chess. Little did I know that 12 years later I would play a match with Anatoly Karpov (I lost the match 1 to 3), and 6 years after that I would become the women’s World Chess Champion, bearing the same number (12th) as Anatoly!!

We have met over the years many times with Anatoly, below in Mexico in 2006

In the USA the same year

and recently we played twice at the 2009 World Blitz Chess Championship in Moscow (we drew both games).

I wish Anatoly many years of happiness, continued fighting chess, and to continue to inspire the chess world as only he knows how to do!

Posted by Chess Queen® Alexandra Kosteniuk
12th Women’s World Chess Champion
www.chessqueen.com

 

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