Kasparov, kuh SPAHR awf, Garry (1963-...), a Russian chess player, became the youngest world champion in chess history at the age of 22. He defeated defending champion Anatoly Karpov, also Russian, in 1985. He defended his title three more times against Karpov. Kasparov was known for his bold, imaginative style of play and was considered one of the best chess players in the history of the game.