Vladimir Borisovich Kramnik ( born 25 June 1975) is a Russian chess grandmaster. He was the Classical World Chess Champion from 2000 to 2006, and the undisputed World Chess Champion from 2006 to 2007. He has won three team gold medals and three individual medals at Chess Olympiads.

In October 2000, he defeated Garry Kasparov in a match played in London, and became the Classical World Chess Champion. In late 2004, Kramnik successfully defended his title against challenger Péter Lékó in a drawn match played in Brissago, Switzerland. In October 2006, Kramnik, the Classical World Champion, defeated reigning FIDE World Champion Veselin Topalov in a unification match, the World Chess Championship 2006. As a result Kramnik became the first undisputed World Champion, holding both the FIDE and Classical titles, since Kasparov split from FIDE in 1993. In 2007, Kramnik lost the title to Viswanathan Anand, who won the World Chess Championship 2007 tournament ahead of Kramnik. He challenged Anand at the World Chess Championship 2008 to regain his title, but lost.

Suitable sponsorship was not found for a Kasparov–Shirov match, and it never took place. In 2000, sponsorship was secured for a Kasparov–Kramnik match instead. This was somewhat controversial, making Kramnik the first player since 1935 to play a world championship match without qualifying.

In 2000, Kramnik played a sixteen game match against Garry Kasparov in London, for the Classical Chess World Championship. Kramnik began the match as underdog, but his adoption of the Berlin Defence to Kasparovs Ruy Lopez opening was very effective. With the white pieces, Kramnik pressed Kasparov hard, winning Games Two and Ten and overlooking winning continuations in Games Four and Six. Kasparov put up little fight thereafter, agreeing to short draws with the white pieces in Games 9 and 13. Kramnik won the match 8½–6½ without losing a game (this was only the second time in history that a World Champion had lost a match without winning a single game). This event marked the first time Kasparov had been beaten in a World Championship match.

Kramniks performance won him the Chess Oscar for 2000; this was the first time he had received the award.

When Kramnik won the 2006 unification match, he also won Topalovs berth in the 2007 World Championship as the incumbent FIDE champion. Although the rationale behind his (and Garry Kasparovs) "classical" title is that the title should change hands by challenge match rather than by tournament, Kramnik stated that he would recognize the winner of this tournament as being the world champion.

In the tournament, held in September 2007, Kramnik and Anand drew both of their games but Kramnik finished second. The tournament, and the world championship, was won by Viswanathan Anand.

• 1990 Russian Championship, Kuibyshev (classical) I

• 1991 World Championship (U18), Guarapuava (classical) I

• 1992 Chalkidiki (classical) 7½/11 I

• 1994 Overall result PCA Intel Grand Prix94 I

• 1995 Dortmund (classical) 7/9 I

• 1995 Horgen (classical) 7/10 I–II

• 1995 Belgrade (classical) 8/11 I–II

• 1996 Monaco 16/22 I

• 1996 Dos Hermanas (classical) 6/9 I–II

• 1996 Dortmund (classical) 7/9 I–II

• 1997 Dos Hermanas (classical) 6/9 I–II

• 1997 Dortmund (classical) 6½/9 I

• 1997 Tilburg (classical) 8/11 I–III

• 1998 Wijk aan Zee (classical) 8½/13 I–II

• 1998 Dortmund (classical) 6/9 I–III

• 1998 Monaco (blindfold and rapidplay) 15/22 I

• 1999 Monaco (blindfold and rapidplay) 14½/22 I

• 2000 Linares (classical) 6/10 I–II

• 2000 Dortmund (classical) 6/9 I–II

• 2001 Match Kramnik vs. Leko (rapidplay) 7–5

• 2001 Match Botvinnik memorial Kramnik vs. Kasparov (classical) 2–2

• 2001 Match Botvinnik memorial Kramnik vs Kasparov (rapidplay) 3–3

• 2001 Monaco (blindfold and rapidplay) 15/22 I–II

• 2001 Match Kramnik vs. Anand (rapidplay) 5–5

• 2001 Dortmund (classical) 6½/10 I–II

• 2002 Match Advanced Chess Kramnik vs. Anand (León) 3½–2½

• 2003 Linares (classical) 7/12 I–II

• 2003 Cap dAgde (France)

• 2004 Handicap Simul (classical)

• 2004 Kramnik vs. National Team of Germany 2½–1½

• 2004 Linares (classical) 7/12 I

• 2004 Monaco (overall result) 14½/22 I–II

• 2006 Gold medal at Turin Olympiad with overall best performance (2847) 7/10

• 2006 Dortmund (classical) 4½/7 I

• 2007 Monaco (blindfold and rapidplay) 15½/22 I

• 2007 Dortmund (classical) 5/7 I

• 2007 Tal Memorial 6½/9 I

• 2009 Dortmund 6½/9 I

• 2009 Zürich (rapidplay) 5/7 I

• 2009 Tal Memorial 6/9 I

• 2010 Presidents Cup in Baku (rapidplay) 5/7 I–III

• 2010 Bilbao Grand Slam final 4/6 I

• 2011 Dortmund 7/10 I

• 2011 Hoogeveen 4½/6 I

• 2011 London Chess Classic 6/8 I

• 2013 Chess World Cup 2013

• PCA Quarterfinals, June 1994, New York, Kramnik–Gata Kamsky (1½–4½).

• FIDE Semifinals, August 1994 Sanghi Nagar, Kramnik–Boris Gelfand (3½–4½).

• Classical WCC Candidates Match, 1998, Cazorla, Kramnik–Alexei Shirov (3½–5½).

• FIDE WCC Knockout Quarterfinals, July 1999, Las Vegas, Kramnik–Michael Adams (2–4, including rapid playoff).

• Classical World Chess Championship 2000, London, Kramnik–Garry Kasparov (8½–6½)

• Classical World Chess Championship 2004, Brissago, Kramnik–Péter Lékó (7–7), Kramnik retains.

• FIDE World Chess Championship 2006, Elista, Kramnik–Topalov (6–6, 2½–1½ rapid playoff), Kramnik unifies the title

• FIDE World Chess Championship 2007 Runner up, Mexico City (loses the title to Anand, joint second Gelfand).

• World Chess Championship 2008, Bonn, Kramnik–Anand (4½–6½), Anand retains

• World Chess Championship 2012 Candidates Match Quarterfinals, April 2011, Kazan, Kramnik–Radjabov (2–2, 2–2 rapid playoff, 2½–1½ blitz playoff), Kramnik advances

• World Chess Championship 2012 Candidates Match Semifinals, April 2011, Kazan, Kramnik–Grischuk (2–2, 2–2 rapid playoff, ½–1½ blitz playoff), Kramnik eliminated

• World Chess Championship 2013 Runner-up, Candidates Tournament, March–April 2013, London, +4?1=9