Karpov on the road to recovery

by André Schulz
11/8/2022 – At the end of October, former World Champion Anatoly Karpov had a severe accident that caused a traumatic brain injury and a fractured neck of the femur. Moreover, he has been battling pneumonia. But according to current news Karpov is on the road to recovery and was even able to complain about the bad hospital food. | Photo: Anatoly Karpov with his wife Natalia and his daughter Sofia

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Last week, news of Anatoly Karpov's admission to a Moscow hospital reached the chess world. Many chess fans were worried about the 12th World Chess Champion, not least because the news from the various Russian media and news channels about the cause of the admission and the extent of the reported injuries were quite contradictory.

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Karpov had been found unconscious and with head injuries near the Duma and initial reports said he had been the victim of an attack. The 71-year-old was in intensive care at a Moscow hospital with severe head injuries and a fractured hip, according to other sources he had a fractured neck of the femur, and had been placed in an induced coma.

The English Daily Mail even saw Karpov among the mysterious deaths of prominent Russian oligarchs, managers and other representatives of the Russian elite and referred to an interview the former World Champion had given a TV channel in Kazakhstan:

"I wish [the war] would end sooner, so that peaceful people would stop dying," the Daily Mail quotes Karpov. "In the end ordinary people are the victims. Ordinary people fight, politicians and generals decide, and ordinary people fight, civilians die. I am not even talking about soldiers and officers. No, I could not imagine at all that Russians and Ukrainians would go to war. I have many friends in Ukraine."

However, the interview took place some time ago.

Karpov's daughter Sofia and his wife Natalia, however, soon contradicted the report of an attack on Karpov. They said the former World Champion and current Duma deputy had fallen in snow or ice and suffered a traumatic brain injury and, in fact, a fracture of the femoral neck bone. However, he was also still struggling with pneumonia and was on a ventilator.

According to the latest reports from the family, Karpov is now on the road to recovery and is to be transferred from the intensive care unit to the normal ward. Karpov was already taken off the ventilator last Wednesday, but is still weakened and can only speak softly. Karpov usually writes his wishes and instructions on slips of paper. Karpov's wife Natalia brought Karpov an iPad. He also asked for a book.

Karpov's complaint about the quality of the food in the hospital can be interpreted as a good sign of an improving condition. According to Karpov, the food was tasteless. Karpov's wife Natalia said that she would bring her husband chicken broth from home.

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André Schulz started working for ChessBase in 1991 and is an editor of ChessBase News.

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stefant stefant 1/27/2024 02:20
Sorry to read that, even though 1, 5 year later. He wrote chess history and though he left us immortal games, I do wish him good health and good life prospects and to his family.
arzi arzi 11/14/2022 06:35
Ajeeboo7, you should move to Russia and start loudly calling for Putin's resignation and the imprisonment of the crime lords. It would be fun to know how long you would be anti-Putinist and/or alive in general. This could be done so-called a scientific test in which you would perform as a guinea pig. Sounds like a good "Who loves Putin the most -test" to me?
Ajeeb007 Ajeeb007 11/13/2022 05:49
Karpov voted for independence of the rebel Ukrainian provinces. Sounds like a Putin war supporter to me.
Galuna Galuna 11/10/2022 10:07
Wish Karpov a speedy recovery and hope to her him speaking to us soon!!
elmaestro1967 elmaestro1967 11/10/2022 06:29
Hope Karpov recover very fast. I played a simul vs Karpov in Las Vegas, USA, June 14 2012. He played vs 20 boards, won 18 and drew 2. I was one of the two draws. We played 56 moves. I'm 55 years old and I grew up with Karpov's chess games. I always was studying Karpov vs Kasparov matches. Good person. Get well very soon, you are a champion and the champions don't give up.
impr0ving impr0ving 11/9/2022 12:00
>> He also asked for a book.
Yes, but was it a *chess book*?
KOTLD KOTLD 11/9/2022 11:27
Hopes & wishes for a speedy recovery for the great man
lajosarpad lajosarpad 11/9/2022 09:38
Excellent news!
arzi arzi 11/9/2022 06:16
I have noticed the following character trait in people. It seems to be a fairly common trait in humans. If person X gives his opinion about an event, e.g., Karpov about the war, then another person Y accuses, e.g., Karpov, that the ex-World Champion had not given his anti-war opinion earlier. The third person Z, on the other hand, would have claimed that a person (e.g., Karpov) gave his anti-war opinion only thinking about his own interest (is it really very safe during Putin's rule??)

On the other hand, if person X had never opposed the war in his speeches, then these same persons, Y and Z would have accused X (e.g., Karpov) of never being against the war, not even once. One way or another, always in the wrong direction from the point of view of these same people, Y and Z.

Even though you are an ex-World Champion and an ex-Communist, I wish you a speedy recovery from your injuries.
rawdzilla rawdzilla 11/9/2022 03:41
Karpov: a titan world chess champion, a soviet and Russian patriot, and now a convalescent God speed to recovery!
A Alekhine A Alekhine 11/9/2022 12:28
To me, Karpov is much like Botvinnik: a truly great chessplayer but unsavory from the political point of view, as well as clever in maneuvering through life with a constant eye toward his self-interest and not much else.
Morrisfri Morrisfri 11/8/2022 05:51
Even if you don't like someone, or are opposed to them politically, even if they have wronged other people, It's bad form to wish ill of another person or to gloat at their misfortune. There but for the grace of god go I. I rooted against Karpov for years, but i hope he fully recovers and rejoins his family in good health soon. Russia and the USA are once again political opponents on the world stage, but we are apparently still united by our mutual dislike of hospital food.
Mamack1 Mamack1 11/8/2022 05:17
Karpov was a communist (as were lots of other people in the USSR at that time) yes, but so was his supposed "political rival" Kasparov - until he saw it would be more expedient to pose as a "rebel".

Far too many accounts of that time are simplistic Cold War filtered rubbish.
Racochejl Racochejl 11/8/2022 04:42
Karpov is a great player but a very bad person. He was a communist in Soviet Union age and now he is a member of Putins mafia. No surprise.
pavelmorozov pavelmorozov 11/8/2022 03:34
David Gonzalez: I have absolutely no mercy for people like him. He knows exactly what he voted for, death and havoc to innocent people. From Brezhnev days I see hem shaking hands with soviet leaders, all of them with blood on their hands. He's a smart fellow and knows how things work. He could have chosen to leave the Duma when things went out of control but he didnt. I did not read a single line of him regretting the Red Armies behaviour, the bombing of apartments, cinemas, railway stations and the likes. Lame words with no meaning as far as I'm concerned.
Frits Fritschy Frits Fritschy 11/8/2022 03:09
David Gonzalez,
Karpov's statement as presented above could just as well be read as a call to Ukraine to stop fighting. He chose his words very carefully - about the same way he plays chess. But personally I think his statement is not meant as support for either Russia or Ukraine, but as support for Anatoly Karpov. He himself chose to join Putin's party and to represent that party in the Duma, and to stay there. At the same time he probably wants to maintain links with the chess world. That takes some shrewd manoeuvring.
david gonzalez david gonzalez 11/8/2022 01:30
Pavelmorozov : Let's be honest, karpov is not responsible for the war in Ukraine, not jointly or what ever. The decision was taken by Vladimir Putin. In a nation where disagreement with the dictator can mean prison or even death, Karpov's words are courageous and welcome.
pavelmorozov pavelmorozov 11/8/2022 12:28
Let's be honest, although having been my all time favorite chessplayer, Karpov as member of duma is jointly responsible for the war Russia waged on Ukraine. His 'peaceful' words are of no value to people dying everyday because of his voting. He should be ashamed for all support he's received over the years by the Ukrain people and others for that matter.
tauno tauno 11/8/2022 12:27
According to many newspapers, Karpov's wife said after the "accident" that he is at home and doing well. But it is good if the daughter has spoken to the wife and they both finally agree that he is in the hospital and for what reason. It sounds better if at least the family sticks to the same story.
arzi arzi 11/8/2022 11:14
Great, get well soon. The reason why hospital food is notoriously bad. It even makes a comatose patient wake up, recover and return home.
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