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GM Roman Dzindzichashvili
GM Dzindzichashvili was once one of the top players in the world. Born in Georgia, his chess first developed in the USSR. While still an International Master, he defeated opponents like Botvinnik and Bronstein before emigrating, first to Israel where he became a Grandmaster, and then to the United States. His accomplishments in the U.S. include two U.S. Championship first places, and one World Open. He has not played actively in tournaments recently, but has become even more famous perhaps in the U.S. for quality instructional materials, in particular chess videos!
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GM Gregory Kaidanov (2647)
Considered one of "the" premier chess trainers in America for more then ten years, Chess.com is very proud to add Grandmaster Gregory Kaidanov to its list of prestigious Video Authors. Arguably one of the strongest GMs never to have won the US Championship, GM Kaidanov's list of accomplishments does however include first place finishes in many other major events, including first place at both the World Open and US Open in 1992. A certified FIDE Senior Trainer, his reputation as a chess coach precedes him internationally. Gregory currently resides in Lexington, Kentucky with his wife Valeria and their three children.
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GM Alex Lenderman (2601)
A "true" chess professional, Grandmaster Alex Lenderman learned to play the game at the age of ten, was an expert at twelve, National Master at thirteen, International Master at sixteen and a Grandmaster at nineteen years old. A gold medalist, scoring an incredible 9-of-11 score, at the World Youth Championship Under-16 in 2005. A US Chess League MVP in 2008, Alex is also the winner of multiple prestigious events in the "American Chess Scene", including: the Philadelphia International; US Open; Marshall Club Championship, Eastern Open and the National Chess Congress. Alex's peak FIDE rating was 2601 and he currently trains hard with his coach, GM Giorgi Kacheishvili.
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GM Eugene Perelshteyn (2555)
GM Perelshteyn learned chess from his father, a professional chess coach. His record of accomplishments is long; some of his honors include: 2000 US Junior Champion, represented the U.S. in 5 World Jr. Championships, led UMBC to 5 national college titles, and first place in 2003 Generation Chess Invitational, 2006 Foxwoods Open, and 2007 Spice Cup. As a chess teacher, he is the author of two bestsellers: Chess Openings for Black, Explained and Chess Openings for White, Explained (with GMs Dzindzihashvili and Alburt).
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GM Dejan Bojkov (2552)
Dejan Bojkov is a Grandmaster, originally from Bulgaria. As a youngster, Dejan was the winner of numerous Youth Championships -- including Boys Under 14 and Boys Under 18 Bulgarian Champion. This translated to success on the international stages, with his most recent victory coming at the Sydney International Open in Australia (2010). As a trainer his work has known little failure, and some of his students include Antoaneta Stefanova-former World Womens Champion.
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GM Melikset Khachiyan (2546)
Melik began playing chess at the age of 8, won the Baku Junior Championship two years later and became a Soviet Candidate Master two years after that. He began coaching early in his career and has brought up three Junior World Champions (among them Levon Aronian). In 2001, he immigrated to the US, where he qualified to play in the U.S. Championship several times. He earned his Grandmaster title in 2006.
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GM Sam Shankland (2553)
Sam learned chess at age 11 from a Berkeley Chess School program. Within four years, he had become a national master, and two years later, he became an International Master when he tied for first in the world u-18 championship, a result unmatched in the last decade of international play by American players. He has qualified for the last two US Championships, and his 2009 results are eagerly awaited.
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GM Josh Friedel (2524)
Josh grew up in New Hampshire under the tutelage of NM Hal Terrie. He never improved very fast, but he never stopped either. At this date, Josh has passed 2500 fide and earned the GM title. In 2008, Josh had several strong results in top US events: shared fourth in the US Champs (last GM norm), shared fourth in the Chicago Open, shared first in the National Open, and second in the Continental Championship.
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WGM Camilla Baginskaite (2360)
Women's Grandmaster Camilla Baginskaite learned to play chess from her father ate the age of eight in her home town of Vilnius, Lithuania. She earned the title of Women's Master at the age of 15, and went onto win the Girls Under 20 World Championship. She has competed in a total of seven chess Olympiads between Lithuania and the United States. She is a former U.S. Women's Champion, and continues to play at the highest levels of chess in the U.S. for women, while maintaining her family life and teaching chess.
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IM Daniel Rensch (2416)
Daniel has played competitive chess since the age of 10. At age 14, he earned the status of U.S.C.F. National Master, an achievement that was a record for Arizona chess players at the time. He was ranked in the Top 10 for his age in the United States every year from the age of 12 - 21years old, and at one point he was the highest rated 19-year old in the country. He earned the IM title at age 23. As a Chess Coach/Trainer, Daniel has developed multiple State and National Champions. Recently, he has cut back his teaching duties significantly to focus on the growth of Chess.com and ChessKid.com, and to strive towards the GM title.
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IM David Pruess (2438)
At the age of twelve, David was lucky to be brought by his mother to a session of the Berkeley Chess School's Friday night kid's chess club, where he met NM Robert Haines, who showed him what chess was. Fifteen years later, he is still in love with the game. He has shared first in a few major tournaments, eg: American Open, North American Open, and Open Rohde (France), and played in several US Championships.
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IM Thomas Rendle (2400)
Thomas learned chess at the age of 5 and was immediately hooked. In 1999 he won the United Kingdom Schools Chess Challenge ahead of 35,000 other competitors and remins the youngest ever winner of the event. Thomas became an International Master in 2006 and got a GM norm at the 2007 Gibtelecom Masters where he finished 5th (along with Michael Adams and Ivan Sokolov). Thomas is now a regular chess coach with England at the World and European Youth Championships.
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IM Mark Ginsburg (2430)
Mark learned chess at age 6 but only at age 13 was he informed that tournaments existed! He received the International Master title at age 22 and had a peak USCF rating of 2578 in 1993. Mark has twice been the Manhattan Chess Club Champion, and has also played quite a bit overseas in Belgium, Holland, England, and Switzerland. Mark has a PhD in Information Systems from NYU. Mark currently resides in Tucson, AZ and has been Co-State Champion of Arizona twice. Chess is a difficult proposition to teach because it combines logic and imagination, but Mark believes that if logic is applied then imaginative ideas work better. This belief comes through in his teaching style and practices...
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FM Valeri Lilov (2443)
Valeri feels fortunate to have learned to play chess from his father when he was only three, immediately becoming seriously engaged. By the age of seven he was able to play blindfold chess in several games simultaneously. At the age of eight, he achieved a record-breaking ELO of 1985. He has won 30 medals in national and international competitions, and in 2008 achieved his highest rating of 2433 and the title of FIDE master as well as two IM norms.
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FM Elliott Liu (2356)
April 25 is actually "Elliott Liu Day" in San Diego County! The young FIDE Master from San Diego earned that special distinction by winning the 2005 U.S. Cadet Championship, 2006 Pan-American Games U18, 2 IM norms, and playing in one U.S. Championship and three World Youth Championships. The 19-year old is just completing his freshman year at Stanford University.
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FM Charles Galofre (2338)
Charles picked up chess in middle school after his mother bought him what was then Chessmaster 7000. The one and only chess club in town was in an establishment previously owned by his father so needless to say he felt right at home. Locally, he excelled at the scholastic level going on to become Florida's K-12 Champion and Denker representative. He currently attends College where he plays Board two for one of our coutry's top chess teams.
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FM Todd Andrews (2337)
Todd's tournament experience began with a bang, winning the u1200 section of his first tournament. In one year of feverish study and play he gained an unprecedented 1000 rating points. Since establishing himself as a strong master, he has turned to teaching, and found it extremely rewarding as well. He has also been quite successful: his students have won national championships.
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