December Babies: A Chess Zodiac
So, you were born in December? Or are looking to write a blog about chess players who share birthdays with one of your favorite celebrities in another sport or perhaps from the big, small, or micro screen. Well, this post offers any number of famous, or at least incredibly capable, chess players, streamers, and/or authors who were born in December. And a few days that present multiple individuals. Here's an alphabetical teaser list up front: "the Black Death" (that's the only hint you get); one of the Chessbrahs (c'mon, r u kiddin' me. You must know who they are); Lasker (but which of the three?); Josh Waitzkin (what world title did he win?); Tatiana Zatulovskaya (okay, big bonus points if you knew who she was); and "X", for don't you wish you knew, is one of the GMs who produce "Game of the Day" analyses.
So, here's the big question: What do the biographies of the chess personalities born on a given day say about the chess potential of those born that same day in December?
Like any good zodiac, it often admits to multiple interpretations. What? Did you expect more than pseudo-science? And for now, you'll have to draw your own inferences from the information provided. The lucre, and stunning lack thereof, received to date from these blogs hardly pays for me to walk over to the faucet and fill up my glass of water. Let alone to provide my keen insights into how people are influenced by those with whom they share a random day of birth.
Inside this lively post, you'll find images of photos, stamps, paintings, videos, or sketches of various chess luminaries. You can scroll day by day or click on a specific date below if that's your sole interest. After looking at the bio of the birthday personality or personalities on a given day you will see a link that can return you here to select another day of the month. If you want. Enjoy!
Links to December Birth Dates
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31
Links to December Classical World CCs (not blitz, rapid, Fischer Random, etc.)
Anand, New_World_CC_2025, Lasker
Links to Other December GM Notables
Edward_Lasker, Pillsbury, Rozman, Nakamura, Dvoretsky, Blackburne, Rubinstein, Timman
Links to December Chess Couples
Lagno
Looking for birthdays in other months?
October Babies Chess Zodiac
February Babies: A Chess Zodiac
Sources for this information included chess.com, wikipedia.com, ChessBase, FIDE, individuals' websites, YouTube.com, news articles, books, and other sources including A-Z Quotes | Quotes for All Occasions. Plus, my faulty memories. I mixed, matched, cut, and pasted so much that separation is implausible. Particularly with quotes which are found in a thousand repositories, not to mention book covers, t-shirts, and the rantings of chess coaches of whom I've had more than a few thanks to Chess University and @AttilaTurzo (my primary instructor).
Semyon Abramovich Furman (December 1, 1920 – March 17, 1978) was a factory worker and Soviet GM who did not achieve the title until age 46! Of course, part of that delay could be traced to the fact few Soviet players were allowed to travel abroad where titles could be earned. Furman was also a phenomenal trainer and is given credit for developing Karpov into a World CC. Chessmetrics estimated his peak rating at 2708 in 1948. That would have placed him at #11 in the world at that time…well before he achieved his IM title, let alone his GM title!
Anda Šafranska, born 2 December 1960, is a Latvian WGM who won the Latvian Women’s CC eight times between 1982 and 1997. She played for the Latvian Women’s team in four Olympiads, twice on first board. Her peak rating was 2367 in January 2000.
She has lived in France since 2000 with her French GM husband Vladimir Lazarev.
Edward Lasker was a German-American IM and Go player. An engineer by profession, with degrees in Mechanical and Electrical Engineering, he wrote books on Go, chess, and checkers! He also won five US Opens. Some of his books included Chess Strategy, Chess and Checkers: the Way to Mastership, and Go and Go-Moku. Lasker invented a mechanical breast pump and earned him significant sums of money, but it caused friends to refer to him as “the chest player”. Edward and Emanuel Lasker may have been third cousins twice removed, but that is difficult to determine. We'll encounter two other Laskers in December!
Lasker’s most famous game, if not necessarily his best, involved a queen sacrifice followed by a king hunt. That game is shown below. The game had an interesting time control. Though referred to as blitz, the actual time criteria stipulated that at no time could one player have used five minutes more than their opponent.
Miguel Illescas is a Spanish GM and FIDE Senior Trainer, born 3 December 1965. The Spanish CC eight times, he has represented Spain frequently since 1986 with an individual bronze medal in 2006. His peak FIDE rating of 2640 in July 1996 placed him #25 in the world. He still maintains a rating of 2594 as of November 2024, dropping six points this month to drop out of the 2600 club.
Miguel was part of the GM team supporting the Deep Blue project in preparation for the match against Kasparov. Consequently, Kramnik asked Illescas to join his as a second for the 2000 match and upset of Kasparov. Illescas also served as a second for Kramnik’s subsequent World CC matches. Around 1993 he established a chess school, La Escuela de Ajedrez de Miguel Illescas (EDAMI). That translates loosely as The School of Chess of Miguel Illescas.
You can occasionally find him playing on chess.com as @DEARMIKE.
Joshua (Josh) Waitzkin, born 4 December 1976, is a former chess player and author who earned his IM title by age sixteen. His renown in the chess world stems largely from the 1993 film Searching for Bobby Fischer, based on his father’s book, Searching for Bobby Fischer: The Father of a Prodigy Observes the World of Chess. Josh retired from chess in 1999. Before retiring he authored the book Attacking Chess: Aggressive Strategies, Inside Moves from the U.S. Junior Chess Champion.
He is also a tai chi world champion and the coach of several others to win tai chi world titles. Josh is also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt.
Harry PillsburyHall Of Fame - 37: Harry Pillsbury - Chess.com
Harry Nelson Pillsbury (December 5, 1872 – June 17, 1906) was an American chess player born in 1872 who died intolerably young, aged only 33. In 1892 he beat World CC Steinitz in a 3-game match…but while receiving odds of a pawn. His greatest victory was toppling the rest of the field to claim victory in the 1895 Hastings chess tournament. By doing so he finished ahead of Emanuel Lasker, Stenitz, Chigorin, Gunsberg, Tarrasch, Schlechter, and Janowski. He won the US CC in 1897 and retained the title until he died in 1906. Pillsbury's poor health prevented him from furthering his career.
Rustam Kasimdzhanov (born 5 December 1979) is an Uzbek GM and one-time FIDE World CC (2004-05). The expected consolidation match against Kasparov never took place. His peak rating was 2715 in May 2015, but his peak world ranking was significantly earlier. Rustam was ranked #11 in the world in October 2001. As of November 2024, he is still #44 in the world, rated 2685. Other accomplishments included placing second in the 1999 World Junior CC, an individual bronze on board one in the 2000 Olympiad, and placing as the runner-up to Anand in the 2002 FIDE Chess World Cup. Subsequently, Rustam was a longtime second to Anand, including three of the latter’s World CC matches, and for Caruana in his 2018 World CC match.
Rustam currently trains Arjun Erigaisi and also works with Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
Levy Rozman, aka GothamChess, born 5 December 1995, is an American IM, content creator, commentator, and author. His peak ELO was 2421 in August 2018. He is rated 2347 as of November 2024 but has recently made a push to participate in rated events in an effort to secure GM norms and the necessary 2500 rating.
In March 2021 his YouTube channel was the first chess channel to accumulate over 1B views! And by November 2023 he had over 4.3M subscribers on YouTube. No surprise that Forbes listed him in the 30 Under 30: Games category. Levy did take a brief hiatus from streaming in 2021 due to online harassment but has since been able to return to his media channels much to the delight of viewers worldwide.
Rodrigo Rafael Vásquez Schroeder (born December 6, 1969) is a Chilean GM and five-time Chilean CC. He played for his national team in seven Olympiads. His peak rating of 2561 was reached in January 2005, and he still packs a hefty punch with a 2446 rating in November 2024.
He plays quite frequently on chess.com as @K_A_S_T_O_R and currently resides in Hong Kong. He also streams on Twitch where he can be found at GMKastor - Twitch.
G. H. (Geoffrey Harber) Diggle (the Badmaster) was born December 6, 1902. A British chess player, he contributed articles to the British Chess Magazine, Newsflash, and Chess Moves. C.H.O’D. Alexander considered Diggle to be one of the best chess writers…and is also the chess celebrity who coined him “the Badmaster” after Diggle described a game he lost in seven moves. Diggle used that sardonic title as a pseudonym for many articles he wrote in the 1970s and 80s. There are two collections of Diggle’s Newsflash articles collected as volumes one and two of Chess Characters: Reminiscences of a Badmaster.
Anyone who has the character to describe themselves as “an accomplished resigner” is just alright in my books. G.H. did win a county CC.
Anton Filippov, 6 December 1986, is an Uzbekistani GM, Asian U16 CC, Asian U18 CC, and tied for first in the 2004 Uzbekistani CC. His peak rating was 2652 in November 2012 and he topped out at #94 globally in February 2013. I found no FIDE-rated classical games after September 2016 when his rating stood at 2592.
He played for Uzbekistan in five Olympiads, winning an individual silver on board two in 2012 with a 2820 performance rating for the event.
He was online on chess.com @Filippov_Anton in May 2025, but I found no games after October 2023.
Akopian is third from the left, next to Aronian.
Vladimir Akopian (Russian: Владимир Акопян, Armenian: Վլադիմիր Հակոբյան; born December 7, 1971) is an Armenian-American GM and FIDE Senior Trainer. Winner of the World U16 CC, the World U18 CC, and the World Junior CC he also won the Armenian CC twice. In 1999 he reached the finals of the FIDE knockout World CC, but lost to Khalifman. And in 2004 he reached the quarterfinals of the FIDE World CC, losing to Michael Adams. Akopian participated on three gold-medal winning Armenian teams in the Olympiad. He occupied the super-GM level for a time, crossing the 2700 threshold and reaching 2713 in July 2006. His peak world rank was #11 in January 2004. He is still rated 2595 as of November 2024.
You can find him on chess.com as @GMValeduser but his most recent game was in June 2022. There is contact information on the site for those interested in his availability as a coach.
Nino Gurieli, born 7 December 1961, is a Georgian IM and WGM. She won the Georgian Women’s CC in 1976 and has competed in the Women’s round robin World CC several times. Her husband, Zurab Sturua, is a GM.
Tatiana Zatulovskaya (Hebrew: טטיאנה זטולובסקיה; Russian: Татьяна Яковлевна Затуловская, Tatiana Yakovlevna Zatulovskaya; 8 December 1935 – 2 July 2017) was a Soviet-Russian-Israeli WGM. Twice the Women’s World CC, she was also a three-time Soviet Women’s CC. She won individual gold and silver medals in the two Olympiads she participated in, a member of the gold-medal winning Soviet women’s team. Her peak rating was 2270 in July 1972 when she was ranked #11 in the world.
Yelena Dembo, 8 December 1983, is a Greek IM and WGM who also coaches and writes. While living in Hungary, she won the Hungarian Women’s CC, but most of her time is spent coaching. Her peak rating was 2482 in September 2009 and still clocks in at 2448 as of November 2024.
Her books have included The Very Unusual Book About Chess, Conversation with a Professional Trainer - Methods of Positional Play, Play the Grünfeld, and Fighting the Anti-King's Indians: How to Handle White's Tricky Ways of Avoiding the Main Lines.
Javokhir Sindarov (Uzbek: Жавоҳир Синдаров/Javohir Sindarov; born 8 December 2005) is an Uzbekistani GM. A childhood prodigy, he was the second-youngest GM in history when he earned the GM title at 12y, 10m, and 5d. He crossed the super-GM threshold in December 2023 with ELO 2701, placing him #35 in the world. As of November 2024, he is rated 2682.
Curiously, he is found on chess.com @Wonderboy05 but his title does not show. However, I found no games since 2021.
Hikaru Nakamura, born 9 December 1987, is an American GM, streamer, YouTuber, and more. His accomplishments include five US CCs and he is the reigning Fischer Random World CC. He has finished as the runner-up to Magnus in two World Blitz CCs, plus two third-place finishes. Naka has twice placed third in the World Rapid CCs. His peak rating of 2816 places him at #10 all-time…and left him at #2 in October 2015 behind a certain GOAT. Hikaru was rated 2802 as November 2024 closed.
In 2006 Naka helped the US team win the bronze medal in the Olympiad. Then he won the individual gold medal on board one in 2010, leading the US team to a silver. Probably chess.com’s most famous blitz and bullet player, he recently accomplished another never-before-seen feat, winning all three premier titled player events in a single week Bullet Brawl Nov. 16, 2024: Nakamura Secures Historic Bullet Brawl And Titled Tuesday Trifecta.
He has provided content on https://www.youtube.com/@GMHikaru for some time, including some hilarious shared moments with GothamChess during PogChamps competitions. On X he goes by @GMHikaru. Most of his streaming now appears to take place at https://kick.com/gmhikaru.
Though briefly caught up in one of the most recent chess controversies to roil the legal landscape, Hikaru may have found some solace in a decisive victory against a former legal adversary 2024 SCC: Nakamura Defeats Niemann By Double Digits In Consolation Match.
Ernesto Inarkiev (Russian: Эрнесто Казбекович Инаркиев; born 9 December 1985) is a Russian GM with a peak rating of 2732 in September 2016, i.e., a super-GM! In October 2016 he reached #25 in the world. Not showing much decline he is still #83 in the world with an ELO of 2650 in November 2024. He played for Kyrgyzstan in two Olympiads.
In an interesting coincidence, Dvoretsky was his trainer for a period of time, sharing the same birthdays.
There is now a “Carlsen-Inarkiev” rule regarding illegal moves. This amendment to the rules was driven by a 2017 incident in which Inarkiev attempted to obtain a victory by noting that Carlsen had made an illegal move in a blitz game. Originally the arbiter agreed but the chief arbiter overturned that initial ruling. Amusingly, Inarkiev himself had made an illegal move on his prior turn.
He can be found on chess.com as @Vorenus_Lucius, but does not appear to have played a game in over two years.
Mark Izrailevich Dvoretsky (Russian: Марк Изра́илевич Дворе́цкий; December 9, 1947 – September 26, 2016) was a Russian IM, chess trainer, and writer. Considered by most to have been of GM strength, he chose to focus on his role as a trainer. This despite having a peak rating of 2540, placing him at #37 in the world in 1976.
He may have been the world’s best trainer to the elite. The list of chess superstars who were his students at one time seems almost endless: Kasparov, Anand, Topalov, Bareev, Lautier, Dreev, Inarkiev, and on, and on, and on.
He and Artur Yusupov, another student and one who reached #3 in the world, formed a school and collaborated on books together. I found 26 titles attributed to either the duo or to Dvoretsky himself.
Divya Deshmukh is an Indian WGM and IM. Winner of the Indian Women’s CC in 2022 she has a peak ELO of 2501 so passed that hurdle in October 2024 on her likely path to becoming a GM. Part of the gold medal Indian Women’s team in the 2020 team, she then earned an individual bronze at the 2022 Olympiad, and both team and individual gold medals at the 2024 Olympiad. She won the World U20 Women’s CC in 2024 and also finished first in the 2024 edition of the Tata Steel women’s rapid section despite being the lowest-seeded player. Along the way she defeated several former world champions and the current champion, Ju Wenjun, during her march to the top of the podium.
She can be found on chess.com as @DivyaDeshmukh23, where she plays frequently.
Joseph Henry Blackburne (10 December 1841 – 1 September 1924) was a British chess player. Nicknamed "The Black Death" because of his vigorous attacking style and large black beard, he dominated British chess in the late 19th century. The game at YouTube shown above is representative of his Romantic-era style of play, a lovely sacrificial masterpiece crafted in a simul against an unknown player. Blackburne’s style of play seemed most suited to tournament play where he regularly won against the world’s best until the mid-1890s started to bring in a new generation of stars. In match play, his results were at best mixed. ChessMetrics estimates his peak rating at 2748 in August 1886, placing him #2 worldwide.
Blackburne became a professional chess player after losing his day job while playing in the 1862 London International Tournament. Most of his money was made while touring and playing simuls and giving blindfold exhibitions. Estimates suggest Blackburne played over 100,000 games in his career!
Viswanathan Anand
Hall Of Fame - 9: Viswanathan Anand - Chess.com
Viswanathan "Vishy" Anand text (born 11 December 1969) is an Indian GM, five-time World CC, two-time Rapid World CC, World Blitz Cup winner in 2000, two-time World Cup CC, and a winner of the World Junior CC. And who can’t love a guy whose nickname is “The Tiger of Madras.” His peak rating of 2817 in March 2011 is the eighth-highest rating of all time and he spent 21 months as #1 in the world during his career.
Known for the speed of his play when younger (and nicknamed “The Lightning Kid”), Vishy toned down that aspect of his classical chess.
In 1995 he played Kasparov for the PCA World CC but lost. The most intriguing aspect I remember at the time was the views from the World Trade Center, views no longer available after 09-11-2001. In the 1998 cycle Anand faced Karpov for the FIDE World CC but lost both games in the rapid playoff. In 2000 Vishy won his first FIDE World CC, defeating Shirov in a six-game match. Anand held that title until 2002. Then, in 2007 he became the undisputed World CC, a title he held until 2013.
He plays somewhat irregularly on chess.com under @TheVish.
Gawain Christopher Bernard Jones, 11 December 1987, is an English GM and 3-time British CC. At one point he was a member of the super-GM club, logging in at 2709 In June 2019 when he reached #32 in the world rankings. He is still in the top 100 in the world, sitting at #98 with a 2639 rating in November 2024.
He has written five books, four on the Sicilian Defence and one with the memorable title Coffeehouse Repertoire 1.e4 Volume 1.
He plays spasmodically (i.e., infrequently but in bursts of multiple games when he does play) on chess.com under the nom de guerre @VerdeNotte.
Hall Of Fame - 23: Akiba Rubinstein - Chess.com
Akiba Kiwelowicz Rubinstein (1 December 1880 – 14 March 1961) was a Polish GM who was scheduled to play Lasker for the World CC in 1914 until a war intervened. Chessmetrics ranks him as the #1 player in the world for 25 individual months in the 1908 - 1914 timeframe.
His play after the war never displayed the same form and in later years he was plagued by mental illnesses. Rubinstein was a phenomenal endgame player, touted regularly by IM Silman as an exemplar. Numerous opening variations are named after him including the Rubinstein Attack, the Rubinstein variation of the Four Knights Game, and the Rubinstein Variation of the Symmetrical English.
Congratulations to Gukesh Dommaraju! Though his chronological date of birth was May 29, 2006, today marks his birth as the 18th World CC--is it a mere coincidence that he's 18 years old? It's been a good year for Gukesh. Earlier this year he won a team and gold medal at the 45th Chess Olympiad. His peak rating was 2794 in October of this year but that dropped to 2783 after the match.
Want more? Sorry, you'll have to wait until May 2025.
Nikola Sedlak, 13 December 1983, is a Serbian Gm with a peak rating of 2609 in May 2018. He won the Serbian CC in 2010 and won an individual gold on board four in the 2012 Olympiad, one of five Olympiads he has played. He also won the EU Open CC in 2007.
He is particularly skilled in the London System, Torre System, Grunfeld Defence, and Caro-Kann. He has written books about the London System and the Stonewall Dutch.
On chess.com he is coach and occasionally plays blitz under the sobriquet @cody1983.
chess.com Hall of Fame - 41: Jan Timman
Jan Timman, 14 Dec 1951, is a Dutch GM who reached #2 in the world in January 1982 (behind Karpov), though his peak ELO was eight years later at 2680. But hey, ratings inflation is a myth. Jan is still rated 2531 at age 72. Timman represented the Netherlands in thirteen Olympiads and won an individual gold on first board in 1976.
A nine-time winner of the Dutch CC he participated in the Candidates several times. Timman lost twice in Candidates Finals matches, losing to Karpov in 1990 and to Short in 1993. Jan made it to the FIDE World CC once, losing to Karpov in 1993 while Kasparov had broken with FIDE and was playing Short in the PCA World CC.
One of the chief editors of New in Chess, he wrote the classic The Art of Chess Analysis. And his book Timman’s Titans won the English Chess Federation’s Book of the Year in 2017.
Victor (Viorel) Bologan (born 14 December 1971) is a Moldovan GM who achieved super-GM status over a decade ago when he peaked at 2734 ELO in August 2012. His highest ranking in the world chess scene was at #18 in April 2005. He is still among the elite GMs with a 2600 rating in November 2024. An accomplished author, he has published on the Chebanenko Slav, KID, Rossolimo Sicilian, Catalan, Caro-Kann, and Ruy Lopez for Black.
He has developed numerous chess opening DVDs, including what I would consider an offbeat The Fighting Philidor. He has a PhD earned in 1996. It is no surprise that his dissertation is related to chess and addresses the structure of preparation of top-tier players.
He plays regularly on chess.com as @NewBornNow.
Henrijeta Konarkowska-Sokolov, born 14 December 1938, is a Polish-Serbian WGM with a peak ELO of 2180 in January 1975. She won the Polish Women’s CC four times and the Yugoslav Women’s CC twice. She played in three Olympiads and won two individual bronze medals, one as second board and the other as first reserve board.
December 15
Rashid Gibyatovich Nezhmetdinov (Russian: Раши́д Гибя́тович Нежметди́нов, Tatar: Рәшит Һибәт улы Нәҗметдинов, Räşit Hibät ulı Näcmetdinov; 15 December 1912 – 3 June 1974) was a Soviet IM, chess writer, and checkers Master.
Nezhmetdinov even placed second in the 1949 Russian Checkers Championship while playing a chess tournament at the same facility. Shades of Ivanchuk! A renowned tactician, Rashid's biographer Alex Pushkin compared him to Chigorin, Reti, and Spielmann.
One of his occasional nicknames was “No Reverse Gear.” It is possible he never became a GM because restrictions on Russian travel at the time prevented him from playing in tournaments offering GM norms. In support of his true playing strength consider that he had a lifetime positive score against world champions.
Susanna “Sonja” Graf (December 16, 1908 – March 6, 1965) was a German and American WIM who made her living as a touring chess professional...largely to escape her father and partly because it offered an exciting professional lifestyle for a young woman in the 1920s and 1930s. Twice the US Women’s CC, she also played in a Women’s World CC match against Vera Menchik in 1937, losing rather handily.
While playing in the 1939 Olympiad and concurrent Women’s World CC, WWII broke out. Along with many others, Sonja stayed in Argentina. She later moved to California before eventually ending in NYC’s Greenwich Village where she gave lessons at the Queen's Pawn Chess Emporium.
Arshak B. Petrosian (Armenian: Արշակ Պետրոսյան; born December 16, 1953) is an Armenian GM and National Coach. A two-time winner of the Armenian CC he also participated on the gold-medal winning Armenian team at the 2008 and 2012 Olympiads. His peak ELO was 2514 in July 1999 but he has been inactive since May 2019 according to FIDE records. Recently Petrosian has filled dual roles as both a trainer and mentor for his son-in-law and one-time super-GM (at 2763), Péter Lékó.
Alexander Genrikhovich Beliavsky (Russian: Алекса́ндр Ге́нрихович Беля́вский, Ukrainian: Олександр Генріхович Бєлявський, Slovene: Aleksander Henrikovič Beljavski; also romanized Belyavsky; born December 17, 1953) is a Soviet, Ukrainian and Slovenian GM, FIDE Senior Trainer, and chess coach. He won the World Junior CC in 1973 and the USSR CC four times. He played top board on the gold-medal winning USSR team in the 1984 Olympiad. His peak rating was 2710 in July 1997 and his peak world ranking was #4 in July 1985. He even rejoined the top 100 list in the world in 2013 at age 59!
He has written or co-authored six books that I am aware of, including opening books on the Two Knights Defence and the Fianchetto Grunfeld, three endgame books, and one title that probably best describes his playing style, Uncompromising Chess. Beliavsky was always known for his take-no-prisoners approach to the game.
Pontus Carlsson, born 18 December , is a Swedish GM with dual Colombian citizenship, where he was born. His peak rating was 2530 in May 2012, but has receded to 2450 as of November 2024.
When asked in his opponents are surprised when they place his name and country with his face, he provided the following memorable quote, “No, I don't think so. I mean, there are only two black GMs in the world and I'm the only one that plays in Europe, so everyone knows who I am. It's not possible for me to hide!”
He only plays very infrequently on chess.com as @GMPontusCarlsson, but he does indicate in his profile that he is available as a chess coach.
Diego Flores (born 18 December 1982) is an Argentine GM and five-time Argentine CC and has played on the national team in multiple Olympiads. His peak rating was 2634 in November 2018 but that had slid to 2552 as of November 2024. He has been the chess columnist in Diario Democracia since 2004.
He is clearly a Messi fan as he plays on chess.com as @messiboca.
Anna Sharevich (born December 18, 1985) is a Belarusian-American WGM with a peak ELO of 2378 in May 2011. A four-time Belarusian Women’s CC who played in six Olympiads for her country, she switched her federation to American in 2014. I found no games for her after 2021 and chess.com lists her status as retired.
Robert Lee Hess, born 19 Dec 1991, is an American GM, commentator, streamer, and writer. His peak ELO was achieved over a decade ago, a superlative 2639 in July 2012. He still hovers near the 2600 mark, registering at 2591 in November 2024. Hess was on the silver-medal US team at the 2009 World Team CCs and he received the 2010 Samford Fellowship.
His Twitch channel has over 73K followers. You can find him on chess.com as @GMHess.
Vasja Pirc (December 19, 1907 – June 2, 1980) was a Yugoslav GM and International Arbiter. He is perhaps best known as a strong proponent of the hypermodern Pirc Defence! ChessMetrics suggests his peak rating would have been 2680 in September 1939 and deemed him as high as #9 in the world in 1935.
David Klein (born 20 December 1993) is a Dutch GM with a peak rating of 2517 in January 2015. He has kept his rating near that level (2495 in November 2024) despite working on his PhD in chemistry. He still plays occasionally on chess.com as @David_Klein and offers chess training.
December 21Duncan Suttles (born 21 December 1945) is a Canadian GM and ICCF GM. His originality over the board earned him international recognition from the mid-1960s through the 1970s. In particular, he championed the Modern Defence and was one of the first to play 1.g3 as White, aiming for a reversed Modern Defence. He played for the Canadian national team in eight Olympiads and played board one for the Canadian team at the 1971 Student Olympiad where Canada won a bronze medal. Suttles won the Canadian Open CC in 1973 and the US Open CC that same year, defeating Walter Browne in the last round.
He retired from competitive chess in 1985 and founded a technology company.
Andreea-Cristiana Navrotescu (born 21 December 1996) is a French WGM and individual silver medalist in the 2016 Olympiad. Her peak rating was 2373 in July 2022. That has gone up and down significantly over the past two years she is back to 2356 as of December 2024.
Navrotescu Wins With Stunning Perfect Score In London - Chess.com “French WGM Andreaa Navrotescu achieved a feat that not even GM Magnus Carlsen could achieve before her. She won an event with a perfect 9/9 score.”
Borislav Krastev Ivanov (Bulgarian: Борислав Кръстев Иванов; born 21 December 1987) was a Bulgarian FM.
Also known as “The Cheater?” One can only speculate. During 2012 and 2013 his results suddenly turned a performance corner, and he beat several grandmasters. This led to multiple cheating accusations against him. Eventually, he was banned by the Bulgarian Chess Federation and FIDE stripped his FM title and excluded him from FIDE's January 2014 rating list. Ivanov protested his innocence while announcing his retirement from chess. Subsequent events.
In 2017 Ivanov was arrested for allegedly masterminding a group forging and selling driver’s licenses on the internet.
December 22 
Arianne Bo Caoili (22 December 1986 – 30 March 2020) was a Filipino and Australian WIM with multiple outside interests including studies for a PhD on Russian Foreign Policy with a focus on Russian economic relations with Armenia. She won the Oceania Women’s CC in 2009 and competed in seven Olympiads. Her peak rating was 2309 in October 2002.
Arianne lived a meteoric, brilliant life. Outside of chess she was a financial consultant and advisor to Armenian PM Karen Karapetyan. She was also a celebrity! She danced, and finished as runner-up, in the fifth Australian season of Dancing with the Stars. Then, in Deal or No Deal she won a car for the home competition entrant.
Married to Levon Aronian in 2017 she died tragically from injuries sustained in a car crash in 2020.
Gregory (Greg) Shahade (born December 22, 1978) is an American IM and chess promoter. Winner of the U.S. Chess Trust’s Samford Fellowship in 1999, his peak rating was 2476 in December 2012, but he has not played FIDE-rated games since then.
He was the founder and Commissioner of the U.S. Chess League which later moved to chess.com as the PRO Chess League. He is currently the Commissioner of the Professional Rapid Online Chess League. His father is an FM and his sister is WGM Jennifer Shahade. Greg also founded the U.S. Chess School.
A member of the chess.com staff, he plays regularly as @GregShahade. Here is a link to Greg’s analysis of My Best Game: IM Greg Shahade - Chess.com in which he beat Caruana in a Titled Tuesday game.
Martin Krämer (Kraemer), 23 December 1987, is a German GM with a peak rating of 2587 in April 2019. His current rating is only a hair’s breadth below that at 2576 in November 2024.
Emanuel Lasker
Hall Of Fame - 4: Emanuel Lasker - Chess.com
Emanuel Lasker (December 24, 1868 - January 11, 1941) was the second World CC, holding the title from 1894 – 1921. He learned the game from his older brother, Berthold, who will make an appearance in December as well.
From 1890 – 1893 Emanuel played and won a series of matches against many of the best players of his time, including von Bardeleben, Mieses, Bird, Englisch, Blackburne, and Showalter. In 1894 he capped off his string of successes by claiming the crown from Steinitz by a score of 10W-4D-4L. In the 1896-97 rematch, he won more convincingly with 10W-5D-2L. The rest of his career in tournaments and matches is well discussed elsewhere, so we shall move on.
Lasker was also a first-class contract bridge player who represented Germany at international events in the early 1930s.
He also wrote, and not just about chess, but also bridge, Go, and Lasca, a game of his invention. However, his books never provided a foundation for a school of chess thought or an approach that resonated down the ages for game annotations.
Lasker was also a research mathematician with a PhD, but we’ll leave off mentioning some of his key works, though serious math geeks such as myself find such interesting.
Irina Borisivna Krush (Ukrainian: Ірина Борисівна Круш; born December 24, 1983) is an American GM. An eight-time US Women’s CC and two-time Women’s American Cup Champion, she won her first US Women’s CC at age fourteen! Irina has played in the Women’s Olympiad for every event since 1998, winning a team silver in 2004 and team bronze in 2008. Her peak FIDE rating was 2502 in October 2013 but stands at 2378 as of December 2024.
You can play against her IrinaKrushBot on chess.com and her carbon-based aspect plays on the site as @Irochka83.
Richard Teichmann (24 December 1868 – 15 June 1925) was a German chess master and a chess composer. He was known as 'Richard the Fifth' because he often finished in fifth place in tournaments.”
Teichmann is believed to have originated the phrase, “Chess is 99% tactics.” Chessmetrics estimates his rating in January of 1912 to have been the equivalent of a 2744 ELO rating and deemed him to be the #5 player in the world for 19 different months from 1906 to 1912. Teichmann might have done better in his career but was plagued by chronic eye problems throughout his life, leading him to withdraw from multiple tournaments.
[Yes, I found pictures for him...but found the sketch more compelling.]
Johan Hellsten, born 25 December 1975, is a Swedish GM, chess coach, author, and content creator. A one-time winner of the Swedish CC he played for the Swedish team in three Olympiads. His peak rating was 2592 and still remains at 2550 as of November 2024, but I found no FIDE-rate games after April 2009.
His written works include Mastering Chess Strategy, Mastering Opening Strategy, Mastering Endgame Strategy, and play the Sicilian Kan. He has also provided material for ChessMood.
He plays intermittently on chess.com as @jhellsten.
Samuel Sevian, born 26 December 2000, is an American GM and was the World Youth U12 CC in 2012. In 2021 he tied for the lead in the US CC at the tournament's conclusion, but Wesley So captured the title in tiebreaks. Sam also set a record as the youngest winner ever of the American Continental CC in 2017. His peak rating was 2703 in May 2022, enough to enter the rarefied air of super-GM status and rank him #32 in the world. He currently hovers just below that threshold at 2696 and #35 in the world, as of November 2024.
He plays regularly on chess.com as @Konavets.
Tea Gueci, born December 26, 1999, is an Italian WIM and the youngest to ever win the Italian Women’s CC, at age twelve. She played fourth board for the Italian Women’s team in the 2014 Olympiad. With a peak rating of 2268 in November 2019, she still maintains a rating of 2167 as of December 2024.
She plays on chess.com as @Tea99 and also offers coaching services. Additionally, you can follow her streams at https://www.twitch.tv/teagueci.
Kateryna Aleksandrovna Lagno (Russian: Екатерина Александровна Лагно, Ukrainian: Катерина Олександрівна Лагно), born 27 December 1989, is a Ukranian-Russian GM who changed Federations to Russia in 2014. The women’s World Rapid CC in 2014 and three-time Women’s World Blitz CC, she placed second in the 2018 Women’s World CC. Her peak ELO was 2563 in October 2022 and is still rated 2515 as of 1 December 2024. She earned team gold medals in the 2006 and 2014 Olympiads and earned a team gold at the Women’s World Team Ch on three occasions.
She plays on chess.com as @KaterynaLagno.
Kateryna is married to GM Alexander Grischuk. With his peak rating of 2810 and her peak rating of 2563, this chess power couple has an unbeatable combined peak Elo of 5373! You can read about their relationship in @turtlepro's post The Lovebirds Of Chess (along with two other chess couples.)
Rafael Leitão, 28 Dec 1979, is a Brazilian GM, ICCF FM, and Game-of-the-Day author on chess.com. This seven-time Brazilian CC has competed in four cycles of the FIDE World CC and five FIDE World Cups. He placed third in the 26th Correspondence World CC. His peak OTB rating was 2652 in June 2014, earning him the #100 spot in the world. In April 2012 his ICCF rating checked in at 2592. He has played for the Brazilian team in nine Olympiads and won an individual silver medal in 2006 on board three.
He can be found on chess.com as #GMRafpig. He also streams in Portugese at Rafael Leitão - YouTube.
Miguel Quinteros, born December 28, 1947, is an Argentine GM who won the Argentine CC at age 18, the youngest ever to win the event. He played for the Argentine team in six Olympiads, earning an individual silver on third board in 1976.
In 1987 he managed to earn himself a ban from FIDE events for three years when he chose to play in South Africa despite FIDE sanctions. GM Eugenio Torre was the best man at his wedding.
Igor Viktorovich Kovalenko (Ukrainian: Ігор Вікторович Коваленко; Latvian: Igors Kovaļenko), born 29 December 1988, is a Ukrainian GM who played for Latvia for eight years. A two-time Latvian CC he played for Latvia in three Olympiads, once on first board and twice as second board. His peak rating was 2702, super-GM category, in August 2015, good enough to secure him a spot that month as #44 in the world. His current ELO is 2674 but he has placed most of his chess activities on hold to support his country in the war against Russia.
He does maintain an active online playing presence on chess.com where he can be found @igorkovalenko. His home page provides numerous links to his multi-faceted social media presence.
Aman Hambleton, 30 December 1992, is a Canadian GM and Twitch/Kick streamer who forms part of the Chessbrahs, a chess entertainment company that includes other GMs such as Eric Hansen, Robin van Kampen, and Yasser Seirawan. His peak rating was 2509 in September 2013, and he is rated 2420 as of December 2024. His beard grew apace with his fame as he refused to shave during 2017 while working to achieve his second and third GM norms. He has shared first in one Canadian Open CC and has played for the Canadian team in two Olympiads.
One of his most famous chess moments was a chessboxing match against Lawrence Trent in 2022.
He plays regularly on chess.com as @KNVB.
Bruno Parma, December 30, 1941, is a Slovene-Yugoslav GM. In 1959 he placed second at the World Junior CC, then won it in 1961. A two-time Slovenian CC he played for the Yugoslav team in eight Olympiads. During those years the team won four silver and two bronze medals. His peak rating was 2540 in January 1978, placing him at #46 in the world rankings.
Jennifer Shahade, 31 December 1980, is an American WGM, poker player, fabulous commentator, and writer. Jennifer is a two-time US Women’s CC, with a peak rating of 2366 in April 2003.
Jennifer is also the author of books with fabulous titles such as Chess Bitch: Women in the Ultimate Intellectual Sport, Play Like a Girl, and Chess Queens: The True Story of a Chess Champion and the Greatest Female Players of All Time, as well as being a co-author of Marcel Duchamp: The Art of Chess.
She served almost six years as the Women’s Program Director for the USCF, resigning in a public dispute amidst claims she had received insufficient support when coming forward with assault allegations against a male GM. That individual has since been sanctioned by multiple chess organizations and resigned from his roles with the Saint Louis Chess Club and the Saint Louis University chess team.
Jennifer plays irregularly on chess.com as @jenshahade.
Jennifer is also a world-class poker player. You can learn more about her at https://jennifershahade.com/about/.
Amos Burn was an English chess master and one of the world's leading players in the late 1800s. During his career he was equal first at London 1887, first at Amsterdam 1889, and first at Cologne 1898. All those tournaments had remarkably strong players, including Emanuel Lasker, Wilhelm Steinitz, Joseph Blackburne, and Johannes Zukertort, amongst others. Steinitz was actually his instructor for a period of time.
The following variation of the French Defense is named for him because he was the first to play it regularly with good results 1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.Bg5 dxe4.
Berthold Lasker, born 31 December 1860, taught his younger brother the game. Of course, that younger brother was Emanuel Lasker. Big mistake. Huge! Back to Berthold. A practicing physician treating skin diseases, chessmetrics.com estimates his highest rating at 2683 in June 1891. That would have placed him at #8 in the world. His younger brother’s strength was estimated at 2781 that same month.
Berthold’s best tournament result was at Berlin 1890. He shared first place with his brother. You can read an amusing review of that tournament by @simaginfan at Berlin 1890. Chess, Brothers, Controversy and a Theory.
The moral of Berthold’s life? I often utter the phrase, "No matter where you go there you are." In Berthold’s place, no matter where he went, his younger brother always ended up getting there before him.
Let's Wrap it Up!
I hope you enjoyed this blog. It continued to scratch my interest in historical and contemporary chess figures. To the extent time and my lack of diligence allowed, there are links to personal websites, chess.com usernames, and individual home pages. There are even references to some of their feeds on X or YouTube. Along this journey, I also found some interesting games. Given all the material, I was only able to include a smattering of games, book images, YouTube clips, and links to articles. I hope you find some of interest.
If there were any errors, please advise me and I'll correct those. And if there is some other information you would like included in every future chess player bio, I'll do what I can to oblige. Please note that at this point I do not intend to list up front the players who had a birthday in a given month. That would reduce the surprise factor, akin to your parents giving you a list of gifts you can expect well in advance of some special event. Plus, they could just be messing with your head. Not that I've ever done that to my kids.
If you did enjoy this post, please let me know as there is a bit of labor involved in putting this together and "me" as an audience of one would be either a testimony to rampant narcissism or perhaps to a masochistic bent. If there is no enthusiasm for this type of blog, I'll retire it before putting in the time on a list of December titled players who might share a birthday with you or someone you know.
