May Babies: A Chess Zodiac
Maybe, maybe not.
Like mayflies, each day lasts only 24 hours (ignoring the fact a day is actually about four minutes less than that), so the opportunity to be born the same day as a famous chess player is fleeting. Even more so since most of us probably consider only fifty or so chess players to be truly famous. Spread a list of only fifty names across a year (about one per week), and suddenly the odds drop precipitously for sharing a birthday with a "famous" chess player. So sad, too bad.
Let's make things easier on ourselves and consult a list of names that might introduce us to folks we've never heard of, such as oldies but goldies...and some oldies and moldies. On top of that, we'll layer the youth brigade, folks born since 2000 (sure, some of you think some of that crowd are old, but let's cut everyone some slack for a moment). Finally, some garnish that includes World Chess Champions (CCs), chess.com Hall of Famers, chess couples (including couples with combined peak ELOs greater than 5000!), and a few cheaters...they're out there. If you share a birthday with someone in that last category, remember that the notoriety of others provides a pleasant counterpoint to your pristine life. Or, as I used to tell my parents, "You think I'm trouble. What about Bobby (or Susie) next door?"
Aside from all that, 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 May?
What might Wikipedia, chess.com, bloggers, and other sources be saying about you and chess in the future? Will someone credit you for starting them on the path to World CC because they shared your birthday?
Like any good zodiac, this one 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 financial returns, 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. So, enjoy the stories but don't expect me to be the moving hand that writes your future in the sands of time.
Below you'll find images of photos, stamps, YouTube videos, paintings, book covers, or sketches of various chess luminaries, along with bios that range from short and pithy to chess-boy extremes. In some cases, you'll also find links to websites they maintain and their handle on various social media, including your fave, chess.com.
Scroll through the entire list or just click on a specific day, World CC, particularly famous player (imo), or chess couple. And after looking at the biography of the birthday personality or personalities on a given day you should find a link that returns you here so you can select another day of the month. If you want. Enjoy!
Links to May 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 May Classical World CCs (not blitz, rapid, Fischer Random, etc.)
Gaprindashvili, Steinitz, Euwe, Karpov, Gukesh, Zhongyi
Links to Other May Chess Notables
Spielmann, Pachman, Janowski, Soltis
Links to May Chess Couples
Ivanov, Pytel-Wife, Bellón_López, Pentala Harikrishna, Elijanov, Epstein, Bondarevsky, Ivanova, Pytel-Husband, Pourkashiyan, Bartel, Nielsen
Looking for birthdays in other months?
October Chess Babies 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).
Jonathan Hawkins, 1 May 1983, is a GM, two-time British CC, and two-time British Rapid CC. His peak rating of 2592 was achieved in February 2018. I found no FIDE-rated games for him after January 2020 with a last rating update placing him at 2570.
His ascent through the ranks clearly deviates from modern expectations. He did not receive his IM title until age 27 and this GM title at age 31. Let’s hear it for adult improvers!! His journey was chronicled in his book From Amateur to IM, which was obviously published before he took the final step up the ladder. His single blog on chess.com as @SumoHawk talks about his book Amateur to IM Preview. It’s an enjoyable read, imo.
Karthikeyan Murali, 5 January 1999, is an Indian GM, two-time Indian CC, World U12 CC, and World U16 CC. His peak rating is 2651, achieved in January 2025, placing him #76 globally.
He plays regularly on chess.com @youngKID with a bullet rating of 3039 as of 6 April 2025. For some reason, his pfp is a picture of the Arc de Triomphe turned 90 degrees
Alexander Vladimirovich Ivanov, May 1, 1958, is a Soviet-born American GM and one-time US co-CC. His peak rating of 2606 was achieved in 2006. His birth year of 1956 and the institution of FIDE’s ELO system in 1970 mean that his peak FIDE and ChessMetrics ratings are quite similar. The latter lists his peak at 2673 in August 1989. The big difference is the year that happened. Oh, and ChessMetrics lists his peak ranking as #46 in November 1989.
His wife, WIM Esther Epstein, has a peak rating of 2305. Together, this chess couple has a combined peak rating of 4978, ever so close to the mythical 5000 chess power couple combined rating.
Alexander Kazimirovich Tolush (1 May 1910 – 3 March 1969) was a Soviet GM and IM of Correspondence Chess (IMC). ChessMetrics lists his peak rating at 2704 in January 1951 and placed him #10 globally from January 1945 through June of that year.
A chess journalist and noted trainer, he could name Spassky among his students. The Geller Gambit of the Slav Defense should more accurately be cited as the Tolush-Geller Gambit as it was Tolush who introduced the opening into master play in 1947.
@TheChessnerd300, chess.com blogger and chess player, celebrated their birthday today! You can read more about what he has to say at TheChessnerd300 Blog.
Lázaro Bruzón Batista, 2 May 1982, is a Cuban-American GM, former World Junior CC, two-time American Continental CC, and six-time Cuban CC. His peak ELO was 2717 in October 2012, almost seven years after his peak world ranking of #26 in October 2005. His rating had dropped to 2559 as of March 2025.
He plays regularly on chess.com @GMLazaroBruzon with a blitz rating of 2947 as of 19 April 2025. He offers coaching services and can be contacted on chess.com with a DM.
Jaime Sunye Neto, May 2, 1957, is a Brazilian GM, seven-time Brazilian CC, one-time South American CC, and former President of the Brazilian Chess Confederation. FIDE lists his peak rating at 2558 in July 2000, with a peak global ranking of #78 fourteen years earlier. ChessMetrics suggests his peak rating was 2628 in December 1986, seventy points higher than the ever-varying ELO system. That said, ChessMetrics cites his peak ranking as #94 in December 1986, a few spots lower than under the FIDE system, but still in the top 100.
Nona Gaprindashvili (Georgian: ნონა გაფრინდაშვილი; born 3 May 1941) is a Georgian GM, five-time USSR Women’s Chess CC, and was the Women’s World CC for sixteen years, including four title defenses. FIDE cites a peak rating of 2495 in July 1987, so we turn to ChessMetrics for a more measured estimate of her peak playing strength. Using their model we find a peak rating of 2614 in June 1988, placing her #113 globally. Like Judit Polgar, Nona played regularly in men’s tournaments, including a tie for first at the 1977 Lone Pine International.
She played eleven times for the Soviet Union in Women’s Olympiads and once for the Georgian team, earning 25 medals that included eleven team golds and nine individual golds. She was inducted into the World Chess Hall of Fame in 2013.
In 2022, Nona settled a defamation lawsuit against Netflix for their statement in The Queen’s Gambit that she never played in men’s events. However, as is typical in settlements, I found no indication of how she was compensated for the slander. Here is @PeterDogger’s report on that subject Gaprindashvili's 'Queen's Gambit' Lawsuit Vs. Netflix Settled.
Separately, Nona appeared in the 2020 documentary Hail to the Queen which examined the lives of four extraordinary female chess players: Nona, Nana Alexandria, Maia Chiburdanidze, and Nana Ioseliani. Above is a brief trailer for the documentary.
Above you can watch five of Nona’s best victories, narrated by WGM Keti Tsatsalashvili on chess.com.
Batchimeg Tuvshintugs (Mongolian: Түвшинтөгсийн Батчимэг, Tüvshintögsiin Batchimeg; born 3 May 1986) is a Mongolian IM and WGM and two-time Mongolian Women’s CC. She has achieved one GM norm, but with a peak rating of 2412 in May 2016 seems unlikely to earn the GM title in the future.
Ivan Alexandrovich Bukavshin (Иван Александрович Букавшин; 3 May 1995 – 12 January 2016) was a Russian GM and European Youth CC in the U12, U14, and U16 categories. His peak rating of 2658 in January 2016 closely followed his reaching #91 in December 2015. Tragically, he died from an overdose of an anti-spasmodic drug in January 2016.
Bożena Pytel (née Ziemecka, born 3 May 1945) is a Polish WIM and one-time Polish Women’s CC. Her peak rating was 2115 in July 1993. Her peak rating was 2115 in July 1993. ChessMetrics offers a much higher rating in their system, placing her at 2375 in November 1990, #1411 globally.
WIM Bożena and IM Kyzysztof Pytel
Her husband, Krzysztof Pytel, born 15 May, was a Polish IM and two-time Polish CC. Together, this chess couple had a peak combined rating of 4947.
Samuel Standidge Boden (4 May 1826 – 13 January 1882) was an English master who somehow had a famous mating pattern named after him, even though it had been played nine years earlier in Horwitz – Popert, 1844. He also wrote and published anonymously A Popular Introduction to the Study and Practice of Chess. Paul Morphy thought Boden the strongest of the British masters of that time.
Above you will find an example of Boden's Mate applied by Boden. The configuration had actually been seen before, but he managed to get the mating patter named after him! (I need this guy's public relations expert!)
At the following link Secrets of Trapping Pieces: Boden Configuration - Chess.com you can find a blog I wrote on the configuration of a typical Boden’s Mate. However, I extended the configuration to a more generic case where the mere threat of mate is sufficient to extract material concessions from the opponent. Check it out if you'd like to try some puzzles ranging from easy to titled-player difficult!
Joseph Gerald Gallagher (born 4 May 1964) is a British-born Swiss GM, one-time British CC, seven-time Swiss CC, and author. With a peak rating of 2558 in January 2000, he gained two rating points in March 2025 to stand at 2408 entering April.
An acknowledged opening expert on the Black side of the KID and the White side of the King’s Gambit, that has not prevented him from applying his understanding of opening analysis to other openings. He has written opening treatises on other lines: Beating the Anti-Sicilians; The Trompowsky; c3 Sicilian; Starting Out: the Pirc/Modern; and Starting Out: the Caro-Kann. Not content to stick to opening theory, Gallagher has also written books on The Magic of Mikhail Tal and 101 Attacking Ideas in Chess.
Tamir Nabaty (Hebrew: תמיר נבאתי, born 4 May 1991) is an Israeli GM and four-time Israeli CC. His peak rating of 2697 in March 2019 left him just short of the super-GM club that starts at 2700 ELO, but still placed him in the top fifty globally at #46. He lost 17 rating points in September 2024 and fell back to 2613 where he still stands.
He has not played on chess.com since November 2023 and closed his account in 2024. His home page of @TamirNabaty still exists should he choose to reopen.
Silvia Collas (née Aleksieva; born 4 May 1974) is a Bulgarian-French IM and WGM, one-time French Women’s CC, one-time Mediterranean Women’s CC, and former European Girls U20 CC. With a peak rating of 2408 in October 2007, she has represented France in the Women’s Olympiads since 2004, winning an individual silver medal on board 4 in 2012.
Rudolf Spielmann (5 May 1883 – 20 August 1942) was an Austrian master of the Romantic school and author. His nicknames were “The Master of Attack” and “The Last Knight of the King's Gambit”. ChessMetrics estimates his peak strength at #6 globally with a proposed highest rating of 2716.
Reuben Fine said in his 1945 book Chess Marches On (p.173),
In appearance and personal habits Spielmann was the mildest-mannered individual alive. Beer and chess were the great passions of his life; in his later years, at least, he cared for little else. Perhaps his chess became so vigorous as compensation for an otherwise uneventful life.
Spielmann was the author of the classic The Art of Sacrifice in Chess. I remember his sole book fondly and it is considered a classic by most chess epicureans. Spielman’s only other book, Memories of a Chess Master, was delayed by Swedish Nazi sympathizers and he died before its publication.
Rudolf Spielmann by Edward Winter
Spielmann himself believed,
We cannot resist the fascination of sacrifice, since a passion for sacrifices is part of a Chessplayer's nature. Chess Quotes - Sacrifices
Sacrifice-a hallowed, heroic concept! Advancing in a chivalrous mood, the individual immolates himself for a noble idea. [Ibid, Introduction]
The glowing power of a sacrifice is irresistible; enthusiasm for sacrifice lies in man's nature. [The Art of Sacrifice in Chess, Introduction]
If each and every sacrifice had to be of that cast-iron soundness which can be verified by analysis, it would be necessary to banish from the game of chess that proud and indispensable prerogative of the fighter: enterprise. [Ibid]
In real sacrifices the player gives up material but is unable to calculate the consequences with accuracy; he has to rely on his judgment. He obtains dynamic advantages, which he can realize gradually. [The Art of Sacrifice in Chess, p.5]
Unlike the sham sacrifice, in which the aims are clear as day, the real sacrifice has vaguely defined goals; the result lies in the lap of the gods and at most can be formulated only intuitively. [Ibid, p.5]
Sacrificing opportunities are usually fleeting and must be seized at the right moment. [Ibid, p.26]
...a positional sacrifice need not necessarily lead to an advantage in position. Undertaken in a bad position, it may barely save the game or merely prolong existence. [Ibid, p.11]
We cannot resist the fascination of sacrifice, since a passion for sacrifices is part of a Chessplayer's nature. Chess Quotes - Sacrifices
The beauty of a game of chess is usually assessed according to the sacrifices it contains.
A good sacrifice is one that is not necessarily sound but leaves your opponent dazed and confused. Chess Quotes - Sacrifices
I can comprehend Alekhine's combinations well enough; but where he gets his attacking chances from and how he infuses such life into the very opening - that is beyond me.
You wanted more? You got it! (Apologies for the ads up front on that video but I have no control over those...it's the internet.)
You can read more about this intriguing uber-tactician in @kahns A Century of Chess: Rudolf Spielmann (1920-29) and A Century of Chess: Rudolf Spielmann (from 1910-1919), or @Silman for Rudolf Spielmann, the Lethal Gentleman!, or @vitualis The Art of Sacrifice in CHESS! 😌.
Roman Yakovlevich Dzindzichashvili, aka “Dzindzi” to many from my era, (Georgian: რომან იაკობის-ძე ჯინჯიხაშვილი; pronounced jin-jee-khash-VEE-lee; born May 5, 1944) is a Soviet-born Israeli-American GM and two-time US CC who shared the title two other players on both occasions.
With a peak rating of 2595 in October 1978, and #13 in the world in January 1979, his rating settled in at 2550 in October 2008 and I found no FIDE-rated games since. ChessMetrics offers a far better estimate of his playing strength given ELO-inflation over the decades since the system was introduced in 1970. Using ChessMetrics as a more accurate baseline, we find Roman with a peak rating of 2730 in October 1978, when he would have been #15 globally.
A well-known theoretician, and a beloved coach for many. Dzindzi’s students included Gata Kamsky and Eugene Perelshteyn and he developed numerous instructional DVDs entitled “Roman’s Lab.” Now he produces chess.com instructional materials. I remember as a student in Chess University we were told not to mention Yermolinsky's name to Dzindzi, or vice versa.
Listed on chess.com as @JRLOK he focuses on coaching and producing instructional materials for the site.
Roman appeared as himself in the movie Searching for Bobby Fischer.
Andor (André, Andre, Andrei) Arnoldovich Lilienthal (5 May 1911 – 8 May 2010) was a Hungarian and Soviet GM with a peak FIDE-produced rating of 2450 in July 1971. That grossly underestimates his peak playing strength so we look to Chess Metrics for a less biased evaluation since Lilienthal was well past his prime when FIDE instituted their rating system in 1970. The site places scores him at 2710 in December 1934, placing him #6 globally, a placement on the global listings he maintained for thirteen months.
Below is the famous Hastings 1934-35 game where Lilienthal sacrificed his queen to win against Capablanca. Supposedly Fischer greeted Andor with “20. exf6!” when the latter visited the playing hall during the 1992 Fischer-Spassky rematch. That capture was the key move in the victory over the immortal Capablanca.
Kayden William Troff (born May 6, 1998) is an American GM, US Junior CC, former World U14 CC and silver medalist in the World U12 Championship. His peak rating of 2556 was reached in May 2015, but beginning in 2017, he took a six-year break from classical chess. His rating was 2484 entering April 2025.
He streams on Twitch as @ChessSharkz, his username on chess.com. He plays regularly on the site where his bullet rating was 2902 and his blitz rating was 2890 on 25 April 2025.
Vladimir Sveshnikov (son of Evgeny Sveshnikov) Vladimir Sveshnikov (Latvian: Vladimirs Svešņikovs, Russian: Владимир Евгеньевич Свешников, Romanized: Vladimir Yevgenyevich Sveshnikov; born 6 May 1986) is a Latvian IM and the son of the famous GM Evgeny Sveshnikov. Vladimir is a one-time Latvian CC and participated in two Olympiads. His peak rating was 2440 in May 2012 and resided at 2417 as of May 2024.
He and his father wrote A Chess Opening Repertoire for Rapid and Blitz in 2015.
Jesse Kraai, May 6, 1972, is an American GM with a PhD in philosophy from the University of Jena in Germany. His peak rating was 2527 in September 2007. He still plays FIDE events intermittently and his rating stood at 2381 entering April 2025.
He plays regularly on chess.com as @JesseKraai and is part of The Chess Dojo team. I found three video blogs on world CC matches by Jesse from November 2019. They're part of a chess.com series on those matches. Here's a link to the most recent. World Chess Championship 1886: Steinitz vs Zukertort - Chess.com.
There was a three-year gap in his playing starting in 2011 while he wrote Lisa: A Chess Novel. Like many, Jesse has found it more lucrative, in general, to produce video instructional guides, a few shown above.
Timothy David Harding (born 6 May 1948) is a Senior IM of Correspondence Chess, OTB CM, PhD History with a dissertation on correspondence chess, and prolific chess author. His peak OTB rating was 2250 in January 1981. He is credited with coining the name of the Frankenstein-Dracula variation of the Vienna Defense.
Pascal Charbonneau, 6 May 1983, is a Canadian GM, two-time Canadian CC, and played for the Canadian team in five Olympiads. His peak rating was 2517 in March 2017. After an eleven-year break from FIDE events beginning in 2011, he returned to competition in December 2023 and finished May 2024 with a 2508 rating.
You can find him intermittently on chess.com as @RealPascalC.
Manuel Sureni Petrosyan (Armenian: Մանուէլ Սուրենի Պետրոսյան; born May 6, 1998) is an Armenian GM, one-time Armenian CC, World U18 CC, and silver medalist in the 2017 World Junior CC. His peak rating was 2638 in May 2022. His rating has stumbled badly since October, cascading from 2631 in October 2024 to 2544 in April 2025. That is a rare and catastrophic slide for someone who spent most of the five years prior to that slump above the 2600 mark.
He plays in bursts on chess.com as @Manuel_Petrosyan.
Eric Lobron, 7 May 1960, is a German GM and two-time West German CC, who abandoned his law studies to play chess professionally. He represented Germany in nine Olympiads, earning an individual bronze on board three in 1990. With a peak rating of 2625 in July 1992, and rank of #21, he mostly drifted away from the OTB pro circuit in the mid-2000s, though he still plays online blitz frequently. ChessMetrics offers a similar assessment, placing him at 2678 in April1993 but only as high as #38 globally. His classical rating fell four rating points in March 2025, leaving him at 2442.
For a number of years, he dated supermodel Carmen Kass, herself an avid chess player. You can look her pictures up for yourself.
Johan Salomon, 7 May 1997, is a Norwegian GM and one-time Norwegian CC. His peak rating was 2514 in July 2019 and that has receded to 2492 as of April 2022, with no FIDE-rated classical games since. He did play some rapid games in September 2022, raising that rating sixty points to 2392.
He plays in bursts on chess.com as @JohanSalomon and from 21 – 26 April played a slew of 960 games.
Juan Manuel Bellón López, 8 May 1950, is a Spanish GM, FIDE Developmental Instructor, and five-time Spanish CC. He played for the Spanish team in eleven Olympiads, winning an individual silver medal on fourth board in 1978. With a peak rating of 2510 in July 1991, he maintains an active playing schedule that has seen his rating gradually decline to 2263 as of April 2025. ChessMetrics lists him with a peak rating of 2546 in July 1990, and a best world rank of #204 in 1976.
The Bellón Gambit (1.c4 e5 2.Nc3 Nf6 3.Nf3 e4 4.Ng5 b5) is his main contribution to opening theory, a line that is still played over fifty years later.
Juan and his wife Pia Cramling became the first married couple who both held the GM title. With her peak ChessMetrics rating of 2605 and his peak rating, they combine for a 5151 peak ELO, well above the chess power couple mark arbitrarily established at 5000. Their daughter, Anna Cramling Bellón, is a WFM and a well-known chess personality.
Alexander Gregory Fishbein, 8 May 1968, is a Russian-born, American GM and author. His peak rating was 2550 in January 1995 and continues to fluctuate frequently, sinking as low as 2363 a couple of years ago, but a touch higher at 2375 in April 2025. ChessMetrics places his peak a bit higher, at 2578 in November 1993, and ranked him as high as #192 globally in January 1994.
I’ve known about Alex for decades, but I never knew he had written or co-authored six books over the last 32 years. He has focused on a career in finance since 1993, but continued to make time for chess adventures, both on the board and between the book covers.
Peng Zhaoqin (Chinese: 彭肇勤; pinyin: Péng Zhàoqín; born 8 May 1968) is a Chinese-born Dutch GM, three-time Chinese Women’s CC and fourteen-time (yes, 14!!) Dutch Women’s CC, including a streak of twelve straight championships. She also tied for first with Alexandra Kosteniuk in the 2004 European Women’s CC. She took silver on tiebreaks, but received her GM title as what I would consider wonderful compensation.
Her peak rating was 2472 in April 2002, clearly in line with ChessMetrics placing her at 2452 in June 1992, #918 globally. Her rating has not changed from 2351 since October 2024.
She has a chess.com presence as @HuangHou but I found no games since September 2021.
Aleksandr Shimanov, 8 May 1992, is a Russian GM with a peak rating of 2664 in June 2013, good enough for #79 globally. His rating is 2578 as of April 2025.
Alex plays regularly on chess.com as @shimastream with a bullet rating of 3012 and blitz rating of 2926 as of 27 April 2025. He’s a regular participant in at least one Titled Tuesday event weekly from a quick review of his game history.
Gösta Stoltz (May 9, 1904 – July 25, 1963) was a Swedish GM and three-time Swedish CC. ChessMetrics estimates his peak rating at 2700 in January 1942 and places him #8 globally for January and February of that year. During his career he played matches against Botvinnik, Nimzowitsch, Kashdan, Spielmann, Flohr, Ståhlberg, and others. A participant in nine official Olympiads, he also played in the unofficial 1936 Olympiad in Munich. Over the course of those Olympiads he earned an individual gold and bronze to go with a team silver and team bronze.
Here’s what of what Al Horowitz had to say about Stoltz in a New York Times article, September 19, 1963, Page 24, Chess: Stoltz, the Swedish Alekhine, Played Like a True Romantic: “...a swashbuckling player of the Romantic school…he has produced scores of combinational gems, many reminiscent of Alekhine at his best.”
At the link Stoltz vs. Steiner: Games Of The 1950s - Chess.com you can find NM Sam Copeland's #6 Game of the 1950s involving a brilliant queen sacrifice by Stoltz.
In GM@Juio_Bercerra’s post, The Three Swedish Musketeers, you can read about the Three Musketeers of Swedish chess. Stoltz was a member of that trio of GMs.
Pentala Harikrishna, 10 May 1986, is an Indian GM and former World Junior CC, World U10 CC, Commonwealth CC, and Asian CC. A super-GM of long standing, he first crossed the 2700 waterline in February 2013 and reached 2770 in December 2016, and was #10 globally the month prior. Nearly a decade later, he is still rated 2707 in May 2025, #29 in the world.
He represented India in seven Olympiads, earning team gold in the COVID Olympics and 2024, and captured a team bronze in the 2010 World Team CC. Additionally, he served as a second to Ju Wenjun during her 2023 Women’s World CC and was part of the preparation team for Gukesh Dommaraju in the 2024 World CC.
He plays regularly on chess.com @GMharikrishna with a blitz rating of 3062 as of 26 April 2025 and a bullet rating of 3020.
He is married to WFM Nadezda Pentala (nee Stojanovic) who had a peak rating of 2185 in 1998. Together, this chess power couple crosses the 5000 ELO threshold, checking in at 5055. (born 9 Jan 1986)
Pavel Eljanov (Ukrainian: Павло Володимирович Ельянов, romanized: Pavlo Volodymyrovych Elyanov; born 10 May 1983) is a Ukrainian GM with a peak rating of 2765 in March 2016, and a peak world rank of #6 in September 2010. He still slots in at 2668 as of April 2025, just outside of the top fifty at #54. He has earned two team gold medals and an individual silver in Olympiads as a member of the Ukrainian team.
Here you can watch a 2015 chess endgames lesson Ben Finegold was delivering, using some of Elijanov’s games as examples. Ben starts out with some hilarious notes…but I haven’t yet watched the whole video. I’ll get around to it!
He is married to WIM Olena Dvoretska. With her peak rating of 2212 this chess couple sits at a combined ELO of 4977, just below the 5000 threshold arbitrarily established as a true chess power couple. So it goes.
Lothar Maximilian Lorenz Schmid (10 May 1928 – 18 May 2013) was a German GM, IA, ICCF GM, and collector of chess art, boards, books, and sets. FIDE lists his peak rating at 2550 in July 1971, #32 globally. ChessMetrics lists his peak at 2665 in October 1970, #23 globally. Meanwhile, his peak ICCF rating was 2691 in July 1992.
A participant in eleven Olympiads for West Germany, he won four individual silvers and two team bronzes. In the second World Correspondence CC he placed second.
He served as chief arbiter for both Fischer – Spassky matches, Karpov – Korchnoi 1978, and Kasparov – Karpov 1986.
Let’s talk a bit about the largest private chess library in the world. “Among the many rare books he owned was one of only ten copies that have survived of the first-ever printed chess manual Repetición d'Amores y Arte de Ajedrez, published in Salamanca in 1497.” [Wikipedia] He also owned “all eight editions of Pedro Damiano’s book, Questo libro e da imparare giocare a scachi et de la partite (1512-64). About six feet of shelf-space in his library is taken up by all editions published in more than a century of Jean Dufresne’s famous little primer, Kleines Lehrbuch des Schachspiels (1881).” [Chess News, 5/19/2013.]
Here you can see Schmid's choice of his best game ever. It isn't one of his several victories over World CCs and it includes his brief personal notes in this game against one of his best friends.
Bernhard Horwitz (10 May 1807 – 1885) was a German and British chess master, composer, and writer. ChessMetrics estimates his peak rating at 2579 in October 1846 and places him #3 in the world in 24 different months between March 1846 and May 1850. His Chess Studies was an important early work on endgames.
Péter Ács, 10 May 1981, is a Hungarian GM and former World Junior CC. His peak rating was 2623 in January 2003, placing him at #72 globally. He still plays regularly and was at 2568 entering May 2025.
Esther Danilovna Epstein, 10 May 1954, is an American WIM and two-time US Women’s CC. Her peak rating was 2305 in January 1977.
She is married to chess grandmaster Alexander Ivanov. With is ChessMetrics estimated peak rating of 2673, this chess couple checks in at 4978, just below the combined 5000 ELO points power couple.
László Polgár, 11 May 1946, is a Hungarian chess teacher, educational psychologist, and chess author. Oh, and the father of the famous sisters, Zsuzsa (Susan), Zsófia (Sofia), and Judit (Judit 😉). A pioneer theorist who believes “geniuses are made, not born” he is revered and reviled in different quarters for turning out three chess phenoms.
A prolific author, his most famous chess work was Chess: 5334 Problems, Combinations, and Games, which "includes 5,334 different instructional situations--many taken from real matches--including 306 problems for checkmate in one move, 3,412 mates in two moves, 744 mates in three moves, 600 miniature games, 144 simple endgames, and 128 tournament game combinations, plus solutions, the basic rules of the game and an international bibliography." [Top Five Chess Books: Tactics on About.com]
Luděk Pachman (German: Ludek Pachmann, May 11, 1924 – March 6, 2003) was a Czechoslovak-German GM, chess writer, and politician. A seven-time Czechoslovak CC he won the German chess CC six years after emigrating. He usually played first board in the eight consecutive Olympiads he played for Czechoslovakia.
FIDE lists his peak rating as 2520 in January 1976, but this clearly diminishes the figure he cut on the chess world stage, given that he was already 46 when FIDE instituted an ELO rating system. ChessMetrics offers a far more illuminating estimate of Pachman’s strength, listing him at 2695 in December 1959 and #14 globally in October 1959.
What Vlastimil Hort had to say in two interviews talking about Pachman [Hort stories: Ludek Pachman (part 1) | ChessBase and Hort stories: Ludek Pachman (part 2) | ChessBase]
Although I knew him for more than 40 years, his worldview and his philosophy remained great, unsolved mysteries for me. But what had already struck me as a young chess apprentice was his irrepressible urge to find the "only right" move — at any cost. What did he want to convey to the following generation with that? No more chess romanticism, in chess there is no chance — in a systematic preparation and analysis, everything has to be anticipated?' His dogmatic belief in the "only right" move got stronger with age and unfortunately severely affected his chess style.
As one of the most important chess theoreticians, he will, similar to Max Euwe, always remain an opening authority.
…in the second half of his life, Pachman was more of a politician than a chess player.
Is quantity also quality? In his theory-box I like the Queen's Gambit and the Ruy Lopez best. To my mind, his books about strategy are better than those about tactics.
Pachman published eighty books in five languages and was considered “the world’s leading opening expert with the publication of his four-volume opus, Theory of Modern Chess.” [Wikipedia]. He also wrote numerous volumes on politics, including Checkmate in Prague, which detailed his jailing and torture at the hands of Communist authorities for four years beginning in 1968. Those years converted him from a staunch Communist to a very active anti-Communist activist.
Pachman himself considered Modern Chess Strategy to be his best chess book. By many accounts, his Modern Chess Strategy is deemed a classic. As the author notes in the Preface, “My aim has merely been to produce a practical guide to the study of the middle-game. Everyone who desires to take up chess seriously is interested in the question: How can I recognize the characteristic features of a position and then lay my plans accordingly?”
As I leaf through the contents of the copy before me, I am reminded that he did indeed lay this out in a very straightforward manner. He set the stage and then marched from the minor pieces to the rooks, before tackling the queen, and finally addressing the king. After laying out some basics on those he talks about the exchange of material before diving into what I always considered the heart of the book, pawn structures and then key squares and outposts. Finally, he closed by addressing dynamic elements such as a lead in development and means for conducting both the attack and defense. It’s almost too common sense!
Here's what David Sands had to say in the article Pachman at 100: Czech writer’s impact on chess still being felt, as found in the Washington Times newspaper, 12 November 2024:
Modern Chess Strategy, was a signal contribution to that long discussion over theory and practice. Described modestly by its author as a “practical guide to the study of the middlegame,” the book was exquisitely timed, coming just as the innovations and insights of the Soviet chess dynasty were once again revolutionizing the game. Concisely covering such topics as pawn structure, central control, development and attack and defense, Pachman’s survey contains a superbly collated collection of important games from the mid-20th century, including a few from his own praxis.
I quoted liberally from Pachman's favorite book...it seemed appropriate!
The ability to calculate correctly is undoubtedly a necessity for the top-class player but it is not the only one, and certainly not the most important difference between the master and the average player. [Modern Chess Strategy p.1]
There are many playrs who have a good command of the art of accurate combinations but who will never reach master strength; for they lack the ability to conduct the entire game on the basis of a correct plan. [Ibid, p.1]
The choice of plan is in every case dependent on the concrete position on the board. [Ibid, p.2]
But a word of warning: the plan should always be kept under control in case a change in the position should occur; even a very slight change may necessitate an immediate alteration to the strategical plan. [Ibid, p.5]
A beginner may be able to get along for a while on a system that prescribes exchange on simple arithmetical calculation, but the advanced player knows that this method fails even when comparing a Rook and a minor piece. [Ibid, p.11]
The struggle of Bishop against Knight is one of the most interesting problems in chess strategy...to assess which really is superior we should bear in mind the character, and particularly the pawn formation, of the individual position. [Ibid, p.24-25]
Of all the pieces the Rook is the most difficult to bring into play: its development necessitates, amongst other things, carefully planned pawn advances, well-chosen exchanges, and correct timing in castling. [Ibid, p.24-25]
Of all pieces the King occupies a special position. On the one hand it is the focal point of the game; on the other hand it must for long periods confine itself to a sad and modest role and shelter from attacks by enemy pieces. [Ibid, p.73]
Experience shows that the power exerted by the King [in the endgame] is then greater than that exerted by a minor piece but less that that by a Rook. [Ibid, p.73]
Despite their limited powers, the pawns have special qualities that play a large part in shaping the character of a position and in influencing the strategical plan to be followed. Pawns are best suited for blocking opposing pawns; pawn advances are often the means of opening up important files and diagonals; weaknesses in the enemy position can frequently be created by using pawns; pawns can deprive enemy pieces of important operation bases. [Ibid, p.90]
When studying the middle game, we cannot learn specific variations by heart, but we are concerned with basic principles and typical positions or manoeuvres. It becomes vitally important to recognize the characteristic features of a position and plan our play accordingly. [Complete Chess Strategy: Principles of Pawn Play and the Centre, Preface]
Kübra Öztürk, 11 May 1991, is a Turkish WGM and one-time Turkish Women’s CC. She played for the national team in seven Women’s Olympiads. Her peak rating was 2364 in September. She lost 26 rating points in September 2024 to slide to 2236 ELO.
In 2023, Kubra says she lost her monthly salary and was dropped from the national team when she was pregnant with her second child, as reported by @TarjeJS in Turkish Champion Says She Was Dropped By Federation After Pregnancy. The Turkish Federation stated that her claim was inaccurate. You can hear their side as well in @TarjeJS’s article.
She (@cruziana) was online at chess.com as recently as two days ago (I’m writing this on 3 April) but has not played a game since January 2024.
Aleksej Aleksandrov, 11 May 1973, is a Belarusian GM, five-time Belarusian CC, and four-time FIDE World CC competitor in the 1990s and early 2000s. His peak rating was 2679 in January 2004, and he has ranked as high as #18 (July 1997). His birth year hit a sweet spot with ChessMetrics. They list his peak rating at 2678 in October 2003, remarkably close to the FIDE ELO observed a few months later.
He has a presence on chess.com but I found no games for @aleksandrovaleksei since May 2022.
Normunds Miezis (born 11 May 1971) is a Latvian GM and two-time Latvian CC who played for his national team in nine Olympiads. His peak rating of 2601 was achieved in January 2001. ChessMetrics places his peak global rank at #271 in November 2001. His ELO rating stands at 2408 after losing one point in April 2025.
His last games on chess.com (@Snake71) were several rapid games in August 2020.
Ilya Leontievich Rabinovich (Russian: Илья Леонтьевич Рабинович; 11 May 1891 – 23 April 1942) was a Russian and later Soviet chess player and writer who died too young (WW-II) to receive the GM title he surely would have merited. Unfortunate for someone who survived WW-I as a German internee. He tied for first in the 9th Soviet CC and ChessMetrics lists his peak rating at 2620 in December 1935, with a peak global rank of #16 in November 1925.
His book The Endgame was considered by many to account for Soviet dominance in endgames.
Igor Zakharovich Bondarevsky (Russian: Игорь Захарович Бондаревский; May 12, 1913 – June 14, 1979)[1] was a Soviet Russian GM, Correspondence GM (CGM), one-time Soviet CC, IA, trainer, and author. FIDE lists his peak OTB rating at 2430 in July 1972 and his peak ICCF rating at 2625 (oddly, Wikipedia shows his peak ICCF rating for 1992, so it appears he continued to correspond from beyond the veil.) ChessMetrics offers a much more accurate view of his OTB playing strength, listing him at 2669 in February 1943, and #13 globally the following month. That was after being #14 in February, and considering the world’s situation at that time I prefer not to speculate what happened to some poor soul ahead of him on the list in February 1943.
Bondarevsky coached Boris Spassky in the 1960s up through his victory against Petrosian in the 1969 World CC. He assisted Boris again during the 1977-78 Candidates Final match against Korchnoi.
Above you can enjoy a Ben Finegold talk on Bondarevsky as part of Ben’s Great Players of the Past series.
He was married to Valentina Kozlovskaya, a Russian WGM with a peak ELO of 2315. Their peak ratings (his from ChessMetrics and hers from FIDE) combined to reach 4984, on the cusp of the 5000 combined rating chess power couples.
Dragoljub Velimirović (Serbian Cyrillic: Драгољуб Велимировић; 12 May 1942 – 22 May 2014) was a Serbian (formerly Yugoslav) GM and three-time Yugoslavian CC. FIDE lists his peak rating at 2575 in January 1986 while ChessMetrics cites a much higher rating of 2662 in January 1976, a decade earlier and good enough for #31 globally.
He played for the Yugoslav national team on numerous occasions and won silver and bronze team and individual medals in events ranging from the European Team CC, to Olympiads, to the World Team CC.
What I remember Velimirović for was his sharp attacking style, he found numerous great sacs in his career. It’s no surprise that he is considered the founder of the sharp Velimirović Attack in the Sicilian. You can see one of his best games in the line he made famous by watching the video above.
Zenón Franco Ocampos, 12 May 1956 – 1 October 2024) was a Paraguayan GM, board one gold medalist at two Olympiads, and author. His peak FIDE rating was 2542 in July 2004 but they list his peak ranking more than two decades earlier, #66 in January 1982. ChessMetrics rated him 2595 in November 1983, but placed his peak rank at #117 in July 1983.
Ocampos is the author of at least seven chess books (Wikipedia relies on free help, so titles are often missing, and scouring the online bookstores for work by authors is often less rewarding than one might expect). A few are shown above. (Despite all my whining, I found quite a few books. 🙃)
Antonia Petrova Ivanova (Bulgarian: Антония Петрова Иванова; 12 May 1930 – 25 May 2004) was a Bulgarian WGM, six-time Bulgarian Women’s CC, and one-time Bulgarian Girl’s CC.
She was married to GM Milko Bobotsov. Because she had no published ratings that I could find, there is no chess couple power rating for this pair. (Milko Bobotsov 30 September 1931 – 3 April 2000, peak rating 2602 ChessMetrics)
Andrija Fuderer, 13 May 1931 – 2 October 2011, was a Yugoslavian IM, honorary GM, Yugoslav Junior CC, PhD Chemistry, and inventor. ChessMetrics cites his peak rating at 2674 in January 1955 and ranked him #18 globally in February and May 1954. He played in three Olympiads, walking away with two team bronze medals, one silver team medal, and both a silver and bronze individual medal.
María Carolina Luján (May 13, 1985) is an Argentine IM and WGM, five-time Argentine Women’s CC, one-time American Continental Women’s CC, one-time Pan American Women’s CC, and seven-time Olympiad participant. Her peak rating was 2419 in October 2006. The last FIDE-rated games I found for her were September 2024 when her rating dipped slightly to 2259.
She maintains a presence on Instagram as @imcarolinalujan. She can be found on chess.com @CarolinLujan but I found no games since August 2024, though she was online at the end of April 2025.
Luka Lenič, 13 May 1988, is a Slovenian GM, one-time World U14 CC, and four-time Slovenian CC. His peak rating was 2662 in January 2018, placing him inside the Top 100 at #83. Seven years later he still sports a 2626 rating, placing him just outside the Top 100 at #115 entering May 2025.
He has not played on chess.com as @Michelangelo since October 2024.
#13 chess.com Hall of Fame: Wilhelm Steinitz
William Steinitz (born Wilhelm Steinitz; May 14, 1836 – August 12, 1900), aka the Bohemian Caesar, was a Bohemian-Austrian who immigrated to the US. The First World CC, he was also a theoretician and writer. ChessMetrics posits a peak rating of 2826 In April 1876 and deemed him #1 globally for 173 different months between September 1866 and May 1890.
Steinitz was a typical, Romantic-era attacking player when he first gained the chess world's attention. But in 1873, he switched his style of play to a more positional approach that formed the foundations of modern chess play. From rampant aggression, his style quickly morphed to focus on elements of modern chess such as space, pawn structure, outposts for the knights, and the advantage of the two bishops.
After switching his style, he vigorously defended his systematic approach in bitter diatribes in print media against Johannes Zukertort, a firm defender of the Romantic attacking era of chess. This media-fueled frenzy became known as the "Ink War." This began while Steinitz was the chief chess correspondent for The Field from 1873 – 1882 and continued after he immigrated to America and his chess enemies persuaded portions of the American press to publish anti-Steinitz articles. To defend himself, Steinitz founded the International Chess Magazine.
In 1886, a World CC match was finally arranged between the two contrasting players. Zukertort took what should have been a commanding early lead, up 4–1, but then collapsed and lost the match 12½ - 7½.
As an author, Steinitz annotated and published all 432 games from the 1889 New York tournament and also wrote The Modern Chess Instructor.
Some of Steinitz’s most famous quotes were:
A sacrifice is best refuted by accepting it. Chess Quotes - Sacrifices
I have never in my life played the French Defense, which is the dullest of all openings. Quotes On Chess Openings
I am not a chess historian - I myself am a piece of chess history, which no one can avoid. I will not write about myself, but I am sure that someone will write.
Chess is not for the faint-hearted; it absorbs a person entirely. To get to the bottom of this game, he has to give himself up into slavery. Chess is difficult, it demands work, serious reflection and zealous research. Chess Quotes - Success
Only the player with the initiative has the right to attack. Chess Quotes - Strategy
Capture of the adverse King is the ultimate but not the first object of the game. Chess Quotes - Strategy
In the ending the king is a powerful piece for assisting his own pawns or stopping the adverse pawns. Chess Quotes - Endings
Chess is so inspiring that I do not believe a good player is capable of having an evil thought during the game. Chess Quotes - Chess
The task of the positional player is systematically to accumulate slight advantages and try to convert temporary advantages into permanent ones, otherwise the player with the better position runs the risk of losing it.
A win by an unsound combination, however showy, fills me with artistic horror. Chess Quotes - Combinations
As stated in the New York Tribune, a few weeks ago, I remarked in answer to a question of my interviewer that I would rather die in America than live in England. At a recent banquet of the New York Chess Club, I added that I would rather lose a match in America than win one in England. But after having carefully considered the subject in all its bearings, I have come to the conclusion that I neither mean to die yet nor to lose the match. [International Chess Magazine, February 1886, p. 43]
What others said about Steinitz:
Place the contents of the Chess box in a hat, shake them up vigorously, pour them on the board from a height of two feet, and you get the style of Steinitz. – Henry Bird Humourous Chess Quotes
The infallible criterion by which to distinguish the true from the would-be strategist is the degree of originality of his conceptions. It makes little difference whether this originality is carried to excess, as was the case with Steinitz and Nimzowitsch. – Alekhine Chess Quotes - Strategy
...the first strategic theorist of the chess struggle. [Romanovsky, Soviet Middlegame Technique, p.58]
That which Steinitz gave to the theoretical aspect of the game when he was at his best is very remote to all out home-bred chess philosophers, but with his views on Morphy, whom he tries to discredit completely, it is of course impossible to agree. 35 QUOTES BY ALEXANDER ALEKHINE [PAGE - 2] | A-Z Quotes
Only with Philidor did the first positional ideas appear, and with them more mature defensive strategies; these were to find in Steinitz a century later a legislator of genius. [Vladimir Vukovic, Art of Attack in Chess, Introduction, p. 6]
Steinitz is a pick-pocket, he steals a pawn and wins a game with it. [New York Times, January 23, 1887, opinion by Anderssen in the article "Steinitz, the Chess Champion"]
Steinitz aimed at positions with clear-cut features, to which his theory was best applicable. [Max Euwe, "From Steinitz to Fischer". Belgrade: Chess Informant, 1976]
Steinitz's successor as world champion, Emanuel Lasker, summed up the new style as: "In the beginning of the game ignore the search for combinations, abstain from violent moves, aim for small advantages, accumulate them, and only after having attained these ends search for the combination – and then with all the power of will and intellect, because then the combination must exist, however deeply hidden." [Lasker's Manual of Chess, p.199]
For anyone who wants to better understand Steinitz' ability to explain a chess game I invite you to look at @simaginfan's My Favourite Annotators. Part Five. Wilhelm Steinitz.
Nijat Azad oglu Abasov (Azerbaijani: Nicat Azad oğlu Abasov; born 14 May 1995) is an Azerbaijani GM, one-time Azerbaijani CC, World U18 Blitz CC, and took silver in the World U18 championship. His peak rating of 2679 was reached in October 2023 and the climbed to #53 globally the following month. In May 2025 his rating stands at 2620.
At the link you will find a short clip of a 2023 FIDE World Cup game in which Abasov crushed Caruana in 26 moves.
He plays on chess.com @AbasovN with a blitz rating of 2920 and bullet rating of 2925 as of 5 May 2025.
Olga Zimina (Russian: Ольга Анатольевна Зимина, born 14 May 1982) is a Russian-born Italian IM and WGM. She won the Russian Women’s CC in 2001. She has reached at least 2430 on two occasions, July 2004 and October 2018. As of May 2025 her rating has slid to 2272.
She has a PhD in Psychology and teaches chess, primarily in elementary school in recent years. You can find her on chess.com @Olghita64, though she hasn’t played since 2021 and was last online in November 2024.
Frode Olav Olsen Urkedal (born 14 May 1993) is a Norwegian GM, one-time Nordic CC, and two-time Norwegian CC. He has been a member of the Norwegian team in two Olympiads. With a peak rating of 2572 in January 2018, he has hardly seen a slip, still maintaining a 2562 rating as of May 2025, gaining 26 points with events played in February, March, and April of 2025.
Leif Erlend Johannessen (born 14 May 1980) is a Norwegian GM, editor-in-chief of the Norwegian Chess Magazine, and attorney. His peak rating of 2564 was achieved in October 2025. He checks in at 2413 in May 2025.
Simen Agdestein, 15 May 1967, is a Norwegian GM, nine-time Norwegian CC, chess coach, former professional striker for Norway’s national team, and author. He finished second in the 1986 World Junior CC ahead of folks such as Bareev, Anand, and Piket. FIDE lists his peak rating at 2637 in July 2014. Humorously, his peak ranking was #16, but 25 years earlier, to the month. ChessMetrics places those features much closer together chronologically, citing a 2716 peak rating in August 1989 which placed him at #12 in the world.
He has represented his country in seven Olympiads, winning an individual gold on board four in his first of these events.
A former coach for Magnus, he is the brother of Carlsen’s manager, Espen Agdestein.
He plays occasional Titled Tuesday events as @Grukjr, most recently in February 2025.
He has written a number of books, but only a few have been translated into English. None of the topics ever rose above my level of indifference, so I have no idea if the books are good or not.
Matthew David Sadler, 15 May 1974, is an English GM, two-time British CC, and author. His peak rating of 2694 in March 2020 rests unchanged in May 2025. His peak ranking was #16 in July 1997 when he was still playing regularly.
He left the professional circuit in his mid-20s to pursue an IT career. Since 2019 he has combined his former chess career with an interest in the silicon monsters, particularly AlphaZero. He has written articles and books on the topic.
His book, Queens Gambit Declined, won the British Chess Federation’s book of the year in 2000.
Rowena Mary Bruce, née Dew, (15 May 1919 – 24 September 1999) was a WIM, eleven-time British Women’s CC, and one-time winner of the World Girls CC She played for England in several Women’s Olympiads and won an individual silver on board two in 1966.
Given the title of this blog, feel free to amuse yourself by looking at an actual chess horoscope for Rowena at Rowena Mary Bruce’s natal birth chart, kundli, horoscope, astrology forecast, relationships, important life phases and events — myAstropedia. I won’t claim to understand any of that, but it was an interesting diversion on this rainy day in May.
Krzysztof Pytel (15 May 1945 – 30 June 2019) was a Polish IM, two-time Polish CC, trainer, journalist, and author. FIDE lists his peak ELO at 2500 in July 1994. ChessMetrics sees that a bit differently, charting him at 2572 in July 1984, #198 globally.
He played in four Olympiads as a member of the Polish team.
Although Wikipedia states that he authored a number of books, they are all written in Polish and it took a while to track them down. From the book cover images I think I can safely assume you'll correctly guess the topics of each book.
WIM Bożena and IM Krzysztof Pytel
His wife, Bożena Pytel (née Ziemecka, born 3 May 1945) is a Polish WIM and one-time Polish Women’s CC. Together, this chess couple has a peak combined rating of 4947.
Anthony Saidy, May 16, 1937, is an American IM, retired physician, and author. FIDE lists his peak rating at 2445 in January 1975 but that strikes me as an unfair measure given there was no ELO system until 1970. ChessMetrics offers a more balanced estimate, placing him at 2599 in January 1964, #60 globally. In today’s environment that suggests he would have easily acquired the GM title.
I’ve glanced at a few of his books but don’t remember much about them. They did well enough to be translated into French, Spanish, and several other languages.
Atousa Pourkashiyan (Persian: آتوسا پورکاشیان), born 16 May 1988) is an Iranian-American WGM, seven-time Iranian Women’s CC, and World Girls U12 CC. She played for Iran in eight Olympiads and competed in four Women’s World CC events.
In 2022 she made international headlines by refusing to wear a hijab in the World Rapid and Blitz CC. That same year, Atuosa changed Federations to the US. In 2023 she won an individual silver on Board 5 of the US team in the FIDE Women’s Team CC. Then in 2024 she won the XV Americas Women’s Continental CC and qualified for the 2025 Women’s Chess World Cup.
Her peak rating was 2374 in May 2011. She is rated 2291 as of May 2025. She plays regularly on chess.com @Atousa on her home page and provides links for twitch, youtube, Instagram, and twitter feeds.
Atousa is married to Hikaru Nakamura. With his peak rating of 2816 that places this chess power couple’s peak combined ELO at 5190.
Betül Cemre Yıldız, 16 May 1989, is a Turkish WGM and eleven-time Turkish Women’s CC. She also earned the bronze medal at the World Girls CC and the World Girls U18 CC, plus earning an individual bronze medal on second board in the 2012 Women’s Olympiad. Her peak rating was 2379 in October 2012, but her rating slid below 2300, to 2287, in October 2024.
After completing her college degrees she entered the legal profession.
Although she has been a member of chess.com since 2015, @Betulcemreyildiz, I found no games since 2023 and the last time she was online was in September 2024.
Alexander Moiseenko (Ukrainian: Олександр Моісеєнко, Oleksandr Moiseyenko; born 17 May 1980) is a Ukrainian GM, one-time Ukrainian CC, World U16 CC, one-time European CC, and lawyer. With his peak rating of 2726 in September 2011 he reached #22 globally. He dropped below 2600 in May 2022 and sits at 2568 ELO in May 2025.
He has played for Ukraine in six Olympiads, including two gold-medal teams, plus a silver and bronze.
Anjelina Mikhailovna Belakovskaia, 17 May 1969, is a Soviet-born, American WGM, three-time US Women’s CC, US Senior Women’s CC. Her peak ELO rating was 2385 in January 1998, but ChessMetrics lists her at 2454 in May 1998, #940 globally. She led the US Women’s 50+ team to silver and bronze medals at the World Senior Team CCs.
She had a brief cameo in Searching for Bobby Fischer because early in her life in the United States she earned money hustling the chess hustlers at Washington Square Park–they stopped playing her when they realized how much money they were losing.
After hustling the sharks, while her primary job was slicing watermelons in the park, she moved onto Wall Street. Sharper hustlers, success was still the goal in the currency trading markets. After winning the US Women’s CC in 1997 she even appeared in a Sports Illustrated issue highlighting her fascinating life journey. Since then, she has filled positions as a trader in weather derivatives, taught finance at the University of Arizona, and chairs the AI and Emerging Technology Committee at the Thunderbird School of Global Management, Arizona State University.
Anjelina has a very cool home page on chess.com @Anjelina. She plays intermittently, with a few blitz games in April 2025 but nothing before that until you go back to October 2024.
You should check out her website Anjelina Belakovskaia – New Look (coming soon) if you want to learn more.
Albéric O'Kelly de Galway (17 May 1911 – 3 October 1980) was a Belgian GM, International Correspondence Chess Federarion (ICCF) GM, third ICCF World CC, thirteen-time Belgian CC, IA, and writer. FIDE lists his peak rating at 2460 in 1977 while the ICCF lists his peak correspondence rating at 2529 in July 1992. Given his birth year and the fact FIDE didn’t institute ELO until 1970, we are better off relying on ChessMetrics for an accurate measurement of his OTB strength. The site lists him at 2644 in January 1957 and #27 globally from December 1953 through March 1954.
He served as chief arbiter for both Petrosian – Spassky matches and for the 1974 Karpov – Korchnoi match.
I've seen his books and probably even owned one at some point in time.
In 1958 he received the Belgian Golden Palm of the Order of the Crown, “for his chess successes and the distinction he had brought to the nation.” [Albéric O'Kelly de Galway - Wikipedia]
Daniil Lvovich Lintchevski (Russian: Даниил Львович Линчевский; born May 17, 1990) is a Russian GM with a peak rating of 2579 in August 2015. His rating has rested at 2509 since November 2024.
He plays occasionally on chess.com @Paralinch and offers coaching services to individuals or groups.
Edgard Colle (18 May 1897 – 19 April 1932) was a Belgian master. ChessMetrics estimates his peak rating at 2619 in December 1930 and ranked him #14 globally that November.
He is best remembered today for the Colle System 1.d4 d5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.e3 and then a normal sequence would be Bd3, O-O, and Nbd2 to prepare the central pawn break e3-e4. Quite frequently, one will encounter brilliant examples of this opening that involve the Greek gift sacrifice of a bishop on h7. Fred Reinfeld even wrote a book titled Colle’s Chess Masterpieces.
George Koltanowski kept the opening alive as a tribute to his friend Colle and even wrote books on the opening. That said, the Colle-Zukertort, involving a fianchetto after b2-b3, has added some vigorous attacking ideas to the stable. At higher levels, the opening has long been deemed passive as there are easy Black defenses to the limited set of thematic plans available to White in this opening; but Magnus has played it, so…
Here you can see Ben Finegold offering a fifty-minute lecture on the Colle System which is easily taught to beginners.
Eltaj Safarli (Azerbaijani: Eltac Səfərli; 18 May 1992) is an Azerbaijani GM, two-time Azerbaijani CC, former World U10 CC, and coach. With a peak rating of 2694 in October 2016 he reached #46 globally. He still plays regularly on the world circuit, earning ten rating points in April 2025 to return to 2627.
He can be found on chess.com @Eltaj_Safarli and plays relatively often. As of 10 May 2025, his bullet rating was 2952 and he sported a blitz rating of 3001.
Gennadi "Genna" Borisovich Sosonko (Russian: Геннадий Борисович Сосонко, Gennady Borisovich Sosonko; 18 May 1943) is a Russian-born Dutch GM, two-time Dutch CC, FIDE Senior Trainer, and writer. FIDE lists his peak rating at 2595, #16 globally, in January 1981. ChessMetrics suggests his peak rating was 2693 in October 1982. He has not played a FIDE-rated game since February 2011.
As an eleven-time member of the Dutch Olympiad teams he has earned two individual golds and a bronze, while the team collected one silver and one bronze.
As an author he primarily wrote about non-technical material, delving into the lives, characteristics, and history of Russian chess and chess players, from the immortals he had known to lesser-known individuals in history.
Sergei Nikolayevich Azarov (Russian: Серге́й Николаевич Азаров; Belarusian: Сяргей Мікалаевіч Азараў, Siarhiej Mikalajevič Azaraŭ; born 19 May 1983) is a Belarusian GM, two-time Belarusian CC, and placed second in the 2003 World Junior CC. With a peak rating of 2667 in November 2011, #77 globally, his rating has stood at 2596 since October 2023.
He runs a chess school (azarovchess.com) and occasionally binge plays on chess.com @Sereiaza.
Hovhannes Gabuzyan (Armenian: Հովհաննես Գաբուզյան, born May 19, 1995) is an Armenian GM and two-time Armenian CC. With a peak rating of 2622 in July 2019, his rating has rested quietly at 2553 since November 2024 (#322 globally).
You can find him on chess.com @GABUZYAN_CHESSMOOD. He sported a 3103 blitz and 2898 bullet rating as of 11 May 2025. He’s played almost 11,000 games on the site. He has also posted blogs, though the most recent was in July 2024. Here’s one I thought many improvers would find immediately interesting: How I crossed 3100 and got into the top ten on chess.com.
He is part of the ChessMood team, an online training platform that has some great material and occasionally opens up parts or all of their site for free.
chess.com Hall of Fame #17: Max Euwe
Machgielis "Max" Euwe (May 20, 1901 – November 26, 1981) was a Dutch GM, fifth World CC (1935-37), world amateur CC (1928), 12-time Dutch CC (winning every time he played), author, PhD Mathematics, professor, and former FIDE President. FIDE lists his peak rating at 2530 in May 1974, #50 globally. Not bad for a guy who was 59 when FIDE instituted a rating system. ChessMetrics places his peak rating at 2769 in January 1936 and ranked him #1 for fourteen different months in 1936 – 37.
Euwe played for the Netherlands in seven Olympiads, always on first board. Over the course of those events, he won an individual silver and bronze.
Euwe served as FIDE’s President during a particularly contentious period that included the Spassky – Fischer match, the entry of Gennadi Sosonko into major tournaments despite the Soviet boycott of Wijk aa Zee 1974 because they did not want this defector excluded, the 1976 Olympiad in Israel, and stifling Soviet efforts to prevent the 1978 Karpov – Korchnoi event shortly after Korchnoi’s defection. After eight years in office, the Soviets managed to depose Euwe as FIDE’s President.
If you want to learn more about Euwe, consider visiting @kahn’s post A Century of Chess: Max Euwe (1920-29). To delve into some nitty-gritty history, visit Max Euwe (1901-81) by Edward Winter.
The author of over seventy chess books, the most of any World CC, I have at various times owned a few of his books…but I don’t really remember anything about them except the covers of The Middle Game and The Road to Chess Mastery.
For quotes I found various references hither and yon, both by Euwe, and by others regarding him. Here are a few.
Capablanca did not apply himself to opening theory (in which he never therefore achieved much), but delved deeply into the study of end-games and other simple positions which respond to technique rather than to imagination. Chess Quotes - Endings
Strategy requires thought, tactics require observation. Chess Quotes - Strategy
Whoever sees no other aim in the game than that of giving checkmate to one's opponent will never become a good chess player. Chess Quotes - Strategy
Alekhine can see five or six times as much as I can, but I have a plan, and that plan sometimes permits me to win. [Chess Life, April 1982, p.21]
Alekhine outplayed me tactically; I outplayed him strategically. [Ibid]
Alekhine should have won the 1935 match; I should have won the 1937 match. [Ibid]
During my chess career, I have made quite a few oversights. In fact, I have probably made more silly blunders than any other world champion. [Chess Treasury of the Air, Terence Tiller, p.253]
Now, let's hear from the other side.
Has he some psychological antipathy to realism? I am no psychologist, and cannot say. The fact remains that Euwe commits the most inexplicable mistakes in thoroughly favorable positions, and that this weakness has consistently tarnished his record. Hans Kmoch Chess Mistakes
Euwe "strode confidently into some extraordinarily complex variations" if he thought logic was on his side; and he was extremely good at calculating these variations. On the other hand, he "often lacked the stamina to pull himself out of bad positions.” [Hans Kmoch statement in Reuben Fine’s (1952). The World's Great Chess Games.]
Let’s close with a video by one of my favorites, GM Ben Finegold.
Hristodoulos Banikas (Greek: Χριστόδουλος Μπανίκας; born 20 May 1978) is a Greek GM, eight-time Greek CC, U-16 Greek CC, U16 Greek CC, one-time Balkan CC, and one-time European Rapid CC. His peak rating was 2646 in July 2014 but sank rather abruptly in September 2023, dragging him down 31 points to 2561. It rests at 2543 following further drops in April and July 2024.
He participated for the national team in every Olympiad but one since 1996, and has won an individual silver medal in the World Team CC and the European Team CC.
He used to play regularly on chess.com @HristoBanikas. His blitz rating was 2948 when he last played in October 2022.
Marta Bartel, née Przezdziecka (20 May 1988) is a Polish WGM who tied for the Polish Women’s CC in 2006 but lost in the playoff. Her peak rating was 2379 in September 2012, but gradually slid to 2212 as of November 2024.
She played for Poland in three Women’s Olympiads, earning an individual silver medal on fourth board in 2014. She also played for the team in two Women’s World Team CCs, and two Women’s European Team CCs.
She plays blitz regularly as @martabartel on chess.com.
She is married to GM Mateusz Bartel (3 January, peak rating of 2677), so this chess power couple has a peak combined rating of 5056. Her sister is a WFM.
Rasmus Svane, 21 May 1997, is a Danish-German GM and former German U14 CC. His peak rating was 2651 in May 2022 and currently stands at 2629. His peak rank was #96 in October 2023.
He plays on chess.com @rasmussvane. As I am writing this on 14 May 2025, he participated in yesterday’s Titled Tuesday session. His blitz rating is 3004 and his bullet rating is 2963.
His younger brother, Frederik born 21 January 2004, is also a GM. Frederik’s peak rating is 2671 entering May 2025, #52 globally.
Zdenko Kožul (21 May 1966) is a Croatian GM, two-time Yugoslavian CC, two-time Croatian CC, former European CC, and author of one book (seen above). His peak ELO is 2640 in October 2004 but his peak ranking was #40 over fourteen years prior, in January 1990. He plays quite actively and his rating stands at 2506 entering May 2025.
Here’s a link to a fun, one-page interview in the November 2020 issue of European Chess Union. Meet legendary GM Zdenko Kozul, a mini... - European Chess Union | Facebook
Given the singular topic of his not-so-voluminous writing output, I felt it only appropriate to include a game Kožul won in that opening against the elite GM Alexi Shirov.
Gadir Guseinov (Azerbaijani: Qədir Hüseynov; born 21 May 1986) is an Azerbaijani GM. His peak rating of 2668 was achieved in May 2022 but he is within hailing distance of that peak at 2636 entering May 2025. His peak ranking was more than a decade earlier, reaching #62 in January 2009.
He plays intermittently on chess.com @GGuseinov, but I found no games since February 2025.
Russell John Dive (born 21 May 1966 in Wellington) is a New Zealand (NZ) IM, seven-time NZ CC, eleven-time NZ Rapid CC, and two-time NZ Correspondence CC. His peak rating was 2448 in July 1999.
Alexander McDonnell (22 May 1798 – 15 September 1835) was an Irish chess master who contested six matches (85 total games) with de la Bourdonnais, losing four of the matches, winning one, and with the sixth left unfinished due to McDonnell’s failing health. About ten years earlier McDonnell played Captain Evans and was beaten by the Evans Gambit (1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.b4. White sacrifices a pawn for a lead in development and control of the center of the board.)
The image of McDonnell shown above is likely to be inaccurate. There is no known image that has been verified as correctly representing his visage.
Elshan Morad Abadi (22 May 1985) is an Iranian-American GM and one-time Iranian CC. His peak rating of 2603 was achieved in March 2016. He lost 8 rating points in April 2025 and dropped just below 2500 for the first time since 2008.
He plays on chess.com @Elshan1985 with a rapid rating of 2709, blitz of 2873, and bullet of 2758. He offers coaching services as well.
Konstantin Landa (Russian: Константин Ланда; 22 May 1972 – October 2022) was a Russian GM with a peak rating of 2678 in October 2007, #32 globally.
chess.com HoF #6: Anatoly Karpov
Anatoly Yevgenyevich Karpov (Russian: Анатолий Евгеньевич Карпов, IPA: [ɐnɐˈtolʲɪj jɪvˈɡʲenʲjɪvʲɪtɕ ˈkarpəf]; born May 23, 1951) is a Russian GM and former World CC, both undisputed and disputed! The undisputed 12th World CC from 1975 - 1983, Karpov then won the FIDE World CC again in 1993 when Kasparov broke away to form the PCA. Karpov went on to defend his renewed reign twice.
He also earned six Soviet team gold medals in Olympiads. His peak rating was 2780 in July 1994, and he spent a total of 102 months ranked as the #1 player in the world. Karpov also won the World Junior CC in 1969 and has 160 first-place tournament finishes on his scorecard to date. He is still a member of the 2600 club, coming in at 2617 in January 2025.
Karpov's tournament schedule seriously diminished after 1996 as he became more involved in politics. Karpov ran for the FIDE Presidency in 2010 with the support of luminaries such as Kasparov, Carlsen, and Nigel Short. That bid came up short.
On a personal note, I paid attention when Karpov opened the Anatoly Karpov International School of Chess in Lindsborg, Kansas in 2003. As a one-semester student at Bethany College, I was well aware of this town otherwise known as "Little Sweden". The arrow pointing to the right above points to my old campus stomping grounds. It's a short walk to the center of town.
Aleksandar Matanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Александар Матановић; 23 May 1930 – 9 August 2023) was a Serbian GM, three-time Yugoslav CC, founder and editor of Chess Informant, publisher of tournament game collections, and the Encyclopedia of Chess Openings (ECO). FIDE lists his peak rating at 2525 in January 1976, #54 globally. ChessMetrics rides to the rescue again! The site lists his peak rating at 2698 in October 1956 and his peak rank at #14 in January 1958.
Matanović played for Yugoslavia in eleven Olympiads and became one of the ten most decorated players in this event. Individually he earned one gold, two silvers, and a bronze. The teams he was a member of earned five silvers and four bronzes.
Informant pioneered the use of figurines to depict pieces, thereby avoiding the problem of varying initials for the pieces across multiple languages. The first 112 volumes contained over 100K games. I remember a time when I waited anxiously for my next issue of Informant so I could pore over the latest examples of lines I played…databases are so much easier to use!
Igor Oleksandrovych Novikov (born May 23, 1962) is a Ukrainian-American GM and trainer. His peak rating was 2614 in July 1999, with a peak global rank of #50 in July nine years prior. ChessMetrics list his peaks at 2658 in September 1986 and #49 in July 1984…July seems to have been a very good month for him.
He won an individual and team gold medal on board four of the Soviet Union team in 1985 at the World Youth U26 Team CC.
He trained GMs Irina Krush and Alex Lenderman, among others.
Eric Hansen, 24 May 1992, is a Canadian GM and Canadian GM and well-known streamer. He tied for the Canadian CC once but lost in the playoff. He also tied with three others for the 2012 American Continental CC (held in my favorite chess city, Mar del Plata, Argentina). He also has two first place results in the Canadian Open. His peak rating was 2629 in September 2017. It rests at 2609 since November 2022.
One of the streaming Chessbrahs (Aman Hambleton is his co-host), Eric plays regularly @hansen with a blitz rating of 2967 and a bullet rating of 3052 (when I wrote this in mid-May 2025). For a while, Eric was chess.com’s highest-rated bullet player.
Below is a funny video where Hikaru plays a filthy trick in a bullet game and Eric resigned but got revenge later in the Bullet Brawl.
Peter Heine Nielsen (24 May 1973) is a Danish GM and trainer. A five-time Danish CC, and one-time Danish shogi champion, he has a peak ELO of 2700 in July 2010 and was #37 globally in January 2010. Except for brief blips in January 2025, I found no FIDE-rated games for him since April 2020. A member of the Danish team in seven Olympiads, he earned an individual bronze medal in 1994.
As a coach, his players won nine consecutive World CC matches, four with Anand and five with Carlsen.
He has one book that can be found on chessable.com, Techniques in Positional Play. Nielsen (@PeterHeineNielsen) and GM Gustafsson (@JanistanTV) produced short videos and multiple lessons regarding chess.com’s top 50 chess players of all time. Here is a link that lists all their work Hall of Fame | The 50 Greatest Chess Players of All Time - Chess Lessons - Chess.com. You can find my alternative take on the Hall of Famers starting with #50 at HoF #50: Nimzowitsch–"The Stormy Petrel". The subjects are approached very differently. Gustafsson also has a selection of opening material on the Scotch Four Knights and the Spanish Four Knights you can find on his home page.
His wife, Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen (6 August), is also a GM with a peak rating of 2542. Together this chess power couple has a combined peak rating of 5242—wow!!
Yulian Radulski (Bulgarian: Юлиян Радулски; 24 May 1972 – 16 February 2013), was a Bulgarian GM and one-time Bulgarian CC. His peak rating was 2606, three years before his death following a long illness.
Dawid Markelowicz Janowski (25 May 1868 – 15 January 1927; often spelled David) was a Polish master. ChessMetrics lists his peak rating at 2776 in July 1904 and placed him #1 globally for five different months in 1904 and had him inside the top ten for almost eleven consecutive years from 1896 – 1907 then returning to the top ten in 1917 and remaining for 23 more months. Janowski managed to imprint his stamp on several opening variations in the Old Indian Defense, QGD, QGA, Albin Countergambit, French Defense, and the Four Knights Game.
Janowski played Lasker for the World CC in 1910 but was thoroughly outclassed. The final score was 8W-3D-0L in Lasker’s favor. Edward Winter has conclusively proved that their 1909 match was not for the World CC (Chess Notes by Edward Winter). Not that it would have mattered, as Lasker won with a score of 7W-2D-1L.
Janowski managed to leave behind a memorable quote:
I detest the endgame. A well-played game should be practically decided in the middlegame. [as recalled by Capablanca and repeated in Kings, Commoners and Knaves, p.396]
Now, let's hear what Ossip Bernstein had to offer as a historical perspective on Janowski in the January 1956 Chess Review, p.15:
Janowsky was no chess scientist or theoretician. He knew what he had to do on the chessboard; but he did not know, or could not explain, why it had to be done. He had only two rules in chess: always attack; always get the two bishops (and, indeed, he used the advantage of the two bishops wonderfully). His main strength, indeed, was his extraordinary intuition, which gave him the exact feeling for what to do and how to do it.
For more about Janowski you might look at @kahns A Century of Chess: Dawid Janowski (1900-1909) - Chess.com or GM@Julio_Becerra’s The Janowski Bishops - Chess.com. For some Edward Winter notes I’ll refer you to Janowsky Jottings by Edward Winter.
Teodora Injac (Serbian Cyrillic: Теодора Ињац; born 26 May 2000) is a Serbian WGM/IM, three-time Serbian Women’s CC, European Women’s CC, and bronze medalist in the World Women’s Youth CC. She achieved a GM norm while securing the gold medal on board one of the 2023 European Women’s Teams CC and has represented Serbia in two Olympiads. Her peak rating of 2474 was reached in May 2025. Barring some unforeseen change, she appears to be on the path to GM.
Teodora won the European Women’s CC in April 2025 after losing in the first round. In that round, she missed a two-move mate she could have inflicted on her opponent. She went on to win nine consecutive games before drawing the final round to finish 1–½ points ahead of her competitors.
She plays regularly on chess.com @arctic-t00. Below you can see her pfp. A quirky little image, I like it.
Valery Salov (26 May 1964) was a Polish-born, Russian GM, World U17 CC, European Junior CC, tied for first in the USSR CC but lost the tiebreaker…and stopped playing at age 36 at the turn of the century. With a peak rating of 2715 in January 1995, he reached #3 globally.
During a Chess News interview in May 2015, he trafficked in numerous conspiracy theories that I’ll generously deride as ludicrous.
Ljuba Danielovna Kristol (Hebrew: לובה דניאלובנה קריסטול; Russian: Любовь Даниэловна Кристол; born May 26, 1944) is a Russian-born Israeli WIM, four-time Israeli Women’s CC, ICCF Lady Grandmaster (LGM), and two-time winner of the ICCF Women’s World CC. Her peak FIDE ELO was 2250 in January 1987 and her peak ICCF rating was 2488 in October 2001.
Mikuláš Maník (born 26 May 1975), is a Slovak Gm and one-time Slovak CC. His peak rating was 2512 in January 2005.
Lara Stock, 26 May 1992, is a Croatian WGM, World U10 Girls CC, European U12 Girls CC…and 2011 Hamilton Rookies Shield Under-1700 CC (under an assumed name and playing as unrated)...and dentist. Her peak rating was 2346 in January 2008. There are no FIDE-rated games shown after that date.
In 2011, Stock and her father generated controversy by using false names to win the Hamilton Rookies Shield, an amateur tournament in Hamilton, New Zealand, and compete in other tournaments in the Australian circuit. She won the Under-1700 category, one point ahead of her father (he was rated 2275 ELO at the time).
The Kiwi article I read tried to make light of it as expressed by, “Presumably some kind of trans-oceanic misunderstanding led them to enter the event as Carmen Lempert and Matteus Wagner (both unrated, Switzerland). Good joke folks - now please donate your prizes to the Christchurch Earthquake appeal.” [New Zealand Chess - The New Zealand Chess Magazine]
She is now Dr. Lara Stock, Doctor of Medical Dentistry, M. Sc., as reported in the 2 June 2021 article The 2002 World Champions - Lara Stock: End of career and new beginning at 15 | Pearls from Lake Constance.
It's World Redhead Day, a very important day in the Smith household considering the hair color of my mom, wife, son, niece, grand-niece, uncle, mother-in-law and various others.
Eduardas Rozentalis, 27 May 1963, is a Lithuanian G, 3-time Lithuanian CC, and author. With a peak rating of 2650 in January 1997, he reached #19 globally. His ELO is at 2470 as of May 2025.
He has played for his nation in 13 Olympiads.
He has authored or co-authored several books. Learning when to exchange pieces, and which pieces, is a critical aspect of chess growth. As for the c3-Sicilian, it's one of several ways to avoid many of the major Sicilian lines with their reams of theory that often extend past move thirty.
Igor Arkadyevich Zaitsev (Russian: Игорь Аркадьевич Зайцев; born 27 May 1938) is a Russian GM and one-time Soviet CC (he lost in the playoff), trainer, Honored Coach of USSR and Russian, FIDE Senior Trainer, and opening theorist. FIDE lists his peak ELO at 2520 in July 1971, #55 globally. That’s an obvious injustice to his true strength which ChessMetrics estimates at 2657 in January 1977, #36 in the world. He has not played FIDE-rated games since May 2015 when his rating stood at 2316.
Zaitsev was one of Karpov’s trainers in the late 1970s and he served as a second in the matches versus Kasparov from 1984 to 1990.
Svetlana Petrenko (Romanian: Svetlana Petrenco; born 27 May 1974) is a Moldovan IM and WGM, Moldovan CC, and thirteen-time Moldovan Women's Chess Champion. FIDE lists her peak ELO at 2364 but the more balanced ChessMetrics estimates her peak at 2491 in October 2001. She has played in nine Women’s Olympiads.
Meelis Kanep (27 May 1983) is an Estonian GM, three-time Estonian CC, and winner of the 2005 Paul Keres Memorial Tournament. His peak rating was 2537 in November 2010. Entering 2025 his rating is 2378. He plays occasional blitz games on chess.com @Paul66666 (I assume the number key for six got stuck when creating his username).
Chess QuoteMaster #10: GM Andrew Soltis
Andrew (Andy) Eden Soltis (born May 28, 1947) is an American GM, US Chess Hall of Fame inductee and author. His peak world ranking was #74 in January 1971. FIDE lists his peak rating at 2480 and he has been inactive in tournaments since 2002, finishing with a 2407 rating. ChessMetrics offers a better estimate of his peak rating, placing him at 2596 in January 1971.
Andy earned a team gold and two team silvers in three World Student Team CCs. He also won the Marshall Chess Club CC a record nine times.
The author of a weekly chess column in the New York Post for over fifty years he has also published a monthly column in Chess Life since 1979. The author or co-author of over a hundred chess books, Soltis has seen his works translated into Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Polish. He has received numerous writing awards, including Book of the Year by the Chess Journalists of America in 2014 and the British Chess Federation for his book on Botvinnik, another British Chess Federation Award for his 1994 book on Frank Marshall, and he is a two-time winner of the Cramer Award, for Soviet Chess 1917–1991 and for Why Lasker Matters.
As with any incredibly prolific writer and author, the number of distortions and lack of citations is endemic. You can read more about numerous failings of Soltis at Andrew Soltis by Edward Winter. The chess historian has captured multiple examples where Soltis either copied from erroneous sources or otherwise got it wrong.
Some of Soltis' most famous quotes were:
Most chess games are not won; they are lost. [The Art of Defense in Chess, Introduction, p.viii]
Chess is a game of bad moves.
...defense pays off repeatedly because it is difficult to master. [The Art of Defense in Chess, Introduction, p.xiv]
...if an attacker is continuously pressed diversions, he won't have time to penetrate the most helpless weaknesses. [Ibid, p.5]
...counterplay is the No. 1 priority of defense–even at the expense of other values such as king safety, pawn structure, material and development. [Ibid, p.6]
Most players don't know why they lost a particular game. We blame an oversight, a surprise move, a misconeption, when the real culprit is a series of errors–some mistakes of attitude, some of strategy and some of tactics. [Ibid, p.viii]
When you can't change the pawn structure favorably, you should make the most of your pieces. [What it Takes to Become a Chess Master, p. 23]
A master makes his pieces work harder. A master isn't satisfied with a bishop that controls a nice diagonal or a rook that dominates an open file or a knight that occupies a central outpost. There pieces have to do something, not just look good. [Ibid, p.36]
Bad pawns can support a good center. [What it Takes to Become a GrandMaster, p.18]
In "the tree of analysis" you don't need to scan for the longest branches. You need to look at one of the lowest branches. The best branch to look at is often an alternative at the third move. [What it Takes to Become a GrandMaster, p.40]
In general, middlegame attacks with bishop of opposite color are more likely to succeed than attacks with gishops of the same color. This is particularly true when the bishops are the only minor pieces. [What it Takes to Become a GrandMaster, p.48]
Leaf through any collection of great games and pick out a dozen kingside attacks with sacrifices. In almost every case the annotators have discovered that the defender could have held out much longer–in fact, should not have lost at all in some instances. Yet in the vast majority of these games, the defender misses the best chances. [The Art of Defense in Chess, p.25]
Richard Selig Réti (28 May 1889 – 6 June 1929) was an Austro-Hungarian and later Czechoslovak master, author, and composer of endgame studies. He died from scarlet fever in 1929.
He started as a player in the Romantic attacking style but became a hypermodernist after WW-I.
ChessMetrics estimates his peak rating at 2710 in December 1920 with a peak ranking of #5 for five different months. From October 1914 until his death in 1929 he was among the top twenty globally and in the top ten for most of those years.
His books included twp volumes that are still in publication, Modern Ideas in Chess and Masters of the Chess Board. If you want to read a memoir of Reti by his older brother, you can find that at The Réti Brothers (article presented by Edward Winter).
Despite his brief sojourn on this earth, Reti found time to say a few things about chess.
Those chess lovers who ask me how many moves I usually calculate in advance, when making a combination, are always astonished when I reply, quite truthfully, as a rule, not a single one. Modern Ideas in Chess, p.5
In chess we get a fighting game which is purely intellectual and excludes chance. [Ibid, p.104] [In the popular world, this is often incorrectly stated as “includes” chance. Chess: the Need for Sources by Edward Winter]
A knowledge of tactics is the foundation of positional play. AZ Quotes
It is the aim of the modern school, not to treat every position according to one general law, but according to the principle inherent in the position. AZ Quotes
The essential disadvantage of the isolated pawn ... lies not in the pawn itself, but in the square in front of the pawn. AZ Quotes
Chess was Capablanca's mother tongue. AZ Quotes
I see no reason why I should not be world champion one day. If an extraordinary Wunderknabe is not being bottle-fed somewhere at the moment, I shall be world champion at 50. That is because I do not have genius. Lasker, Capablanca and Alekhine have genius. They cannot progress. I do not even have talent, I owe everything to my work, and I am making progress every day. One day I shall overtake them. And if the Wunderknabe does not arrive beforehand, I shall be champion of the world. [L’Eclaireur du soir (Nice) of 25 June 1929; Georges Renaud recalled some remarks by the recently deceased Richard Réti]
The below offers a brief sample of what other players thought of Reti.
Réti has an exceedingly well-balanced style of play; possesses a thorough knowledge of the game in all its departments, and if he had the confidence and energy of the other two, he might be the strongest candidate of the four [Rubinstein, Bogoljubow, Alekhine and Réti]. He has not had, so far, the success to which I think his play entitles him. [Capablanca interview in "The Times", 29 July 1922, p.10]
The late master was one of my most dangerous opponents, and I must honestly admit that he surpassed me in terms of richness of ideas in the opening. In almost every game he played against me he invented something new. Yet perhaps his strength lay not so much in the discovery of a new move or a hitherto unknown tactical finesse as in a new strategy. Very frequently, and within just a few moves, I would find myself in a lost position against him without knowing exactly how it had happened. [Spielmann on Réti]
Réti had an extraordinary gift for using his knights to create weaknesses in open positions. [Roberto Grau in "La Nación", 26 October 1930]
Akshat Chandra, May 28, 1999, is an American GM who didn’t play chess until age nine and became a GM at age sixteen. His peak rating was 2536 in February 2020. His rating has slipped to 2463 as of January 2025. A one-time US Junior CC he has also written for Chessbase and contributed articles to the US Chess Federation website.
He has not played on chess.com @AkshatChandra since 2018 when his bullet and blitz ratings were both over 2800.
Alfonso Romero Holmes, 28 May 1965, is a Spanish GM, one-time Spanish CC, individual bronze medalist on board three in the 2002 Olympiad. His peak rating was 2560 in April 2003 and currently he has apparently not played a FIDE-rated game since March 2020, leaving his rating 2427.
Gukesh Dommaraju (born 29 May 2006) is an Indian GM, World U12 CC, and the youngest undisputed World CC. His peak rating was 2794 in October 2024, with a peak ranking of #3 beginning in March 2025. He has dropped a few points but still holds a 2787 rating as he entered May 2025.
Gukesh won individual gold medals on board one in the last two Olympiads, while the Indian team won bronze and gold.
You can read a history of Gukesh, from his early years to becoming the world’s second-youngest GM ever, to becoming the world’s youngest undisputed classical World CC at Gukesh Dommaraju - Bio & Stats | Top Chess Players - Chess.com.
Here’s the moment when he won the World CC after Ding Liren’s horrible endgame blunder.
Tan Zhongyi (Chinese: 谭中怡; 29 May 1991) is a Chinese GM, 2017 Women’s World CC, 2022 Women’s Rapid World CC, five-time Chinese Women’s CC, two-time World U10 Girls CC, and a law school graduate. She won the knockout edition of the Women’s World CC in 2017, defeating Anna Muzychuk in the final during the two-game rapid tiebreaker 1.5 – 0.5.
Tan Zhongyi earned a gold medal on board four at the 42nd Chess Olympiad in 2016. Finally, she faced Ju Wenjun in the 2025 Women’s World CC…and got crushed 2.5 – 6.5 (Ju Wenjun Wins 5th Women's World Chess Championship - Chess.com). Her peak rating of 2561 was reached in December 2024 and slipped slightly to 2536 by May 2025.
Mikhail Golubev, 30 May 1970, is a Ukranian GM, tied once for the Ukrainian CC, journalist, author, and coach. His peak rating was 2570 in January 1995. ChessMetrics lists his peak at 2598 that same month, placing him at #151 globally. He retired from active play in 2019 with a 2419 rating. He does play an occasional FIDE-rated rapid or blitz event.
I found four books he has written. As a journalist, he has written for the Ukrainian paper Komanda and external publications such as ChessBase, Chesspro, Chess-News.ru, and Chess Today.
On chess.com @ Mikhail_Golubev blogs in bursts on Mikhail Golubev’s Blog, but his only post since June 2024 was a post on 26 February 2025 Desperado: On My Titled Tuesday Marathon. It turned out he was one of the most frequent participants in Titled Tuesday events during 2024, a fact that was recognized by chess.com and Hikaru Nakamura. Golubev offers online coaching services but only for those seeking to play at a serious international level. He had a presence on X (Twitch at the time) until April 2022 @mikhail_golubev.
Jana Krivec (born May 30, 1980) is a Slovene WGM, seven-time Slovenian Women’s CC, cognitive scientist (PhD), author, and FIDE podcaster. Her peak rating was 2362 in April 2008 but that slid to 2213 by December 2021 when she played her latest FIDE-rated games at classic time controls. She did play some rated blitz and rapid games in October 2022.
Her book discusses numerous psychological impediments we all face in the daunting task of improving at chess and offers tips on how to mitigate many of those issues.
You can watch a YouTube video during which she discusses much of this at Let's talk about chess #24 WGM Dr. Jana Krivec. From February through November 2022, she offered a series of workshops under the title Increase Your Inner Strength, provided under the auspices of the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess as part of the year’s Queens Festival.
Igor Kurnosov (Russian: Игорь Курносов; 30 May 1985 – 8 August 2013) was a Russian GM who was hit and killed by a motorist when he was 28. His peak rating was 2680 in May 2010, #52 globally. He was recognized as a Grunfeld Defence expert.
Ilmārs Starostīts, May 30, 1979, is a Latvian GM and two-time Latvian CC. His peak rating was 2512 in October 2007.
In 2007, Starostīts falsely accused Anna Rudolf of cheating by hiding a computer in her lip balm. Dude, chips are small, but really? My question boils down to whether you are ignorant or just a jerk? ANYWAY…
Dariusz Świercz, 31 May 1994, is a Polish-born, American GM, World Junior CC, World U18 CC, winner of the third Millionaire Chess Open, coach, and author. With a peak rating of 2678 in August 2019, #71 globally, he has slipped below the 2600 waterline to 2569 as of May 2025.
He has several books available on chessable.com @gmdariusz. I picked up his Short and Sweet 1.d4, it's the pictured one without text, because it’s free with a PRO membership. I haven’t looked at it yet. I’ll try to do that before publishing this blog.
He can be found on chess.com @daro94 and has an extremely credible bullet rating of 2989 and blitz rating of 2988. When I checked, his last games were 6 April 2025, playing casual 3m blitz.
Ni Hua (倪華), 31 May 1983, is a Chinese GM, three-time Chinese CC, one-time Chinese Rapid CC. His peak rating was 2724 in April 2009, #21 globally. He is still rated an impressive 2649 entering May 2025.
He has played for the Chinese team in multiple Olympiads, earning a team gold, team silver, and individual bronze.
He has not played recently on chess.com. @Ni-Hua’s most recent game was June 2023 and it’s almost June 2025. His blitz rating was an impressive 3006, with his bullet rating lagging a bit behind at 2809.
Mikhail Vitalyevich Ulibin (Russian: Михаил Витальевич Улыбин; born 31 May 1971) is a Russian GM, silver medalist in the 1991 World Junior CC and the 1994 Russian CC, and member of the bronze medal-winning Russian second team in 1994 (the first team took gold). His peak rating was 2589 in July 2002.
Because it’s the last day of the month, and this blog laughingly bills itself as a Zodiac of chess players, I’ll provide a link to his astrological chart I found online Astrology Birth Chart for Mikhail Ulibin (May. 31, 1971) • Astrologify. My malware detectors didn’t notice anything untoward about the site, so you have at least some software assurances that it’s a safe click.
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, and YouTube clips. 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.
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.
Only four more months to go to complete the full Zodiac cycle!!
