Kaidanov Grigory S. (11.10.1959)

American Grandmaster (1988) born in Ukraine. FIDE Senior Trainer (2009).

Kaidanov started his chess career by winning first place at the Boys U14 Russian federation championship 1972 and then became a Grandmaster in 1988. In 1990, Kaidanov and his wife visited the U.S. for the first time as tourists and it was an eventful experience which led to an invitation to teach chess for a year in Kentucky. In 1992, he was the undisputed leader of the Open tournament circuit by virtue of winning the World Open, the National Open, the U.S. Open and the Novag Grand Prix. He was also a member of the U.S. bronze-medal winning team at the 1996 Chess Olympiad in Yerevan and the silver-medal winning team at the 1998 Chess Olympiad in Elista.  Kaidanov won the silver medal for the best individual performance at board four at the 2004 Olympiad. He was also a member of the U.S. team that won the World Championship in Lucerne 1993, finished second at the Chess Olympiad at Elista 1998 and he was a participant in five Olympiads from 1996 to 2004.

Best results: won or shared first at Moscow 1987, Lvov 1988, Protvino 1988, Wien 1989, Hastings Masters 1990, Gent 1990, New York 1990, Gausdal 1991, World Open 1992, U.S. Open 1992, National Open 1990, 1992, 1994, 1999 and 2000, Goodricke 2000, North American Open 2001, Aeroflot Open 2001, Chicago U.S. Masters and Chicago Open 2002 and Gausdal GM 2008, St. Louis Invitational 2011.

Kaidanov lives with his family in Lexington, Kentucky where he has his own chess school.

Peak rating: 2645 in 1994.