Uzbek Grandmaster (2000). Uzbek Champion in 2006. Winner of a gold medal for the best individual result at board 6 at the 2000 Olympiad. Best results: Winner or shared first in Zeeland 1995, Hastings Challenger Tournament in 2000/2001, Cleopatra-Cairo in 2001, Belfort in 2002, Casablanca Open in 2005, Montcarda I Teixa (ESP) in 2007, Ponteverda Open

US Grandmaster born in Romania. His affair with chess started at the early age of 2. When he was 4 years old, he played in his first tournament. At the age of 7, he held his first simultaneous exhibition, playing against seven children who were twice his age and defeated every one of them. In

Swedish Grandmaster (1988). Swedish Champion in 1976 and 1978. Won or shared first at Eksjö 1978 and second in Helsinki 1978, Stockholm 1978-79, Gausdal 1981, and second in Reykjavik 1982, Gausdal 1983 and Malmö Open 1985 and 1986. Also second in  Belgrade 1977, Kiel 1979 and Hamburg 1980. Third in Havana 1985. Schüssler writes the

Greek Grandmaster (2001). FIDE Trainer (2012). European Rapid Chess Champion of 2002. Six times consecutive Greek Champion in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005. Also Champion in 2008 and 2009. Balkan Champion in 2002. Bronze medallist at the World U18 in 1996, at the World U20 in 1997 and 1998 and European U20 in

Russian Grandmaster (1973), honored coach of the USSR (1978). Russian Senior Champion in 2011. A member of the USSR team which won the gold at Malta Olympiad in 1980. A participant at the World Student Olympiads with gold medals in 1971, 1972 and 1974. Best results: Champion of Moscow in 1970. A participant to 14

Russian Grandmaster (1999). Journalist. Russian Champion 1993. Best result: Ufa 1993, 5th; Moscow open 1995, 2nd; Chigorin Memorial 1995, 2nd; Budapest FS 1996, 1st; Slovakia ch Open 1996, 1st; Perm 1997, 1st; Voronezh Open 2002, 2nd; Chigorin Memorial 2004, 2nd; Ukraine championship 1999, 1-2nd; Pavlodar Open 2015, 1-2nd. A participant in the 2000 World Championship, in

Bulgarian Grandmaster (2008). Bulgarian Champion in 2009. Best results: Balkan championship 2000, 2nd; Bulgarian championship 2001 and 2008, 2nd; Groningen Atlantis 2007 and 2008, 1st; Veria Open 2008, 1st; Bergamo Open, 2nd; Dajo Batricevic Memorial 2009 (MNE), 1st -2nd, Sydney Open 2010, 1st; Atlantis Meestertienkamp 2010, 1st; Groningen Open 2010, 1st, Canadian Open championship 2011,

Soviet Grandmaster (1950) born in Russia, International Correspondence Grandmaster (1961), International Arbiter (1954). Engineer-economist he lived in St. Petersburg. Co-winner with Lilienthal at the 1940 USSR Championship. Coach of the USSR team at the “Match of the Century” in 1970. Coach of Paul Keres in 1948, of Efim Geller 1952-1956, Vassily Smyslov 1957 and Boris

Finnish Grandmaster (Honorary in 1984) very active during the period 1930-1950. Engineer and writer. Nordic Champion in 1947. Six times Finnish Champion between 1931 and 1963, he also played in six Olympiads from 1935 to 1960. He played many of the world’s top players and had a plus record against Samuel Reshevsky, Max Euwe, Miguel Najdorf

Austrian player born in Romania. He learnt the game at 22 and played international tournament only at 43 when his business career faltered. He finished second behind Emmanuel Lasker in 1893 in New York and participate in the famous tournament of Hastings in 1895. He was known mostly for the countergambit that bears his name, and