Russian Grandmaster (2016). Best results:  Brno Open 2012, 2nd; Dnipropetrovsk Open 2012, 1st. Peak rating: 2493 in 2016.

Russian Grandmaster (2004). Best results: Czeskie Budziejowice 1995, 2-3rd; Olomouc Summer Open 2005, 1st. Peak rating: 2530 in 2004.

Romanian Grandmaster  (2002), Romanian Champion in 2001 and 2016. Best results: Timisoara 2001, 1st; Lasker Memorial (ROM) 2001, 1st; Ciocaltea Memorial 2002, 2nd; Bucharest Spring 2003, 2nd; Acropolis GM 2003, 2nd; Srajber Memorial 2003, 1st; Tarragona Open 2006, 1st; Bad Wiessee Open 2007, 1st; Acropolis 2008, 1-2nd; Rethymno Open 2010, 1-6th; Bosna Open 2011, 2-5th;

The Turkish Chess Federation holds the record of the biggest number of participants in a national championship. In 2018 they registered 7,000 participants for the Turkish Youth Championships.

Fabiano Caruana will be the first American to fight for the World Champion title in 46 years, since Bobby Fischer and the fifth American to fight for the title after Emanuel Lasker, Frank Marshall, Samuel Reshevsky and Bobby Fischer.

Armenian Grandmaster (2008). Best results: Tula 2001, 1st-5th; Sikonda 2005, 2nd; Muhamedzhanov Memorial 2007, 1st. Peak rating: 2501 in 2008, he is inactive since the end of 2009. 

English Grandmaster (2000), the youngest-ever British player to achieve both the IM title (at age 13) and the GM title (age 16). Graduated in philosophy and mathematics, he was working for some time as a trader. World Champion U10 in 1992 and silver medalist at the World U20 in 2002. British U9 Champion. Best results: won

Russian chess patron, businessman, and chess amateur who is living between Zurich and Moscow. Since 2012 Mr. Skortsov is the main sponsor and the organizer of the Zurich Chess Challenge and the Nutcracker Battle of the Generations in Moscow.

English Grandmaster (2000). British Champion (1995). Best results: Scottish Championship 1994, 1st; Werfen 1995, 4th; European U20 1996, 4th. Peak rating: 2570 in 2002, he doesn’t play anymore in international events.

Polish Grandmaster and Solving Grandmaster (2011) who won five-time the World Championship in chess problem-solving. Polish Champion in 2017, Polish Rapid Chess Champion in 2018 and Polish Blitz Champion in 2015. Best results: won or shared first at Rubinstein Memorial 2010, Sants Open 2015, Bad Wiessee Open 2015. Peak rating: 2685 in 2016.