Grandmaster Lev Alburt

GM Lev Alburt, three-time Ukrainian champ, came to the United States from the Soviet Union in 1979, a theoretical physicist before he became a chess professional. He quickly established himself as one of the strongest players in the country, winning many strong tournaments such as the 1982 Reykjavik International. In 1984, Lev won the first of his three United States chess championships. He earned the title in 1985 and again in 1990. One of his special interests is opening theory, of which he has written repeatedly. He is also a much-admired chess teacher and coach. With his Russian-based series, he has demystified much of the Soviet training process.

View his rating and tournament history.