Alexander Khalifman

Alexander Valeryevich Khalifman (born 18 January 1966) is a Russian chess grandmaster and trainer. Awarded the grandmaster title by FIDE in 1990, he achieved his peak recognition by winning the FIDE World Chess Championship in 1999 through a knockout tournament in Las Vegas, defeating Vladimir Akopian in the final despite being ranked 44th globally at the time. Khalifman has also distinguished himself as a chess author, producing extensive opening repertoires such as the "Opening for White According to Anand" series, and as the founder of the Grandmaster Chess School in Saint Petersburg, established in 1998 to promote systematic chess education.

Alexander Khalifman was born in St Petersburg into a Jewish family of engineers.

Khalifman's early career featured victories in the Soviet Youth Championship and the European Junior Championship, laying the foundation for his competitive prowess. He claimed the Russian national championship in 1996 and contributed to Russia's dominance in team events, securing gold medals at the Chess Olympiads in 1992, 2000, and 2002, as well as the 1997 World Team Chess Championship. Following his world title, Khalifman shifted focus toward coaching, training teams like Ugra to European Club Cup success in and mentoring young talents through his school, emphasizing deep analytical preparation over rote memorization.