childhood
Born on 31 October 1983 in Moscow, Russia.
Learned to play at the tender age of 4 from his father. His first trainer was Mikhail Godvinsky, then from ages 7 to 10 he was coached by Maxim Blokh, the author of popular chess tactics books.
When he was 10 years old, he started to study with IM Anatoly Bykhovsky, who influenced him the most and shaped him as a player. They continued to work together for more than a decade.
education
Grischuk has a unique track record in the Russian junior championships, winning U10, U12, U14, and U16 sections. He also shared 1st/2nd place at the World U10 Championship (silver medal on tiebreaks, behind Luke McShane).
career
Three-time World Blitz Champion (2006, 2012, 2015) and one of the strongest rapid and blitz players in the world.
A World Championship Candidate in 2007, 2011, 2013, and 2018; reached the semifinals of the FIDE World Championship in 2000 at age 16.
Won the Chigorin Memorial in St. Petersburg in November 1999 with a score of 7/9, at just 16 years old.
Represented Russia in multiple Olympiads, winning team gold medals and individual board prizes.
Known for his exceptional speed of calculation, his fighting spirit, and his candid, often humorous interviews.
stories & anecdotes
Grischuk is famous for his self-deprecating humor and his honesty. He once said: "Procrastination is definitely the main factor" when explaining why he had not reached his full potential.
He said: "I hate losing, and that is the main factor that keeps me still going. I would rather stop playing completely than just be losing game after game."
On cheating in chess, he stated: "Cheating in chess is not like doping in other sports; cheating is like murder in criminal law."
quotes
"Procrastination is definitely the main factor."
"I hate losing, and that is the main factor that keeps me still going."
"Cheating in chess is not like doping in other sports; cheating is like murder in criminal law."
publications
Grischuk: Move by Move by Cyrus Lakdawala — a modern instructional work on his best games.
Alexander Grischuk: The Complete Games — a collection of his tournament games.
Play through Alexander Grischuk’s games
No published games are linked yet. When automation submits a PGN with this player’s slug, it will appear here automatically.
Editorial note: this profile was adapted from supplied research notes. Historical details and attributed quotations should be fact-checked before formal publication.