childhood
Born on 13 February 1960 in Moscow, Russia, into a Jewish family.
Learned chess at a young age and quickly rose through the Soviet chess ranks.
Showed exceptional talent as a junior and was recognized as one of the most promising young players in the Soviet Union.
education
Trained in the Soviet chess system, which emphasized deep theoretical knowledge and rigorous analysis.
He was awarded the title of Grandmaster by FIDE in 1980.
Later earned the title of FIDE Senior Trainer and became one of the world's most respected chess educators.
career
Ranked No. 3 in the world from 1986 to 1992, behind only Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov.
World Championship Candidate on multiple occasions, reaching the semifinals three times.
Won the Soviet Championship in 1981 and the European Club Cup with multiple teams.
Member of the Soviet Olympiad team, winning team gold medals several times.
Known for his solid, positional style and his deep understanding of chess strategy.
After retiring from competitive play, he became a world-renowned chess trainer, working with players from Viswanathan Anand to local amateurs in Germany, where he resides.
Author of the nine-volume Yusupov's Chess School series, one of the most comprehensive and respected training courses ever written.
stories & anecdotes
Yusupov's rivalry with Garry Kasparov in the 1980s was intense, and he was one of the few players who could hold his own against the young Kasparov.
He has won "everything there is to win in chess except for the World Championship" — a testament to his immense strength.
He is known for his kind and patient teaching style, which has made him one of the most sought-after coaches in the world.
His Chess School series is used by players of all levels to systematically improve their game.
quotes
"Chess is a game of understanding, not just memorization."
"The best way to improve is to study the classics and to understand the ideas behind the moves."
publications
Build Up Your Chess 1: The Fundamentals — the first volume of his nine-book training course.
Build Up Your Chess 2: Beyond the Basics — continues the course.
Build Up Your Chess 3: Mastery — the final volume of the first level.
Boost Your Chess 1–3 — the second level of the series.
Chess Evolution 1–3 — the third and final level of the series.
Play through Artur Yusupov’s games
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Editorial note: this profile was adapted from supplied research notes. Historical details and attributed quotations should be fact-checked before formal publication.