Joel Benjamin

Joel Benjamin was the first to break Bobby Fischer’s record for youngest master (1977) and won national titles at every scholastic level, as well as the US Junior Championship.  He earned the IM title in 1980 and GM title in 1986, among the youngest in the world at the time. Benjamin won the three U.S. Championships (1987, 1997, and 2000) and finished in the top three on numerous other occasions.  He holds the record for most consecutive appearances, playing in every Championship from 1981-2006.

Benjamin also played in six Olympiads and many medal winning teams, including the 1993 and 1997 World Team (gold and silver, respectively), and the 1990 and 1996 Olympiad (silver and bronze, respectively). Benjamin has won individual gold in the World Youth Team, World Team, and World Senior Team. Benjamin was inducted into the U.S. Chess Hall of Fame in 2008.