Levon Aronian

Levon Aronian is an Armenian-American Grandmaster and a former blitz, rapid and Chess960 World Champion. After earning the grandmaster title at age 17, Aronian joined the world’s elite a few years later, eventually reaching a peak FIDE rating of 2830, the fourth highest ever recorded in history. Aronian’s notable tournament achievements include winning the 2005 & 2017 FIDE World Cup, the 2006 & 2007 Chess960 World Championship, the 2008 World Rapid Championship, and the 2009 World Blitz Championship. Originally from Yerevan, Aronian famously led Armenia to three gold medal victories in the 2006, 2008, and 2012 Chess Olympiads. In 2021, Aronian switched federations to represent the United States.