Varuzhan Akobian (Варужан Акопян)

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Varuzhan Akobian (19 November 1983) is an American Grandmaster of chess (2004).
Played for the USA team in the Chess Olympiads of 2006 and 2008 (both bronze medals) and in the Chess World Cup 2007. In 2007 Akobian came =1st in the American Continental Championship in Cali.
Other results include: 1st at Los Angeles 2001; 1st at San Francisco 2002; =1st at Philadelphia 2002; 1st at Pasadena 2002; 1st at Philadelphia 2004; 1st at Alajuela 2005; 1st at Philadelphia 2007; =1st at San Marino 2006; =1st at Manila 2006; 1st at Canberra 2008; =1st at Lubbock 2008; 1st at Chicago 2008; 3rd at Gibraltar 2009.
In the September 2009 FIDE list, Varuzhan Akobian has an Elo rating of 2636, making him USA's number six and California's number one.
In 2007, Akobian was featured in an MTV program "True Life: I'm a Genius".

Vladimir Akopian (Владимир Акопян)

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Vladimir Akopian (7 December 1971) is an Armenian Grandmaster of chess (1991).
He won World Youth Chess Championship (under 16) in 1986, World Youth Chess Championship (under 18) in 1988 and World Junior Chess Championship (under 20) in 1991. In 1999 he made his way through to the final of the FIDE Knock-Out World Chess Championship, but lost to Alexander Khalifman. He also played in the FIDE World Chess Championships of 2000 and 2004. Akopian played in the Chess Olympiads of 1992 (team bronze medal), 1994, 1996, 1998, 2002 (team bronze medal), 2004, 2006 (team gold medal) and 2008 (team gold medal). In 2002 he played in "Russia vs Rest of the World" match in Moscow, representing the World team and in 2004, he played in "Armenia vs. the Rest of the World" match, representing the Armenian team. Akopian also played for Armenia in the World Men's Team Chess Championships of 1993, 1997 (team bronze medal), 2001 (team bronze medal) and 2005 (team bronze medal). In 1986 he won South Caucasus Men's Championship; in 1996 and 1997 he won the Armenian Chess Championship.
Other results include: =1st at Niksic 1991; 3rd at Ubeda 1999; =1st at Dubai 1999; =1st at Philadelphia 1999; =2nd at Calcutta 2000; =5th at Tripoli 2004; =2nd at Amsterdam 2005; =8th at Isle of Man 2006; 1st at Gibraltar 2007; =2nd at Mainz 2009; =2nd at Nalchik 2009.
Akopian has also coaching experience; in 2004 he was Peter Leko's second in his match against Vladimir Kramnik in Brissago and in 2005, he worked in Qatar, helping the country's best chess players, in particular GM Mohamad Al-Modiahki and his wife, former women's world chess champion Zhu Chen.
On the September 2009 FIDE list, he has an Elo rating of 2698, making him number 34 in the world and Armenia's number two.
Akopian was awarded the Khorenatsi medal in 2006 and the title of "Honoured master of sport of the Republic of Armenia" in 2009.

Ashot Anastasian (Ашот Анастасян)

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Ashot Anastasian (16 July 1964) is an Armenian Grandmaster of chess (1993).
He played for Armenia in the Chess Olympiads of 1992 (team bronze medal), 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2002 (team bronze medal) and in the World Men's Team Championships of 1993, 1997 (team bronze medal), 2001 (team bronze medal), and 2005 (team bronze medal). Participated in the FIDE World Chess Championships of 2002 and 2004. Anastasian won the Armenian Chess Championship in 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1992, 1994, and 2005.
Other results include: 1st at Plovdiv 1987; =1st at Voskresensk 1992; =2nd at Moscow 1992; =1st at Katowice 1993; 1st Yerevan 1994; 1st at Budapest 1999; =1st at Abu Dhabi 1999; =2nd Dubai 2005; =1st at Abu Dhabi 2007; =1st at Dubai 2009.
On the September 2009 FIDE list, Ashot Anastasian has an Elo rating of 2566, making him number 325 in the world and Armenia's number ten.

Zaven Andriasian (Завен Андриасян)

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Zaven Andriasian (11 March 1989) is an Armenian Grandmaster of chess (2007).
He won the 2005 European Youth Chess Championship for under 16 and the 2006 World Junior Chess Championship. He came 6th in the Armenian Chess Championship of 2008.
Other results include: =1 at Kirishi 2007; =5th at Polanica Zdroj 2007; =4th at Warsaw 2008; 4th at Martuni 2008; =1st at Benasque 2009; =2nd at Warsaw 2009; =2nd at Abu Dhabi 2009.
In the September 2009 FIDE list, he has an Elo rating of 2612, making him Armenia's number five.

Levon Aronian (Левон Аронян)

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KC-Conference (Part 1)
KC-Conference (Part 2)

Levon Aronian (6 October 1982) is an Armenian Grandmaster of chess (2001).
He is the winner of the 2005 World Cup, 2009 World Rapid Championship and the FIDE Grand Prix 2008–2009. In May 2007 he defeated World Champion Vladimir Kramnik 4-2 in a rapid chess match. In 2006 and 2007 Aronian won World Fischer Random Chess Championship. Aronian played in the Chess Olympiads of 1996, 2004 (team bronze medal), 2006 (team gold medal) and 2008 (team gold medal). He also played in the FIDE World Chess Championship of 2004 and in the World Men's Team Chess Championship of 2005 (team bronze medal). In 2002 he won the Armenian Chess Championship. Came =3rd in European Individual Chess Championship of 2005.
Other results include: 1st at Szeged 1994; 6th at Morso 2002; 1st at Goa 2002; =7th at Mainz 2003; =2nd at Deizisau 2003; =1st at Gibraltar 2005; 1st at Stepanakert 2005; 1st at Linares 2006; =1st at Moscow 2006; =1st at Wijk aan Zee 2007; =1st at Wijk aan Zee 2008; 1st at Nice 2008; 1st at Yerevan 2008; 1st at Nice 2009; 1st at Bilbao 2009; =4th at Moscow 2009.
On the September 2009 FIDE list, Levon Aronian has an Elo rating of 2773, making him number three in the world and Armenia's number one.
He was announced as the best athlete of Armenia of 2005. All the 37 journalists who participated in the survey mentioned him the first in their variants. Thus Levon Aronian achieved 370 points of 370 possible. He was awarded the Khorenatsi medal in 2006 and the title of "Honoured master of sport of the Republic of Armenia" in 2009.

Karen Asrian (Карен Асрян)

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Karen Asrian (24 April 1980 - 9 June 2008) was an Armenian Grandmaster of chess (1998).
He won the Armenian Chess Championship in 1999, 2007, and 2008. Played in the Chess Olympiads of 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 (team bronze medal) and 2006 (team gold medal), in the World Men's Team Champioships of 2001 (team bronze medal) and 2005 (team bronze medal) and in the FIDE World Chess Championships of 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2004. Took bronze medal in World Junior Chess Championship of 1999. Came =3rd in the European Individual Chess Championship of 2005.
Other results include: =1st at Minsk 1998; =7th at Ubeda 1999; =1st at Dubai 2001; =8th at Antalya 2004; Stepanakert 2004; =10th at Moscow 2007; =9th at Moscow 2008.
In 2006, Asrian was awarded the Khorenatsi medal.
He died of a stroke on June 9, 2008 in Yerevan.

Elina Danielian (Элина Даниелян)

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Elina Danielian (16 August 1978) is an Armenian International Master of chess (2003) and Woman Grandmaster (1994).
In 1991, at the age of 13 she become champion of Commonwealth of Independent States under 18. In 1992 she won World Girls Chess Championship under 14 and in 1993 she repeated success in under 16 category. In the same year she took bronze medal in European Girls Championship under 20. In 2001 she won 1st Women European Rapid Champion in Minsk. She played for Armenia in the Chess Olympiads of 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008 and in the World Women's Team Championships of 2007 and 2009. In 2003 Danielian won the European Women's Team Chess Championship. She won Armenian Woman Chess Championship in 1993, 1994, 1999, 2000, 2002 and 2004. In 2009 she came =2nd at Women Grand Prix in Istanbul.
Other results include: =3rd at Kavala 2007; =1st at Stockholm 2008; =3rd at Athens 2008.
On the September 2009 FIDE list, she has an Elo rating of 2489, making her number 17 female player in the world and Armenia's number one.
In 2003 Danielian was awarded the Khorenatsi medal and was named best sportsman of Armenia of 2003.

Yury Dokhoian (Юрий Дохоян)

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Yury Dokhoian (26 October 1964) is a Russian Grandmaster of chess (1988) and and FIDE Senior Trainer (2007) of Armenian descent.
Several times played in the 1st league of the USSR Championships. Came equal second in the All-Union tournament of young masters (1986).
Other results include: 1st at Bucharest 1986; 1st at Plovdiv 1988; =2nd at Budapest 1988; 3rd at Yerevan 1988; 3rd at Sochi 1988; =1st at Wijk aan Zee 1989; 1st at Berlin 1992; 1st at Godesberg 1993; 1st at Lublin 1993; 1st at Munster 1993.
Dokhoian is one of the leading Russian trainers. He has been Kasparov's second for several years; in 2009 he became the second of Sergey Karjakin. He is also the head coach of the Russian Women's Olympic team.

Genrikh Gasparyan (Генрих Каспарян)

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Genrikh Gasparyan (27 February 1910 - 27 December 1995) was an Armenian International Master of chess (1950) and International Grandmaster of Chess Composition (1972).
Reached the USSR Championship finals four times (1931, 1937, 1947, 1952) and was Armenian Champion ten times (1934, 1938, 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951, 1954, 1955, 1956), including two ties with future World Champion Tigran Petrosian. He was also champion of Tbilisi in 1931, 1937 and 1945 and South Caucasus champion in 1935.
Gasparyan is best known for his compositions. His favourite field was in endgame studies; he was probably most famous study composer in the world and has often been nicknamed "The King of Studies". He wrote several books and collections and composed about 600 studies, many on the theme of domination, winning 57 first prizes. He won the USSR Composing Championship a number of times. He had 175,83 FIDE Album points.

Garry Kasparov (Гарри Каспаров)

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Garry Kasparov (13 April 1963) is a Russian Grandmaster of chess (1980), 13th World Chess Champion (1985), whom many consider the greatest chess player of all time. He was born to an Armenian mother (Klara Kasparova) and Jewish father (Kim Weinstein).
He became the youngest ever undisputed World Chess Champion in 1985 and held the official FIDE world title until 1993. His ratings achievements include being rated world #1 almost continuously from 1986 until his retirement in 2005 and holding the all-time highest rating of 2851. He also holds records for consecutive tournament victories and Chess Oscars. Kasparov twice tied for first place in the USSR Chess Championship, in 1980–81 and 1981–82. In 2004 he won Russian Chess Championship. He played in a total of eight Chess Olympiads, representing the Soviet Union four times and Russia four times, and won a total of 19 medals. In 2004, Kasparov played in the "Armenia vs. the Rest of the World" match, representing the Armenian team.
Other results include: 1st at Bugojno 1982; 1st at Moscow 1982; 1st at Niksic 1983; 1st at Brussels 1986; =1st at Brussels 1987; 1st at Amsterdam 1988; 1st at Belfort 1988; =1st at Moscow 1988; 1st at Reykjavik 1988; =1st at Barcelona 1989; =1st at Skelleftea 1989; 1st at Tilburg 1989; 1st at Belgrade 1989; 1st at Linares 1990; 1st at Tilburg 1991; 1st at Linares 1992; =1st at Dortmund 1992; 1st at Linares 1993; 1st at Amsterdam 1994; =1st at Novgorod 1994; 1st at Horgen 1994; 1st at Riga 1995; 1st at Novgorod 1995; =1st at Amsterdam 1996; 1st at Las Palmas 1996; 1st at Linares 1997; 1st at Novgorod 1997; =1st at Tilburg 1997; 3rd at Linares 1998; 1st at Wijk aan Zee 1999; 1st at Linares 1999; 1st at Sarajevo 1999; 1st at Wijk aan Zee 2000; =1st at Linares 2000; 1st at Sarajevo 2000; 1st at Linares 2001; 1st at Astana 2001; 1st at Linares 2002; =2nd at Linares 2004; 1st at Linares 2005.
Kasparov retired from professional chess in 2005 and has since devoted himself to political activities related to promoting democracy in Russia. He formed the United Civil Front movement, and joined as a member of The Other Russia, a coalition opposing the administration of Vladimir Putin. He became a candidate for the Russian presidency in 2007 but was barred from running because he had not been nominated by a registered political party.
Kasparov is also well-known author. His books include: Caro-Kann: Classical 4.Bf5 (co-written with his trainer Alexander Shakarov; 1984); Child of Change: An Autobiography (1987); My Great Predecessors (5 volume: 2003-2006); How Life Imitates Chess (2007); Garry Kasparov on Modern Chess (3 volume: 2007-2009).

Smbat Lputian (Смбат Лпутян)

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Smbat Lputian (14 February 1958) is an Armenian Grandmaster of chess (1984).
In 2006, he won the Chess Olympiad in Turin, playing 4th board on the Armenian team. Also played in the Chess Olympiads of 1992 (team bronze medal), 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 (team bronze medal), 2004 (team bronze medal), and in the World Men's Team Championships of 1993, 1997 (team bronze medal), 2001 (team bronze medal), and 2005 (team bronze medal). Participated in the FIDE World Chess Championships of 2000, 2002 and 2004. In 2004, he played in the "Armenia vs. the Rest of the World" match, representing the Armenian team. Lputian won the Armenian Chess Championship in 1978, 1980 and 1998.
Other results include: 1st at Berlin 1982; =1st at Athens 1983; =1st at Irkutsk 1983; 1st at Sarajevo 1985; 1st at Irkutsk 1986; =1st at Hastings 1986-87; =4th at Sochi 1987; 1st at Dortmund 1988; 2nd at New York 1998.
On the September 2009 FIDE list, he has an Elo rating of 2574, making him number 280 in the world and Armenia's number seven.
Lputian is the founder and president of the Chess Academy of Armenia and vice president of the Armenian Chess Federation. He was awarded the Khorenatsi medal in 2006 and Petrosian Medal (by FIDE) in 2009. In the same year he was awarded the title of "Honoured master of sport of the Republic of Armenia".

Artashes Minasian (Арташес Минасян)

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Artashes Minasian (21 January 1967) is an Armenian Grandmaster of chess (1992).
He is the last USSR Chess Champion (1991). Played in the Chess Olympiads of 1992 (team bronze medal), 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002 (team bronze medal), 2004 (team bronze medal), 2006 (team gold medal) and 2008 (team gold medal) and in the World Men's Team Championships of 1993, 1997 (team bronze medal) and 2001 (team bronze medal). Participated in the FIDE World Chess Championship of 2000. Minasian won the Armenian Chess Championship in 1990, 1992, 1993, 1995, 2004 and 2006.
Other results include: =2nd at Groningen 1990; 1st at Candas 1992; 1st at Paris 1994; 2nd at Cannes 1995; 1st at New York 1998; =7th at Ubeda 1999; =1st at Ubeda 2000; 2nd at Yerevan 2000; =1st at Dubai 2001; =2 at Batumi 2003; =7th at Los Angeles 2003; =2nd at Dubai 2004; =3rd at Yerevan 2004.
On the September 2009 FIDE list, Artashes Minasian has an Elo rating of 2561, making him number 348 in the world and Armenia's number eleven.
Minasian was awarded the Khorenatsi medal in 2006 and the title of "Honoured master of sport of the Republic of Armenia" in 2009.

Lilit Mkrtchian (Лилит Мкртчян)

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Lilit Mkrtchian (9 August 1982) is an Armenian International Master of chess and Woman Grandmaster (1998).
In 2002, she won the silver medal in the European Individual Chess Championship in Varna, and in 2006, took the bronze medal at the 7th European Individual Championship held in Kusadasi. She played for Armenia in the Chess Olympiads of 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008 (individual bronze medal) and in the World Women's Team Championships of 2007 and 2009 (individual bronze medal). In 2003, Mkrtchian won the European Women's Team Chess Championship. In 2005, she won the Armenian Woman Chess Championship.
Other results include: =1st at Vladimir 2007.
On the September 2009 FIDE list, she has an Elo rating of 2469, making her number 29 female player in the world and Armenia's number two.

Sergei Movsesian (Сергей Мовсесян)

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Sergei Movsesian (3 November 1978) is a Slovak Grandmaster of chess (1997).
In 1999, he reached quarterfinals of the FIDE World Chess Championship in Las Vegas, but lost to Vladimir Akopian. He also played in the FIDE World Chess Championships of 2000, 2002 and 2004. Movsesian played in the Chess Olympiads of 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004 and 2008. In 2002 and 2007 he won the Slovak Chess Championship. In 2002 he became European Blitz Chess Champion.
Other results include: 1st at Hamburg 1997; =2nd at Neum 2002; 1st at Sarajevo 2002; 1st at Sarajevo 2007; 1st at Karlovy Vary 2007; 1st at Saint Petersburg 2007; 2nd at Pardubice 2007; 3rd at Sarajevo 2008; 1st at Wijk aan Zee 2008; =5th at Nanjing 2008; =6th at San Sebastian 2009; =3rd at Wijk aan Zee 2009.
On the September 2009 FIDE list, Sergei Movsesian has an Elo rating of 2711, making him number 26 in the world and Slovakia's number one.
In 2011, he was awarded the Khorenatsi medal.

Ashot Nadanian (Ашот Наданян)

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Ashot Nadanian (19 September 1972) is an Armenian International Master of chess (1997) and FIDE Trainer (2007).
Played in the 32nd Chess Olympiad (1996), in the Zonal Tournament in Panormo (1998), when he came =7th and narrowly failed to qualify for the FIDE World Chess Championship of 1999. In 2000, he played in the 1st European Individual Chess Championship. He came =7th in Armenian Chess Championship of 1999.
Other results include: =1st at Czestochowa 1992; 1st at Tbilisi 1996; =1st at Pasanauri 1997; =4th at New York 1998; =2nd at Moscow 2004; =6th at Kuala Lumpur 2006; =2nd at Tarakan 2008; =3rd at Kuala Lumpur 2008; =6th at Seoul 2008.
Ashot Nadanian is the former coach of the Kuwait National Team (1999–2001). Currently, he is the National coach of Singapore Men's Team (since 2005). His students include Grandmasters Gabriel Sargissian, Varuzhan Akobian and Davit G. Petrosian. Nadanian was awarded the titles of Honoured Coach of Armenia in 1998 and FIDE Trainer in 2007.
He has made a number of contributions to opening theory, the most notable of which is the Nadanian Variation of the Grunfeld Defence (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 d5 4.cxd5 Nxd5 5.Na4).

Arman Pashikian (Арман Пашикян)

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Arman Pashikian (28 July 1987) is an Armenian Grandmaster of chess (2002).
He is the winner of the European Youth Rapid Chess Championship in 2005 and the Armenian Youth Championship in 1997 and 1998. Pashikian won the Armenian Chess Championship in 2009.
Other results include: =1st at Batumi 2003; =3rd at Saratov 2006; =2nd at Istanbul 2007; 1st at Gyumri 2008; 1st at Martuni 2008; 1st at Sevan 2009.
On the September 2009 FIDE list, he has an Elo rating of 2663, making him number 70 in the world and Armenia's number four.

Arshak B. Petrosian (Аршак Петросян)

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Arshak B. Petrosian (16 December 1953) is an Armenian Grandmaster of chess (1984) and FIDE Senior Trainer (2004).
Played in the Chess Olympiads of 1992 (team bronze medal) and 1996, in the World Men's Team Championship of 1993 and in the USSR Championship of 1985. Petrosian won the Armenian Chess Championship in 1974 and 1976 (tied with Vanik Zakarian and Gagik Akopian).
Other results include: =1st at Yerevan 1980; 1st at Albena 1980; 3rd at Lvov 1981; =1 at Bagneux 1981; =1st at Novi Sad 1983; 1st at Yerevan 1984; =7th at Yerevan 1986; =1st at Tunha 1987; =2nd at Budapest 1987; =3rd at Dortmund 2000 (B-tourn).
He is Armenian National Men's Team coach and father-in-law and second of Hungarian grandmaster Peter Leko. In 2004, Petrosian was awarded the title of FIDE Senior Trainer. In 2006, he was awarded the Khorenatsi medal and in 2009 Botvinnik Medal (by FIDE).

Tigran Petrosian (Тигран Петросян)

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Tigran Petrosian (17 June 1929 – 13 August 1984) was Grandmaster of chess (1952) and 9th World Chess Champion (1963), who was nicknamed "Iron Tigran" due to his playing style because of his almost impenetrable defence.
He became World Chess Champion in 1963 and held the title until 1969. He won the Soviet Championships of 1959, 1961, 1969, and 1975. He played for USSR in the Chess Olympiads of 1958, 1960, 1962, 1964, 1966, 1968, 1970, 1972 and 1974 and won nine team gold medals, one team silver medal, and six individual gold medals. Petrosian also played for USSR in every European Team Championship held while he was alive, a total of eight selections, from 1957 to 1983; he won eight team gold medals, and four board gold medals.
Other results include: =1st at Los Angeles 1963=; 2nd at Biel 1976; 1st at Lone Pine 1976; =1st at Rio de Janeiro 1979; 1st at Tallinn 1979; =2nd at Tilburg 1981.
There are two major opening systems named after him: the Petrosian Variation of the King's Indian Defence (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 g6 3.Nc3 Bg7 4.e4 d6 5.Nf3 O-O 6.Be2 e5 7.d5) and the Petrosian System in the Queen's Indian Defence (1.d4 Nf6 2.c4 e6 3.Nf3 b6 4.a3).

Tigran L. Petrosian (Тигран Л. Петросян)

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Tigran L. Petrosian (28 July 1987) is an Armenian Grandmaster of chess (2002).
He played on the gold medal winning Armenia team in the 2008 Chess Olympiad and in the World Youth U16 Chess Olympiads of 1999 and 2000. In 2002, he became the U-18 Armenian Champion and in 2004 was second in the World Junior Championship in India. Petrosian came =3rd in the 68th Armenian Championship (2008).
Other results include: =2nd at Batumi 2003; 1st at Isfahan 2004; 1st at Beirut 2004; =1st at Tehran 2005; =1st at Kish 2005, =1st at Lausanne 2005; =1st at Stepanakert 2005 (B-tournament); 1st at Lyon 2006; =1st at Dubai 2006; =2nd at Chicago 2008; =1st at Wheeling 2008; =1st at Las Vegas 2008.
On the September 2009 FIDE list, Petrosian has an Elo rating of 2663, making him number 70 in the world and Armenia's number four. In 2009, he was awarded the title of "Honoured master of sport of the Republic of Armenia".

Gabriel Sargissian (Габриел Саркисян)

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Gabriel Sargissian (3 February 1983) is an Armenian Grandmaster of chess (2002).
He is the winner of the World Youth Chess Championship (under-14) in 1996 and the European Championship (under-16) in 1998. Played in the Chess Olympiads of 2000, 2002 (team bronze medal), 2004 (team bronze medal), 2006 (team gold medal) and 2008 (team gold medal) and in the FIDE World Chess Championship of 2004. Sargissian won the Armenian Chess Championship in 2000 and 2003. In 2007 and 2009, he became Spain Champion, playing for Linex-Magic Club.
Other results include: =10th at Batumi 2002; 1st at Abu Dhabi 2003; 1st at Reykjavik 2006; =1st at Dubai 2006; 1st at Zafra 2007; =1st at Copenhagen 2007; =10th at Saratov 2007; 4th at Paks 2008; =3rd at Merida 2008; =1st at Chicago 2009; =5th at Antwerp 2009.
On the September 2009 FIDE list, he has an Elo rating of 2678, making him number 54 in the world and Armenia's number three.
In 2006, Sargissian was awarded the Khorenatsi medal. In December 2008, he was named best sportsman of Armenia of 2008 and in 2009, was awarded the title of "Honoured master of sport of the Republic of Armenia".

Almira Skripchenko (Эльмира Скрипченко)

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Almira Skripchenko (17 February 1976) is a French International Master of chess (1998) and Woman Grandmaster (1995). She was born to a Russian father (Fedor Skripchenko) and an Armenian mother (Naira Agababian).
She won the World Youth Chess Championships (under 16) of 1992 and 1993. In 2001, she celebrated her biggest success ever, winning the European Individual Women's Chess Championship. In the same year she was chosen best Moldavan Sports Personality of the Year and was awarded the National Order of Merit. She was the first woman to have competed in the Men's French Individual Championship (2002, 2003). In 2004, 2005 and 2006, she won the Ladies' French Chess Championship. In team play, she won the French Nationale Chess League with celebrated club side NAO Chess Club (2003, 2004) and the German Chess Bundesliga with Werder Bremen (2005). She played in in the Women's Chess Olympiads of 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2008.
Other results include: 1st at Krasnoturinsk 2004; 1st at Biel 2004.
On the September 2009 FIDE list, she has an Elo rating of 2448, making her number 40 female chess player in the world and France's number two.
Skripchenko has also played in major poker tournaments. In 2009, she finished seventh in the World Series of Poker No Limit Hold'em tournament. Among poker players she is known as "ChessBaby".

Rafael Vaganian (Рафаэль Ваганян)

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Rafael Vaganian (15 October 1951) is an Armenian Grandmaster of chess (1971).
In 1971, he came 4th at World Junior Chess Championship. He was a world championship Candidate twice, losing out to Andrei Sokolov in 1986 and to Lajos Portisch in 1988. Vaganian is the winner of the 56th Soviet Chess Championship (Odessa 1989). He played for USSR in the Chess Olympiads of 1978 (team silver medal), 1984 (team gold medal), 1986 (team gold medal), and for Armenia in the Chess Olympiads of 1992 (team bronze medal), 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000 and 2004 (team bronze medal). He also played for USSR in the World Men's Team Chess Championships of 1985 and 1989 (both team gold medals) and for Armenia in 1993, 1997 (team bronze medal), 2001 (team bronze medal), and 2005 (team bronze medal). In 1974, Vaganian was board one for the USSR team at the World Student Team Championship at Teesside, scoring 10/11 and taking the board one prize. In 1984, he played in the "USSR vs The Rest of the World" match (team gold medal) and in 2004, he played in the "Armenia vs. the Rest of the World" match. Played in the FIDE World Chess Championships of 2000, 2002 and 2004.
In 1990, he started to play for the German club SG Porz in the Bundesliga, and became German champion several times. Vaganian regularly achieves very good results (in season 1996/1997 14.5 out of 15) for his club and therefore has been nicknamed "Mr. Bundesliga".
Other results include: 1st at Vrnjacka Banja 1971; 1st at Kragujevac 1974; 1st at Rome 1977; 1st at Sao Paulo 1977; 1st at Kirovakan 1978; 1st at Las Palmas 1979; 1st at Manila 1981; 1st at Moscow 1982; 1st at Hastings 1982/83; 1st at Biel 1985 (Interzonal); =1st at Naestved 1985; 1st at Sochi 1986; 1st at Leningrad 1987; 1st at Marseille 1987; 3rd at Rotterdam 1989; 1st at Toronto 1990; 1st at Ter Apel 1992; 1st at Reggio Emilia 1992/93; 1st at Reggio Emilia 1993/94; =7th at Mainz 2003; =1st at Moscow 2004; =4th at Antwerpen 2008.
On the September 2009 FIDE list, Rafael Vaganian has an Elo rating of 2568.
In 2011 Vaganian was awarded the 1st degree Armenian State Medal.