View source for Alexander Khalifman

{{short description|Russian chess grandmaster (born 1966)}}
{{family name hatnote|Valeryevich|Khalifman|lang=Eastern Slavic}}
{{Infobox chess player
| name = Alexander Khalifman
| image = Alexander Khalifman.jpg
| caption = 
| birth_name = Alexander Valeryevich Khalifman
| country = {{ubl|[[Soviet Union]] (until 1990)|[[Germany]] (1991–1992)|[[Russia]] (since 1992)}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1966|1|18}}
| birth_place = [[Saint Petersburg|Leningrad]], [[Russian SFSR]], Soviet Union
| death_date = 
| death_place = 
| title = [[Grandmaster (chess)|Grandmaster]] (1990)
| worldchampion = 1999–2000 (FIDE)
| rating =
| peakrating = 2702 (October 2001)
| peakranking = No. 10 (July 1991)
| FideID = 4100115
}}

'''Alexander Valeryevich Khalifman''' ({{langx|ru|Алекса́ндр Вале́рьевич Халифма́н}}; born 18 January 1966) is a Russian [[chess]] player and writer. Awarded the title of [[Grandmaster (chess)|Grandmaster]] by [[FIDE]] in 1990, he was [[World Chess Championship|FIDE World Chess Champion]] in 1999.

== Early life ==
Alexander Khalifman was born in St Petersburg into a [[Jewish]] family of engineers. Khalifman's grandfather was the director of the Chaliapin Museum; the other half of the family came from the Baltics. According to family legend, Khalifman's ancestor was one of the commanders of [[Russian monitor Rusalka]].<ref name=fed>{{cite web
 |language      = ru
 |url         =https://ruchess.ru/persons_of_day/khalifman/
 |title       =Alexander Khalifman
 |publisher   =Russian Chess Federation
 |date        = 2023-01-18
 |accessdate  = 2023-03-08}}</ref>

== Tournament career ==
Khalifman won the 1982 Soviet Union Youth Championship,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://al20102007.narod.ru/ch_urs/1982/ch_jun82.html|title=31st Soviet Union Junior Chess Championship, Yurmala, January 4–17, 1982|publisher=RusBase|access-date=2009-07-31}}</ref> the 1984 Soviet Union Youth Championship,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://al20102007.narod.ru/ch_urs/1984/ch_jun84.html|title=33rd Soviet Union Junior Chess Championship, Kirovabad, January 1984|publisher=RusBase|access-date=2009-07-31}}</ref> the 1985 [[European Junior Chess Championship|European Under-20 Championship]] in [[Groningen]], the 1985 and 1987 Moscow championships, 1990 Groningen, 1993 Ter Apel, 1994 Chess Open of Eupen, 1995 Chess Open St. Petersburg, the [[Russian Chess Championship|Russian Championship]] in 1996, the [[Leningrad City Chess Championship|Saint Petersburg Championship]] in 1996 and 1997, 1997 Chess Grand Master Tournament St. Petersburg, 1997 Aarhus, 1997 and 1998 Bad Wiessee,<ref>{{Cite web|url = http://www.theweekinchess.com/html/twic417.html#13|title = TWIC 417: Forthcoming Events and Links – 6th Open International Bavarian Masters|date = 2002-11-04|access-date = 1 November 2015|publisher = The Week in Chess|last = Crowther|first = Mark}}</ref> 2000 Hoogeveen.

He was a member of the gold medal-winning Russian team at the Chess Olympiads in [[1992 Chess Olympiad|1992]], [[2000 Chess Olympiad|2000]] and [[2002 Chess Olympiad|2002]], and at the 1997 [[World Team Chess Championship]].<ref>{{cite web
 |language      = en
 |url         = https://ruchess.ru/en/persons_of_day/alexander_khalifman/|title       =Alexander Khalifman
 |publisher   = Chess Federation of Russia
 |date        = 2023-01-18
 |accessdate  = 2022-03-08}}</ref>

Khalifman gained the Grandmaster title in 1990 with one particularly good early result being his first place in the 1990 [[New York City]] Open ahead of a host of strong players. His most notable achievement was winning the [[FIDE World Chess Championship 1999|FIDE World Championship]] in 1999, a title he held until the following year. He was [[Elo rating system|rated]] 44th in the world at the time,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://theweekinchess.com/html/twic243.html#9|title=The Week in Chess: FIDE July Rating list|last=Crowther|first=Mark|date=1999-07-05|publisher=London Chess Center|access-date=2009-06-25}}</ref> while "Classical" World Champion [[Garry Kasparov]] was rated No. 1. Khalifman said after the tournament, "Rating systems work perfectly for players who play only in [[round-robin tournament|round robin]] closed events. I think most of them are overrated. Organizers invite same people over and over because they have the same rating and their rating stays high."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chessscotland.com/archives/lasvegas99.htm|title=Las Vegas World Championship, July 30 – August 29, 1999|last=Luchan|first=Jason|author2=Aird, Ian|publisher=ChessScotland.com|access-date=2009-06-25|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090907200840/http://www.chessscotland.com/archives/lasvegas99.htm|archive-date=September 7, 2009}}</ref> Khalifman played in the [[Linares chess tournament]] next year, and performed credibly (though placing below joint winner Kasparov).<ref>{{cite web|last=Crowther|first=Mark|url=https://theweekinchess.com/html/twic279.html#2|title=TWIC 279: Linares 2000|date=13 March 2000|access-date=5 August 2020}}</ref>

== Coaching ==
With his trainer Gennady Nesis ([[:de:Gennadi Jefimowitsch Nessis|de]]) he runs a chess academy in St. Petersburg, called "The Grandmaster Chess School", since November 1998.<ref>[http://www.gmchess.com/gmschool/ About GMChess School] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131213195117/http://www.gmchess.com/gmschool/ |date=2013-12-13 }}</ref> Khalifman has been coaching [[Vladimir Fedoseev]] since 2011.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://chess24.com/en/read/news/fedoseev-on-crossing-the-2700-barrier|title=Fedoseev on crossing the 2700 barrier|website=chess24.com|date=2017-06-01|access-date=2018-01-07}}</ref>

Khalifman has been coaching the [[Azerbaijan]]i national team since 2013<ref>{{cite web|title=The Members of Azerbaijani Team Will Train With Alexander Khalifman for Ten days|url=http://chess-news.ru/en/node/11353|website=chess-news.ru|access-date=11 October 2015|date=2013-03-12|archive-date=2015-11-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151119235649/http://chess-news.ru/en/node/11353|url-status=dead}}</ref> and is its captain.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alexander Khalifman: "I don't set sporting goals, but I strive to win"|url=http://vrnchessfestival.org/en/news/108|publisher=Voronezh Chess festival|access-date=11 October 2015}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Success but no medals|url=http://regionplus.az/en/articles/view/2630|publisher=regionplus.az|access-date=11 October 2015|date=2014-08-26}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Shahriyar Mammadyarov: "Rauf is my friend, but I had to win him"|url=https://www.shamkirchess.az/news/105/113|publisher=Shamkir Chess|access-date=11 October 2015|date=2015-04-24}}{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> He acted as a {{chessgloss|second}} to [[Alisa Galliamova]] in the [[Women's World Chess Championship 1999]] and to [[Anna Ushenina]] in the [[Women's World Chess Championship 2013]].<ref>{{cite web|title=After game five it could start from the beginning|url=http://en.chessbase.com/post/after-game-five-it-could-start-from-the-beginning-250913|publisher=ChessBase|access-date=19 November 2015|date=2013-09-25}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Schipkov|first=Boris|title=Women's World Chess Championship 2013 Match|url=http://www.chessib.com/women-world-championship-taizhou-2013-opening.html|publisher=Chess Siberia|access-date=8 October 2015}}</ref>

In March 2022, he signed an open letter of Russian [[Grandmaster (chess)|GMs]]
to [[Vladimir Putin]] urging him to stop the [[Russian invasion of Ukraine]].<ref>{{cite web
 |author=Метлёва, С.
 |language      = ru
 |url         =https://www.championat.com/other/news-4626621-veduschie-shahmatisty-rossii-napisali-obraschenie-k-prezidentu-rf.html
 |title       =Ведущие шахматисты России написали обращение к президенту РФ
 |trans-title       =Russia's leading chess players appeal to the Russian president
 |publisher   = Championat
 |date        = 2022-03-03
 |accessdate  = 2023-03-08}}</ref>

== Books ==
*{{cite book
 | author=Alexander Khalifman
 | author2=Sergei Soloviev
 | author3=Olga Krylova
 | title=Mikhail Tal Games 1949–1962
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=1994
 | isbn=978-1-199-58317-8}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Alexander Khalifman
 | author2=Sergei Soloviev
 | author3=Olga Krylova
 | title=Mikhail Tal Games 1963–1972
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=1995
 | isbn=954-8782-02-2}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Alexander Khalifman
 | author2=Sergei Soloviev
 | author3=Olga Krylova
 | title=Mikhail Tal Games 1973–1981
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=1996
 | isbn=978-954-8782-03-6}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Alexander Khalifman
 | author2=Sergei Soloviev
 | author3=Olga Krylova
 | title=Mikhail Tal Games 1982–1992
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=1996
 | isbn=954-8782-04-9}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Alexander Khalifman
 | author2=Leonid Yudasin
 | title=Jose Raul Capablanca – Games 1901–1926
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=1997
 | isbn=9548782065}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Alexander Khalifman
 | author2=Leonid Yudasin
 | title=Jose Raul Capablanca – Games 1927–1942
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=1997
 | isbn=9548782065}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Sergei Soloviev
 | author2=Alexander Khalifman
 | title=Emanuel Lasker 1 – Games 1889–1903
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=1998
 | isbn=9548782073}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Sergei Soloviev
 | author2=Alexander Khalifman
 | title=Emanuel Lasker 2 – Games 1904–1940
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=1999
 | isbn=9548782103}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Alexander Khalifman
 | author2=Sergei Soloviov
 | title=Mikhail Chigorin – The First Russian Grandmaster
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=1999
 | isbn=9548782111}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Alexander Khalifman
 | author2=Sergei Soloviov
 | title=Mikhail Botvinnik – Games 1924–1948
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=2000
 | isbn=9548782138}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Alexander Khalifman
 | author2=Sergei Soloviov
 | title=Mikhail Botvinnik – Games 1951–1970
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=2001
 | isbn=9548782170}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Alexander Khalifman
 | author2=Sergei Soloviov
 | title=Alexander Alekhine – Games 1902–1923
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=2002
 | isbn=954-8782-21-9}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Alexander Khalifman
 | author2=Sergei Soloviov
 | title=Alexander Alekhine – Games 1923–1934
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=2002
 | isbn=954-8782-23-5}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Alexander Khalifman
 | title=Opening for Black according to Karpov
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=2002
 | isbn=978-9548782166}}
* Alexander Khalifman (2000–2002). ''Opening for White according to Kramnik 1.♘f3'' (5 volumes). Chess Stars
* Alexander Khalifman (2003–2012). ''Opening for White according to Anand 1. e4'' (14 volumes). Chess Stars
* Alexander Khalifman (2006–2011). ''Opening for White according to Kramnik 1.♘f3'' (revised edition, 5 volumes). Chess Stars
* {{cite book|author1=Alexander Khalifman|author2=Sergei Soloviov|title=The Modern Scotch|publisher=Chess Stars|year=2019|isbn=978-6197188240}}
* {{cite book|author1=Alexander Khalifman|author2=Sergei Soloviov|title=Squeezing 1.e4 e5: A Solid Strategic Approach|publisher=Chess Stars|year=2019|isbn=9786197188264}}
*{{cite book
 | author=Alexander Khalifman
 | author2=Sergei Soloviev
 | title=Squeezing the Sicilian Alapin Variation
 | publisher=Chess Stars
 | year=2020
 | isbn=9786197188288}}

==See also==
* [[List of Jewish chess players]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{FIDE}}
* {{Chessgames.com player|11645}}
* {{365Chess.com player|Alexander_Khalifman}}
* {{Chess.com player|alexander-khalifman}}
* [http://www.wtharvey.com/khal.html Chess puzzles from the games of Alexander Khalifman]
* {{web.archive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080123081453/http://www2.hu-berlin.de/EUNIS2001/hauptseiten/chess/khalifman.html |title=Biography}}
* {{web.archive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110710162037/http://mail.e3e5.com/article.php?id=1060 |title=Interview with Alexander Khalifman (2005)}}
* [http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=4850 Interview with Alexander Khalifman (2008)]
* Two part interview with Alexander Khalifman (2010): [http://www.crestbook.com/node/1233 Part 1], [http://www.crestbook.com/node/1273 Part 2]

{{s-start}}
{{s-sports}}
{{succession box
| title  = [[Fédération Internationale des Échecs|FIDE]] [[World Chess Championship|World Chess Champion]]
| years  = 1999–2000
| before = [[Anatoly Karpov]]
| after  = [[Viswanathan Anand]]
}}
{{succession box
| title  = [[Russian Chess Champion]]
| years  = 1996
| before = [[Peter Svidler]]
| after  = [[Peter Svidler]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{World Chess Championships}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khalifman, Alexander}}
[[Category:1966 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:World chess champions]]
[[Category:Chess Grandmasters]]
[[Category:Chess Olympiad competitors]]
[[Category:Russian chess players]]
[[Category:Soviet chess players]]
[[Category:Jewish chess players]]
[[Category:Russian chess writers]]
[[Category:National team coaches]]
[[Category:Russian Jews]]
[[Category:Chess players from Saint Petersburg]]
[[Category:Chess coaches]]