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Sam Sevian is a Grandmaster from Holden, Massachusetts, who established himself as a chess prodigy at an early age. Taught to play by his father at the age of five, Sevian went on to break several records between the ages of 8 and 13. These included becoming the youngest American player to earn the titles of Expert, Master, International Master, and Grandmaster. As a result, he quickly gained recognition as one of the most promising young talents in American chess.
The United States has had four players rated in the top twenty in the world for some time now, making it extremely difficult to earn a spot on the national team. Sam Sevian has not yet played in an Olympiad. However, he had an impressive debut for the United States in the 2019 World Team Championship in Kazakhstan. Playing on second board, Sevian won an individual bronze medal for his undefeated score of 5 from 8. In addition, he helped an underdog U.S. squad overperform and tie for fourth place.
Furthermore, Sevian reached his highest rating to date in May of 2022, when he crossed the magic 2700 barrier (2703). This milestone marked his entrance into the world elite. Among Sam Sevian’s highlights in 2025 were finishing with an even score against the best players in the world in the Sinquefield Cup. He also scored a strong 7 from 10 in the FIDE Grand Swiss and placed fourth in the U.S. Championship.
Sevian made his debut in the U.S. Championship in 2013 and has been a regular participant ever since. His best result came in the 2021 event, where he tied for first with Fabiano Caruana and Wesley So. Notably, Sevian defeated Caruana in their individual game during that event. However, he ultimately lost out in the playoff, which was won by So.
What do Sam Sevian, Sam Shankland, Hans Niemann, and the late Daniel Naroditsky have in common besides being strong Grandmasters? The answer is that they all played in their formative years at the oldest continuously operated chess club in the United States. That club is the Mechanics’ Institute of San Francisco, which was founded in 1855. This shared connection underscores the important role that historic chess institutions continue to play in developing American talent.
