Jesse Kraai

Jesse Kraai is, by far, the strongest player ever to grow up in New Mexico. Today he calls Baltimore home, but in his early years in the chess world while representing the “Land of Enchantment” Jesse won the 1987 National Junior High School Championship, tied for first in the 1988 National High School Championship, and won the Arnold Denker Tournament of High School Champions in 1989 and 1990.

Jesse became an International Master in 1999 but his chess career did not take off in earnest until he earned his Ph.D. in philosophy from the University of Heidelberg in 2001. Soon after he started his quest to become a Grandmaster that ended in success in 2007. Since then, Jesse has focused on teaching and his work with the Chess Dojo school of improvement. He has written a chess novel (Lisa) and continues to play. He won the 2025 U.S. Senior Open to qualify for this event. 

While Jesse is the lowest rated player don’t automatically count him out. He found himself in the same situation in 2024 and finished second.