Maxim Dlugy

Grandmaster Max Dlugy is one of the greatest talents American chess has ever produced. Like Alex Fishbein, Max was born in the Soviet Union and moved to the U.S. at an early age. Unlike Fishbein, Dlugy’s family settled in the chess mecca of New York City. Here, young Max was able to meet strong opposition on a regular basis and, just as importantly, receive expert coaching from International Master Vitaly Zaltsman.

An International Master at 16 (a significant accomplishment in the 1980s), Dlugy gained world-wide recognition when he won the 1985 World Junior Championship against a strong field which included Vassily Ivanchuk. The preceding year he placed third in the U.S. Championship which qualified him to play in the 1985 Interzonal in Tunisia where he placed equal sixth with a score of 9 from 16. Dlugy was a member of the bronze medal winning U.S. Olympiad team in 1986 and again placed third in the 1987 U.S, Championship. He won the 1988 World Open with an excellent score of 9 from 11. After this, Dlugy began to play less frequently and by the early 1990s was concentrating his energies on running a hedge fund focused on Russian commodities.

Dlugy has long been recognized as an excellent blitz chess (5 minutes aside) player and one who is particularly adept at bullet chess (1 minute each). He currently runs Chess Max Academy in New York City.