GM Vladimir Akopian
Bio
Vladimir Akopian is an Armenian-American grandmaster. As a young player, Akopian enjoyed great success by winning the U16 World Youth Chess Championship in 1986 and the U18 World Youth Chess Championship two years later.
In 1999, Akopian surprised by reaching the final of the FIDE Knockout World Championship. He lost 3.5-2.5 to GM Alexander Khalifman.
Akopian won the Armenian Chess Championship in 1996 and 1997. He also won three Olympic gold medals with the Armenian team in 2006, 2008, and 2012. The grandmaster also helped Armenia to win its first World Team Chess Championship in 2011.
Akopian began representing the United States in 2021, and in 2024 he won the U.S. Senior Chess Championship.