“Good time of day, dear friends!”

Every chess player familiar with this introduction can probably connect it to the deep, soothing, baritone of the chess legend, author and Grandmaster, Alex Yermolinsky.

“Uncle Yermo” was born in the Soviet Union and became a fairly strong player. However, during the chaotic days of the late 80s, he became the first of very many “chess immigrants” in the USA (along with Alexander Shabalov and Gregory Kaidanov). After immigration, he quickly became one of the strongest players in the country. After winning his IM title in 1990 and GM title in 1992, Yermo managed to win the US Chess Championship two times – in 1993 and 1996.

After the end of his professional career, Yermo became a renowned chess author and content creator. In the 2000s, his regular show “Every Russian Schoolboy Should Know” was one of the main attractions on the Internet Chess Club (ICC). He is a renowned author of two books: The Road To Chess Improvement and Chess Explained: The Classical Sicilian. Today he is also a regular contributor on chess.com.

I am a great fan of his work and presentation style.

And I wish him a happy birthday!

(If you like posts as these, check our complete list of Chess Birthdays )