Hristos Banikas is a prominent Greek chess player who holds the title of Grandmaster, the highest ranking in chess. He was born on May 20, 1978, in Drama, Greece.
Banikas was bestowed with the title of International Master in 1997 and Grandmaster in 2001. He won the Greek Chess Championship five times: in 2000, 2005, 2012, 2013, and 2018.
He has represented Greece in various international competitions, including Chess Olympiads, European Team Chess Championships, and Mediterranean Chess Championships. In the 36th Chess Olympiad in 2004, Banikas and the Greek team helped the country to achieve 9th place, one of the best results in Greece's history in the tournament. In 2010, Banikas won the gold medal at the Mediterranean Chess Championships held in Greece.