Vinay Bhat is an American chess grandmaster who was also the youngest American to achieve the level of chess master, at the age of just 10. Born in San Francisco in 1984, he was introduced to chess at the early age of six and participated in various leagues while still very young. He became an International Master in 1997 and a Grandmaster in 2008.
In his academic life, Bhat graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in Statistics in 2006. He also worked as a trader in Chicago for several years and now is a teacher at the Berkeley Chess School.
His chess career includes a clean sweep in the Koltanowski memorial tournament in San Francisco, earning the title of US Cadet Champion in 1995 and sharing first place in the World Open Tournament in 2007. Bhat has been a part of the U.S. team gold medal at the 2009 World Team Championship and has represented the U.S. in various other international tournaments. He has continued to shine in the world of chess, even after becoming a full-time chess teacher.