Alexander Fishbein is an American chess Grandmaster from the 1980s to mid-2000s. Born in 1968 in Russia, Fishbein immigrated to the United States with his family when he was eight. He started his chess career at the age of 10.
As a young player, Fishbein showed extraordinary talent, securing a Grandmaster title by the age of 30. He won the National High School Championship in 1982 and 1983, and the U.S. Junior Championship in 1986. He was also a member of the U.S. team at the 1984 World Youth Chess Olympiad.
As a Grandmaster, Fishbein won several prestigious tournaments like the American Open in 1986 and 1987, and the United States Chess Championship in 1987, sharing the title with five others. Later in his career, he obtained the International Grandmaster title in 1989 and took first place at the Marshall Chess Club Championship in 1991, 1992 and 1996.
Despite his success in chess, Fishbein chose to focus on his academic career, earning a bachelor's degree in economics from Harvard University and then an MBA from the University of Chicago, before pursuing a career in finance. Despite this, he remained an active player, participating in the 1997 Russian Championship, and the 2001 and 2002 U.S. Championships.