Golubev was born on May 30, 1970, in Odessa, Ukraine. He won the Boys' Under-18 division of the USSR Junior Chess Championships in 1986. In 1989, he gained the title of World Junior Chess Championship, and he became an International Master. Golubev's lifelong achievements finally were fulfilled when he was honored with the title of International Chess Grandmaster (GM) in 1996.
Mikhail Golubev is also a recognized author, having penned a slew of chess books over his career. His most notable works include "The Sicilian Sozin" in 2001, and "Understanding the King's Indian" in 2006. Both books were published by Gambit Publications.
Further contributions by Golubev to the world of chess include his work as a reporter. He covered the 2008 World Chess Championship between Viswanathan Anand and Vladimir Kramnik.