Valery Viktorovich Grechikhin (1958-2021) was a renowned Russian chess Grandmaster. Born in Yenakiieve, Soviet Union, he was awarded the International Master title in 1984 and the Grandmaster title in 1998. He showed exceptional talent from a young age, winning the Donetsk Regional Chess Championship multiple times between 1976 and 1995.
Despite his chess accomplishments, Grechikhin's contribution to chess extended beyond competitive play. He was an author, contributing to Russian chess magazines '64' and 'Chess Review', as well as to Polish and Ukrainian publications. Outside of his career, Grechikhin also held a PhD in pedagogical sciences – a testament to his intellectual prowess in and out of the chess world. He also worked as a coach, heading the Polish women's team and serving as a trainer in the chess federation of the Donetsk region (Ukraine).
Valery Grechikhin passed away in 2021. His contribution to international chess as a player, coach, and author is fondly remembered.