Jesse Kraai is an American chess grandmaster who was born on May 6, 1972, in Santa Fe, New Mexico, the United States. He learned chess from his father at the age of six. His father was a nuclear engineer who used chess as a tool to teach Jesse about strategic thinking.
In elementary school, Kraai was bested by a girl at a chess tournament, which in turn motivated him to improve. He started taking chess seriously in high school despite participating in various other sports. He won the Denker Tournament of High School Champions in 1989-90, after which he started focusing primarily on chess.
Kraai received an undergraduate degree in philosophy from Shimer College and later went on to receive his doctorate in philosophy from the University of Heidelberg in Germany. His dissertation focused on the philosophy of one of the most difficult philosophers of the 20th century: Martin Heidegger.
In his chess career, Kraai won many tournaments such as New Mexico State Championship and Samford Chess Fellowship. He also became an International Master before turning into a grandmaster in 2007. He is known for his knowledge and understanding of the game. Alongside his active career in chess, Kraai has taught the game, written a chess-themed novel named Lisa, and produced chess videos.
He eventually left professional chess in 2013 to become a full-time teacher. Jesse currently teaches at the Berkeley Chess School and conducts private classes. He has also been involved with the Mechanics' Institute Chess Club. Despite stepping away from professional chess, he remains one of the most prominent figures in the chess community. His focus while teaching, like his father, is to use chess as a tool to teach strategic thinking.