Jonathan Paul Levitt is an English chess grandmaster and author renowned in the gaming world. Born on 3 June 1963 in Southgate, London, he earned his International Master title in 1984 and his Grandmaster title in 1994. Levitt is also recognised as an International Solver, which highlights his skills in solving chess competition puzzles.
He has competed in a number of prestigious chess events, notably winning the World U-16 Championship in Dortmund in 1979. Additionally, he also came first at the 1992 Oviedo tournament and the 1994/95 Hastings Premier tournament. He has represented England in numerous team competitions.
Aside from his playing career, Levitt is known for his prolific writing about chess. He has authored several books, including "Secrets of Spectacular Chess" and "Genius in Chess", which serve as instructive texts on different aspects of chess. He has also provided his expertise to The Week in Chess, a weekly digital publication covering chess news around the world.
In 1995, Levitt and fellow Grandmaster David Norwood were invited to focus on business in the capacity of their chess careers, which led to a hiatus in his playing career. Levitt returned to competitive chess in the British Championship in August 2006.
Levitt is known for his sense of humour and being an entertaining speaker on chess topics, which made him a popular figure in the chess community. His pioneering work also includes the Levitt Variation, a complex chess opening named after him.