Rainer Polzin is a German Chess Grandmaster. Born on January 29, 1968, he spent his early years growing up in East Berlin. He received his Grandmaster title from Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE), the international chess federation, in 2005.
Polzin's chess career began early. At age eight, he joined the Chess Department of SC Rotation Berlin and started participating in chess tournaments. In 1983, he won Berlin Individual Championship and in 1985, claimed the title of German Junior Champion. After enrolling at Humboldt University of Berlin, he continued his chess career along with his studies.
In 1990, Polzin achieved the title of FIDE master, and six years later, he became an international master. He put his chess career on hold to complete his studies in sports sciences. However, he returned to professional chess in 2000.
In 2001, he won the Bonn Masters, a high-ranking German chess tournament, and secured his first Grandmaster norm. His second Grandmaster norm came through his victory at the Bad Wörishofen Chess Tournament in 2003.
Polzin earned the title of Grandmaster in 2005. He achieved his third and final Grandmaster norm during the 2005/06 1st Bundesliga season. Since earning the Grandmaster title, he has remained an active player in chess tournaments.
He has represented Germany several times in the European Team Chess Championship and the Chess Olympiad. His biggest achievement came when he won the silver medal on board 4 at the 4th EuTCC in Fügen in 2005.
From 1998 to 2001, Polzin was coach of the German youth national team. His trainer and mentor is Grandmaster Raj Tischbierek. Currently, Polzin is a member of the Schachfreunde Berlin chess team in the Chess Bundesliga.