Lev Borisovich Psakhis is a naturalized Israeli chess Grandmaster, trainer and author. Born on 11th November 1958 in Krasnoyarsk, Soviet Union, he is a two-time Soviet Chess Champion, winning in 1980 and 1981. Despite being an accomplished player, Psakhis is best known for his work as a coach, working with top players such as Garry Kasparov, Anatoly Karpov, and Viktor Bologan, among others.
Psakhis moved to Israel in 1991 and by 1996 he had switched his national federation from Russia to Israel. He has played for his new country in eight Chess Olympiads, with a notable performance in 2000, when he helped Israel to a silver team medal. He also earned an individual bronze medal in 2004.
As an author, Psakhis has written several books on chess variants, opening games, and techniques, often focusing on the French Defence. Alongside this, he also spent several years as a commentator for the Israeli newspaper, Maariv. His main achievement as a chess writer is his four-volume series on the French Defence.
Psakhis retired from playing chess in 2010 to focus on coaching. He notes that his time as a coach helped him understand the game's deeper principles, insights that he now shares with his students.