Alexander Shabalov is an American chess Grandmaster. He was born on September 12, 1967, in Riga, Latvia. Shabalov first learned to play chess at the age of six and quickly excelled at the game, eventually earning the title of International Master by 1989. In 1991, he obtained the prestigious title of Grandmaster.
In his early career, he played for the Latvian national team in the Chess Olympiad twice, in 1990 and 1992. After immigrating to the United States in 1992, he began playing for the United States Chess Federation, winning the U.S. championship four times in 1993, 2000, 2003, and 2007. Shabalov was also a chess coach. Some of his notable students include Grandmaster Awonder Liang and Woman Grandmaster Jennifer Yu.
Shabalov's dynamic and aggressive style of play is well-regarded, earning him numerous victories in high-level chess tournaments. In addition to his competitive career, he also served as a chess teacher at the University of Texas at Dallas from 2001-2005. Despite his long career and numerous achievements, Shabalov remained relatively unknown in the wider world of professional chess due to his low-profile nature. Nevertheless, he has made significant contributions to modern chess theory, and he is highly respected within the chess community.