Sam Shankland is an American chess player who earned the title of Grandmaster in 2011. He was born on October 1, 1991, and is originally from California. He began playing in tournaments in 1998, and became an International Master at the age of 17. Shankland's career has seen several significant successes, including winning the Arnold Denker Tournament of High School Champions in 2008 and 2009, and the 2010 US Chess Championship.
Shankland has also represented his country multiple times in high-profile international competitions. He competed in the 41st Chess Olympiad in 2014, and scored an impressive performance that helped the US team secure the bronze medal. He also participated in the 2018 Chess Olympiad, where he won an individual silver medal and the team took home gold.