James Edward Tarjan (born February 22, 1952) is an American chess Grandmaster, author, and librarian. He achieved international recognition in chess circles in 1976, when he was awarded the title of Grandmaster by the World Chess Federation. Tarjan soon became known for his high-risk attacking style of play and unique strategic ideas.
In his early career, Tarjan was a regular at major international competitions and represented the United States at five Chess Olympiads between 1974 and 1982. His greatest achievement during this period was winning the silver medal for his performance at the 1978 Olympiad. He also tied for first at the U.S. Open Chess Championship in 1975.
After the 1984 Interzonal in Taxco, Tarjan announced his retirement from competitive chess. He preferred instead to pursue a full-time career as a librarian. He graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a master's degree in Library and Information Studies in 1988. Tarjan worked at the Los Angeles Public Library for 20 years.
He returned to competitive chess in 2014, after leaving his job as a librarian. Since then, he has achieved notable results such as winning the World Senior Championship in 2018. Still playing competitive chess in his late 60s, Tarjan remains an active and respected figure in the international chess community.