Ilja Zaragatski is a German chess player who was awarded the title of Grandmaster (GM) by Fédération Internationale des Échecs (FIDE) in 2010. He was also crowned as German Junior Champion in 1998 and 2002, and took part in the Chess World Cup in 2011.
Zaragatski was born on January 11, 1985 in Simferopol in the former Soviet Union, but moved to Germany in 1990. He learned chess from his father at a young age and swiftly started to compete in youth tournaments, paving his way to senior tournaments.
Participating with his domestic club SF Katernberg, he has achieved a number of successes at Bundesliga, Germany's premier chess team competition. Besides, he played for other German and Dutch teams in the prestigious competitions.
Beyond his playing career, Zaragatski is also a renowned chess author. He often writes for the Schach Magazine, where he covers all aspects, from beginner's tips to thought pieces on grandmaster tournaments. He has also published a chess book - “Grandmaster Repertoire: The Nimzo-Indian" in 2016 that analyses and explains the strategic ideas and tactical motives of the Nimzo-Indian Defence.