Lev Alburt
(1945- )
Alburt is famed as a grandmaster of both chess and chess teaching. A three-time US champion (1984, 1985, 1990), he also won, among other titles, the European Cup (1976, 1979) and the US Open (1987, 1989). Raised in Odessa, Ukraine, he escaped the old Soviet Union in 1979 and moved to New York City. Alburt now devotes his chess life to teaching, writing and publishing. The Comprehensive Chess Course, which he co-authored and published, is an all-time bestseller.