Timur Gareyev

Blindfold chess exhibitionist Grandmaster Timur Gareyev, originally from Uzbekistan, is thrilled to return to the US Chess Championship after having last competed in the 2015.  Also known as the Blindfold King, Gareyev astonished the chess community in 2016 when he broke the Guinness World Record for Blindfold Chess playing 48 simultaneous chess games blindfolded while riding a spin bike achieving 82% wins. Gareyev’s chess development began at age 10 and by 2004, at 16, he earned the distinction as the youngest-ever Grandmaster from Asia. Gareyev represented Uzbekistan in 2004 and 2006 Olympiads. In 2007, GM Gareyev tied for first with GM Vladimir Egin and GM Anton Filippov in the Uzbekstani Chess Championship. In 2008, he became Champion Blackstone Chess Festival, in Pawtucket RI, and won the Liberty Bell Open in 2008 and 2009. He was the Champion of the Arizona International in 2009 and 2010 and won the Chicago Open and US Open in 2011.

From 2009-2011, he traveled to the US and helped the University of Texas at Brownsville win its first national championship. After receiving his B.A. degree in 2011, Gareyev was awarded the Samford Fellowship in 2012, which awarded him a monetary stipend to assist his chess development.  He consistently placed first in numerous tournaments including Land of the Sky 2012, and the North American Open 2012. In 2013, he tied for third in the US Chess Championship. In 2014, he became Champion of Far West Open in Reno. In 2015, he won the IX Festival International de Xadrez Figueira Da Foz in Portugal with 8.5/9. Some of his most recent accomplishments include 2018 winner of the Doeberl Cup, the largest chess tournament in Australia, 2018 winner of Japfa Indonesia tournament and 2018 winner of the US Open.  US Chess awarded Gareyev with the Outstanding achievement award earlier this year.