1. Carlsen, Magnus (Norway, 2765)

Date of birth: November 30^th, 1990.

The prizewinner of World Junior Chess Championships under 12 (2002) and Europe – under 14 (2003). Champion of Norway (2006). Participant of FIDE World Chess Cup Semifinal (Khanty-Mansiysk, 2007) and FIDE Grand Prix  2008/2009.

The winner of the international tournaments: 2004 - Wijk an Zee ("C"), 2005 – Gausdal-open, 2006 - Wijk an Zee ("B"), Amsterdam, 2007 – Gausdal, Biel; 2008 - Wijk an Zee ("A"), Grand Prix Baku. The prizewinner of international tournaments, including Morelia - Linares (2008) – 2 place.

The highest rating - 2765 (April 2008)

Date of birth:  June 17^th, 1976.

Participant of FIDE World Chess Championship Semifinal (Moscow 2001). Silver prizewinner of the WCh-FIDE San Luis ARG (2005). Russian Champion: 1994, 1995, 1997, 2003. Olympic Champion: 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, Silver medal prizewinner of the 36th Chess Olympiad (2004), World Team Champion (1997, 2005) and Silver medal prizewinner (2001), Europe Team Champion (1997, 2003, 2007) as Russian team member. Europe Chess Club Cup winner (2003) as "NAO Paris" club team member. Chess960 (Fischer Random Chess) World Champion (Mainz 2003, 2004, 2005). World Blitz Vice-Champion 2006. Participant of FIDE Grand Prix 2008/2009. The winner of the international tournaments: 1995 – Novosibirsk; 1997 – Tilburg; 1998 – Dortmund; 2000 – Biel; 2003 – Moscow (Aeroflot open - shared first place), Poikovsky; 2006 – Dortmund; 2008 - Bunratty Chess Festival.

Homepage: http://www.psvidler.net/

The highest rating - 2765 (January 2006)

Date of birth:  March 18^th, 1969.

The World Champion (1989) and Olympic Champion (1988, 1990) as  USSR team member. The Olympic Champion (2004), World Champion (2001) and Vice-Champion (1993), Silver prizewinner of the European Chess Team Championship (1992) as the Ukrainian team member. The silver (2001, 2003, 2005) and bronze (2002) prizewinner of the Europe Chess Club Championship as “Polonia'” club team member. The World Vice-Champion (2002). The Europe Champion (2004). The Vice-Champion of the 1^st ACP World Rapid Championship (2007). Winner of FIDE World Cup Blitz (2007). The bronze prizewinner of the Russian Chess Club Championship (2008) as “TPS-Saransk” club team member. Participant of FIDE Grand Prix 2008/2009. The winner of the international tournaments: 1989 – Linares; 1990 – Manila; 1991 – Linares, 1992 – Monaco; Dortmund; Madrid; 1994 – Munich, Novgorod, Dortmund; 1995 – Linares, Moscow, Khorgen; 1996 – Wijk  an Zee, Tallinn, Amsterdam, Novgorod; 1997 – Belgrade; 1998 – Monaco (blindfold + rapid), Elista; 2000 – Lviv, Montecatini Terme; 2003 – Malme; 2004 – Yerevan (Europe Championship, rapid) Mexico; 2005 – Havana, Barcelona, Canadian Open, Moscow (Aeroflot Open); 2006 - Mexico, Havana; 2007 - Havana, Foros (Aerosvit 2007), Odessa (Pivdenny Bank Chess Cup), Montreal; 2008 - Sofia (Mtel Masters).  

The highest rating - 2787 (October 2007)

Date of birth:  July 4^th, 1972.

The World Youth Chess Champion under 16 (1988), the World Youth Chess Vice-Champion under 20 (1990). The winner of the final match of applicants for the title of the World champion  (1998). FIDE World Vice-Champion (2000). Participant of FIDE World Chess Cup Final (Khanty-Mansiysk, 2007). Prizewinner of Europe Chess Club Cup: gold (2002 - "Bosna"), silver (2004 - "Bosna", 2007-"Ural"), bronze (2006 -"Ural"). The Champion of Russia as “Ural” club team member (2008). The winner of the international tournaments: 1990 - Stockholm; 1991 - London, Biel; 1992 - Reykjavik; 1993 - Munich, Buenos-Aires; 1995 - Leon; 1997 - Ter Apel, Madrid (shared first place); 1998 - Monaco (blindfold + rapid), Ostrava; 2000 - Monaco (blindfold + rapid), Merida; 2003 - Reykjavic; 2004 – Sarajevo,Tallinn; 2005 – Gibraltar, Edmonton (shared first place), Tallinn; 2006 – Poikovsky; 2007 – Sjudad Real. The author of two chess books.

Homepage: http://www.shirovonline.com

The highest rating - 2755 (January 2008).

Date of birth:  January 12^th , 1990.

The many a time winner of the World and Europe Junior Chess Championships. The Olympic Champion as the Ukrainian national team member (2004). Bronze prizewinner of Europe Chess Club Cup (2007 - “Tomsk-400”). The Champion of Russia as “Tomsk-400” club team member (2007). Participant of semifinal competitions of  FIDE World Chess Cup (Khanty-Mansiysk, 2007) and 2nd ACP World Rapid Cup (2008). Participant of the FIDE Grand Prix 2008/2009. The winner of the international tournaments: 2001 – Alushta; 2002 - Alushta; 2005 - Wijk an Zee ("B"), Kirishi; 2006 - Tomsk, Mexico Cap d’Agde; 2007 -  Amsterdam. The prizewinner of numerous international tournaments.

The highest rating - 2732 (January  2008).

Date of birth:  June 28th, 1983.

The World Youth Chess Champion under 18 (2004). The Champion of Russia under 18 and under 20 (2000). Europe Team Champion as the Russian national team member (2007). The Winner of European Chess Club Cup (2005, 2006), Bronze prizewinner (2007) and the winner of the Russian Chess Club Championship (2007) as “Tomsk-400” club team member. Vice-Champion of Russia (super-final, 2006).

The Winner of ACP Tour 2006/07. The winner of the international tournaments: 2004 - Saint-Vincent; 2005 – Pardubice; 2006 – Montreal; 2007 – Poikovsky.

The prizewinner of a lot of international tournaments.

 The highest rating - 2735 (July 2007)

 7. Alekseev, Evgeny (Russia, 2711)

Date of birth:  November 28th, 1985.

The Champion of Russia under 14 (1998, 1999). The winner of the World Chess Children Olympiad under 16 (2000) as the Russian youth  team member. Europe Team Champion (2007) as the Russian national team member. The Champion of Russia 2006 (super-final). The silver prizewinner of the Russian Chess Club Championship (2008) as “Economist” club team member. The winner of the international tournaments: 2001 – Tell-Aviv; 2002 – St.-Petersburg (memorial of Alexander Petrov), Hoogoven-open; 2006 – Moscow (Aeroflot open). The prizewinner of the international tournaments, including Dortmund (2007) – shared 2 place.

The highest rating – 2716 (October 2007)

Date of birth:  May 10^th, 1983.

The winner of the World Chess Children Olympiad under 16 (1999) and European Youth Team Championship under 18 (2000) as a member of the Ukrainian youth team. The Olympic Champion (2004) as a member of the Ukrainian national team. The silver prizewinner of the Russian Chess Club Championship (2008) as a member of the “Economist” club team. The winner of the international tournaments: 2000 - Polanica Zdroj (open), 2004 - Biel (shared first place); 2005 – Amsterdam; 2006 – Montreal; 2007 -  Wejk-an-Zee (Corus-B). The prizewinner of numerous international tournaments.

The highest rating - 2701 (July  2007).

 9. Volokitin, Andrei (Ukraine, 2684)

Date of birth June 18^th , 1986.

The Olympic Champion as the Ukrainian national team member (2004)The Champion (2004) and Vice-Champion of Ukraine (2001). The multiple Champion and the prize-winner of Youth World and Europe Championships (1998-2000). The bronze prizewinner of the Russian Chess Club Championship (2008) as “TPS-Saransk” club team member. The winner of the tournaments: 2002 - Saint Vincent; 2003 - Bermudas, Aurek, Utrecht (Blitz); 2005 - Lausanne, Bille.

The prizewinner of numerous international tournaments.

The highest rating  - 2685 (January 2005).

Date of birth:  August 1rst, 1976.

The Champion of Romania (1996, 2000). The participant of the World Championship semifinal (1999). The Champion of Europe (2005). 

The winner of the international tournaments: 1996 - Balaton; 1997 – Bucharest; 1998 - Krynitsa; 2003 – Saint Vincent, Andorra, Santo Domingo (shared first place), Decameron; 2004 – St Vincent, Pune; 2005 -   Castelldefels (shared first place), Barcelona; 2006 – Sarajevo. The prizewinner of numerous international tournaments.

The highest rating - 2707 (October 2005).

Date of birth:  October 7^th, 1972.

The winner of the European Chess Team Championship (2001, 2005) as the Netherlands national team member. Winner of six consecutive Netherlands Championships (2000 – 2005).

The winner of numerous tournaments: 1994 – Matansas; 1996 – Buenos Aires; 1996 - Antverpen; 1999 - Polyanitsa-Zdruy; 2002 – Amsterdam; 2005 – Liepajas; 2006 - Ledyards (shared first place),  Wolvega. The prizewinner of numerous international tournaments.

The highest rating - 2714 (October  2001)

Date of birth: September 3rd, 1975.

The World Vice-Champion under 16 (1991) and under 20 (1995). The Champion of Ukraine (2000) and of USA (2006). The silver prizewinner (1996) and the bronze prizewinner (1998) of the World Chess Olympiads as the Ukrainian national team member and the bronze prizewinner (2006) as the USA team member. The winner of the International tournaments: 1994 – Alushta; 1995 – Groningen; 1996 - Wijk an Zee (B); 1997 – Bad Zwesten, Biel; 1998 – Pekin; 2000 - Wijk an Zee (B), Ordjonikidze (zonal tournament); 2007 - Biel. The prizewinner of numerous international tournaments.

Work as a trainer and a second with World Champion Anatoly Karpov and Veselin Topalov.

The highest rating - 2702 (October  2006)