About Yury

Beginnings

Yury was born in Belarus (former USSR) in 1975. His first formal chess lesson was at age 6 with coach Tamara Golovey. He started lessons with I. M. Albert Kapengut at 12, and  subsequently studied under Boris Gelfald.

Education

Yury attended Belarus State Politechnical Academy and completed his undergraduate studies at the State Academy of Sports, Belarus. He is a graduate of the University of Texas at Dallas with a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science and an M.B.A. specializing in Finance.

Professional Memberships

International Chess Federation (also known as FIDE)

United States Chess Federation (USCF)

Association of Chess Professionals (ACP)

Publications

Since 1994, Yury has authored numerous articles on chess for publications including New in Chess, Chess Base Magazine, Chess Life and Chess Informant.

Yury Shulman Chess Without Borders Non-Profit Organization

Yury is the founder of the Yury Shulman Chess Without Borders not-for-profit organization. Yury and his volunteer community are privileged to use chess as a medium for philanthropic causes. In 2006 and 2007, this included volunteer visits to, and book drives for, Chicago public schools, and contributions of a portion of tournament and chess camp proceeds to non-profit entities the world over. 

  National Belarus champion (1994) and co-champion (1998)

  Top Sportsman Award, Republic of Belarus (1994)

  European Junior Champion (Israel, 1995)

  Winner of A. Zaitsev Memorial (Vladivostok, 1995)

  International Grandmaster since November 1995

  Winner of Boleslavsky Memorial (Minsk, 1995 and 1996)

  Member of Belarusian Chess Olympic team (1994-1998). Participated in three Chess Olympiads, Moscow ’94, Erevan ’96, and Elista ’98.

  Member of the Belarusian Chess Team that participated in the European Team Championship (1997)

  Co-Winner of National Open (Las Vegas 2000)

  Winner of the Koltanowski Memorial in San Francisco (2000)

  Texas State Champion (2000)

  Ranked in top 100 chess players in the world (2001)

  Co-Winner of World Open (Philadelphia, 2001)

  Co-Winner of American Open (Los Angeles, 2002)

  University of Texas at Dallas Chess captain (2001), Pan-American Champions (2001 and 2002), and Final Four Winners (2000-2003)

  Winner of Governor’s Cup (2001, 2002, 2004)

  Qualifier for the World Chess Championship from the Continent of North and South America (Buenos Aires, 2003)

  Tied for 3rd in US championship (San Diego, USA, 2004)

  Co-winner of Millennium chess festival (2005)

  Illinois State Champion (2005)

  Qualified to 1/16 in the World Cup (Khanty-Mansiysk, Siberia, 2005)

  U.S. Chess Championship runner-up (San Diego, USA, 2006)

  U.S. Women Olympic team coach (4th place) (Italy, 2006)

  Winner of 107th US Open Chess Championship (Chicago, USA, 2006)

  Co-Winner of the University of Texas at Dallas GM Invitational Tournament  (Dallas, Texas, USA, 2007)

  Tied for 3rd place in the 2007 Frank Berry US Chess Championship  (Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA, 2007)

  Tied for 1st place in the 2007 Chicago Open Championship  (Chicago, Illinois, USA, 2007)