Biography of Vladimir Akopian

Name:	Vladimir Akopian
Year of birth:	1971
Country:	ARM
Title:	GM
(Current!?) Elo:	2700
Website:	-
On Fide playerlist:	yes
Biography	Armenia’s top ranked player, Akopian is a 3-time former world champion – u/16, u/18 and u/20. In the1999 Las Vegas FIDE championship after an amazing run he was stopped only at the finals by Khalifman and became vice champion. The Baku born GM who now calls Yerevan home started to play chess at age 5 and is a classical example of a well-spotted and trained talent. He is a graduate of the Botvinnik-Kasparov chess school and attribute the two years he spent there along with his extensive coaching to his successes. Despite being quite a strong and accomplished player who won more than his share of strong international events, he was dubbed (along with fellow GM’s Nisipeanu and Movsesian) by Kasparov a ‘chess tourist’. In return Akopian gave his reply over the chessboard in 2002 with a 25-move crush of the world’s top player.
Tournaments:
Tournament (2) Final ranking Hoogovenstoernooi 1993, Knock Out groep, Knock Out 9 Corustoernooi 2004, Grootmeester A groep, Round Robin 9