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Alexander Delchev is a highly accomplished chess player, coach, and organizer with a wealth of experience in the chess world. Born on July 15, 1971, in Sofia, Bulgaria, Delchev earned the title of International Master (IM) in 1988 and later became a Grandmaster (GM) in 1998. He has held the position of FIDE Instructor (FI) from 2014 to 2016 and has been a FIDE Senior Trainer (FST) since 2016, showcasing his commitment to chess education. Delchev views chess not only as a game but also as a means to foster personal development and character building. He believes in the game's educational benefits, promoting qualities like critical thinking, initiative, and long-term planning. Through chess, he emphasizes the importance of strategic thinking, goal setting, fair play, and responsibility. In terms of personal achievements, Delchev has a remarkable track record. He has won the Bulgarian Chess Championship four times—in 1994, 1996, 2001, and 2019—and has represented Bulgaria in numerous international competitions, including ten Chess Olympiads and two European Team Championships. Additionally, he has been an active player in various chess clubs across Europe. Delchev's coaching career, which began in 2008, is equally impressive. He has coached notable players such as Ivan Šarić and Vaibhav Suri, contributing to their success on the international stage. He has also worked with top Bulgarian players like Antoaneta Stefanova and Ivan Cheparinov. Delchev's coaching experience extends to serving as a coach, captain, and organizer at various chess clubs and events, including the World Chess Olympiad and the FIDE Women’s World Team Championship. Beyond playing and coaching, Delchev has demonstrated his organizational skills by organizing over ten chess tournaments and launching initiatives like the ChessBomb Tour 2017, which featured live broadcasts of each tournament. He is also a promoter of the ""Chess for Everybody"" program, widely adopted in Bulgarian chess clubs. As an author, Delchev has contributed significantly to chess literature with several best-selling books, covering various opening repertoires and strategic concepts. He is fluent in multiple languages, including Bulgarian, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Serbian, and Russian. Delchev completed his technical secondary education in Sofia, Bulgaria, in 1989, laying the foundation for his multifaceted career in chess. Overall, Alexander Delchev stands as a prominent figure in the chess community, making significant contributions as a player, coach, organizer, author, and advocate for chess education.
Club players looking to pick up a 1.e4 repertoire that is manageable but still packs a punch will find Delchev's Practical Opening Repertoire - Volume 1 - The Scandinavian, Pirc & Modern Defenses by Bulgarian Grandmaster Aleksander Delchev quite helpful. This book, which is aimed primarily at players in the 1800-2300 range, is arranged around model games with plenty of explanatory prose backed up by pertinent analysis. IM John Donaldson, August 2024.
