GM Melik Khachiyan
The Player

Biography - Testimonials - Game Collections

Grandmaster Melik Khachiyan
Biography

I was born in the former Soviet Union, where my journey with chess began at the age of eight. My progress was rapid—by ten, I had won the Baku Junior Championship and earned the First Category in chess, equivalent to a USCF rating of approximately 2000 (Expert level).

By twelve, I became a Soviet Candidate Master, reaching a level comparable to a USCF rating above 2200. After six more years of rigorous training, I earned the Master title, and in 2005, I was officially awarded the title of Grandmaster by FIDE.

Training & Mentors

Throughout my development, I was fortunate to study at the Tigran Petrosian Chess School (1982-1984), founded by the 9th World Champion himself. I later trained under two of the most respected names in chess coaching—Alexander Nikitin and Alexander Shakarov, who famously coached the 13th World Champion, Garry Kasparov. Their mentorship had a deep and lasting impact on my understanding and teaching of the game.

Coaching Career: Over 30 Years of Excellence

I began coaching professionally in 1990, even as I remained an active competitor. After a decade of shaping chess talents in Armenia, I moved to the United States in 2001, where I’ve continued mentoring players of all levels—from young prodigies to elite professionals.

Highlights from My Coaching Career

Armenian National Coach (1990–2001)
Trainer of GM Levon Aronian (1990–1997)
- Named Honored Coach of Armenia in 1995 in recognition of Aronian’s success
Developed a generation of Armenian grandmasters:
- GM Arman Pashikian
- GM Tigran Petrosian
- GM Tigran Gharamian
- Worked with WGM Elina Danielian, WIM Narine Aghinian

Notable Students in the U.S.

After moving to the United States in 2001, I continued coaching and mentoring the next generation of American talents.

GM Steven Zierk, World U18 Champion (2010)
GM Kayden Troff, whom I coached to 2300+ and helped win medals at the World Youth Championships
IM Craig Hilby
WIM Simone Liao
IM Annie Wang
WIM Emily Nguyen
GM Andrew Hong
GM Andy Woodward
FM Ashritha Eswaran
Current students: FM Ruiyang Yan, Alexander Jasinski, Jasmine Su, Carter Ho,

Current Roles and Contributions

Chess.com Coach & Content Creator (since 2009)
- Featured in hundreds of video lessons, live shows, and instructional series
Head Coach, U.S. Women’s Olympic Team (since 2010)
Team Captain, U.S. Women’s Team (since 2014)
Counselor, FIDE Trainers’ Commission (TRG), appointed in 2018
Official FIDE Title: FIDE Senior Trainer

Competitive Career & Titles

While coaching remains my primary passion, I believe in leading by example. Staying active as a competitor helps me remain a sharper analyst and teacher.

International Master (IM) – Awarded in 1995
Grandmaster (GM) – Awarded in 2005
1996 World Chess Olympiad – Represented Armenia in Yerevan
1997 World Team Championship – Bronze Medal with the Armenian National Team
Honored Chess Coach of Armenia and Moldova (1995)

Resources & How to Learn with Me

Online Platforms:

🧠 Chess.com – Melik’s Coach Page
📺 YouTube – Videos & Lectures
🖥️ ICC (Internet Chess Club) – Lessons and Events

Private Coaching & Group Classes:

Open to students of all levels—from beginners to titled players
Available for online and in-person sessions (U.S.-based)
Group classes are available for scholastic programs and chess schools
For inquiries, contact me here.

Join My Chess School

If you're serious about growing as a player—whether you're pursuing titles or simply want to improve your understanding—I invite you to train with me. With decades of experience and a proven track record of developing talent, I can help you reach your goals. Reach out here.

Grandmaster Melik Khachiyan

More info: Wikipedia – Melikset Khachiyan

Testimonials

We are sincerely thankful for Coach Melik's time, dedication, and efforts in coaching Miransh Vyas during the recently concluded 2025 Pan-Am Youth Games in Peru.

We appreciate the time he gave, even in his busy schedule due to his ongoing tournament.

Furthermore, his guidance on Miransh to come back mentally stronger after having a tough forfeit loss helped him a lot to finish the tournament on high.

With his guidance and efforts, Miransh was able to finish 9th Place in Classical Championship-U-12- U-12 Open (6.5/9- with one game as a forfeit loss and starting the tournament as seeded 18th) and 2nd Place in Blitz Championship-U-12-open (7.5/9- starting the tournament as seeded 15th).

Miransh was privileged to have a chance to work with GM Melik and enhance his chess skills, and very importantly, work on his mental toughness.
Purven, father of Miransh

We wanted to take a moment to sincerely thank GM Melik for his support and dedication to Sarah Nguyen at the Pan American Youth Championship 2025. She got Silver in Classical and Bronze in both Rapid and Blitz, and these were proud moments for our family. We know these accomplishments would not have been possible without his expert guidance, patience, and belief in her potential.

Beyond the trophies and medals, we truly appreciate how much he has helped Sarah grow not just as a chess player but also as a confident, focused, and resilient young person who loves the game. GM Melik's mentorship has made a lasting impact on her.

We are deeply grateful for the role he has played in her development.

Lam, Sarah's father

We want to express our thanks for the incredible support and guidance GM Melik has given Jasmine Su over the years.

Her Gold Medal in the Pan American Youth Championship, U18 Girls section, was a proud and joyful moment for all of us—and we know it would not have been possible without his steady mentorship, patience, and deep commitment to her growth as a chess player.

GM Melik has helped shape not just her skills on the board but also her confidence, discipline, and love for the game. Watching her grow under his guidance has been truly inspiring.

Thank you for believing in her, challenging her, and supporting her through both victories and setbacks. We are truly grateful for the role he has played in her journey.

Dan, father of Jasmine Su

Testimonials from the Master Classes

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Coach Melik and Ms. Judit for organizing such a wonderful chess camp. You have created an inspiring atmosphere where learning and friendship go hand in hand. Wishing you endless creativity, devoted students, and brilliant victories both on and off the chessboard. Thank you.

— Ararat’s Mom

Thank you so much for organizing the chess master class. Rishab had a wonderful time learning from GM Melik and competing against a very talented group. He feels very motivated to continue working on his game.
— Rishab's Dad

Thank you, GM Melik, for this class! As a player, I found it very instructive, and it has already helped me improve my play and time management skills. I really enjoyed this class and hope I can participate in the fall classes!

— Austin Wilson

Thank you, GM Melik and Ms. Judit. It was a fun, inspiring, and productive camp. I am very impressed by how the kids remained motivated and challenged for 5 hours each day this whole week without a single complaint.

— Samuel's Mom

I want to thank you for the opportunity to take part in such a wonderful camp. It was very productive and a lot of new knowledge was acquired, which is so important for parents. And it was so fun and friendly, which is so important for children. Thank you! I hope that such camps will become regular.

— Alex's Mom

As a parent, I would like to express my heartfelt appreciation to Coach Melik and Ms. Judit for organizing an exceptional chess camp. The environment you created was not only intellectually rigorous but also deeply nurturing — a rare combination. My son returned each day energized, inspired, and more passionate about chess!

— Judah's Dad

Thank you so much for your and GM Melik’s effort. As chess parents, we expected this road not to be as easy. This also goes for the actual players. I appreciate all of your knowledge, energy, and building community.

— Jun's Dad