Career Highlights

Shankland receiving a gold medal at 2014 Tromsø Olympiad

2016

September 1-14, 2016

Second Olympic Gold

Shankland and Team USA won the Olympiad for the first time in 79 years in Baku.

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July 23 – August 3, 2016

Biel Masters

Shankland Won the Biel Masters Open with the best score in the event’s history, reaching a new peak rating at #57 in the world

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June 17-26, 2016

Edmonton International

Shankland Won the Edmonton International

March 18-24, 2016

Fagernes International

Shankland Won the Fagernes International

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2015

September 10 – October 5, 2015

World Cup

Shankland participated in the Baku World Cup, defeating Ivan Popov in round 1 before falling to World #3 Hikaru Nakamura in the second round

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April 18-29, 2015

World Team Championship

Shankland facing Levon Aronian in the United States’ match against Armenia. Shankland manned Board 1 for the United States National Team at the World Team Championship

2014

December 15, 2014

Top 100

Shankland entered the world’s top 100 players at a new peak rating of 2653 FIDE

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August 1-14, 2014

Olympic Gold Medallist

Shankland won the individual gold medal on board 5 for the USA in his first ever Olympiad

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2013

August 10, 2013

ZMDI Open

Shankland won the ZMDI Open

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July 1, 2013

USA-China Friendly Match

Shankland made his second appearance for team USA, and was the top scorer in their friendly match against the Chinese team.

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March 19, 2013

Samford Fellow

Shankland was awarded the Samford Fellowship, a $84,000 scholarship given out once a year to the strongest American player under the age of 25 to fund their training and improvement

January 29, 2013

Pan American Team Championship

Shankland made his debut for the US National Team, scoring 3.5/4 and leading the team to a first place finish

2012

September 1, 2012

FIDE

Shankland crossed 2600 FIDE for the first time

January 8, 2012

Northern California International

Shankland won the Northern California International

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2011

August 26, 2011 — September 1, 2011

World Cup

Shankland defeated Peter Leko (#17 in the world at the time) in the first round of his first World Cup appearance before falling to Abhijeet Gupta in round 2

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April 15, 2011 — April 27, 2011

US Championship

Shankland finished the US Championship in third place

January 2, 2011 — January 8, 2011

Grandmaster Title

Shankland made his final GM norm at the Berkeley International and was officially awarded the title of Grandmaster at the next FIDE congress

2010

July 10, 2010 — July

US Junior Championship

Shankland won the US Junior Championship.

2008

October 18-30, 2008

World U18 Co-Champion

Shankland Tied for first in the U-18 World Championship, receiving the bronze Medal on tiebreak and the International Master title.

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September 1, 2008

Calchess State Championship

At 16 years old, Shankland was the youngest player to ever win the Calchess State Championship. He won every subsequent iteration he ever played.

2001

December 28, 2001

First Tournament

Sam played in his first chess tournament when he was 10, a very late age by today’s standards. He did not begin playing seriously until he was 11.

First Chess Class

Sam took his first chess class at 9 years old. He received his early chess instruction from the Berkeley Chess School, an outstanding program which has been teaching chess to children in the Bay Area for the past 30 years.

1997

Rise of a Star

Shankland learned to play chess at the age of 6.

1991

Sam Shankland

Born on October 1, 1991 in Berkeley, California USA