Chess star Levon Aronian celebrates birthday

Armenian chess star Levon Aronian celebrates his 43rd birthday on October 6.

A two-time World Cup winner, three-time Chess Olympiad champion with Armenia, former World Rapid and Blitz Champion and the fourth highest-rated player in history, Aronian has long been a symbol of excellence in chess.

Born in 1982 in Yerevan, Aronian learned the game at age nine from his sister. Over the years, he trained under several Armenian grandmasters before rising to international prominence. Citing lack of state support for chess in Armenia, he decided to switch federations from Armenia to the United States in 2021.

Competing under the U.S. flag, Aronian continues to add to his victories. Most recently, he won the 2025 Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz, part of the Grand Chess Tour, earning $40,000.

Reflecting on his journey, Aronian has said: “It would be wrong to say my life is in Armenia or in Europe. My life is in chess.”