Cyrus Lakdawala
Cyrus Lakdawala is an American chess International Master and journalist who has written more than 60 books on chess. Born in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India in 1960, his father taught him chess at the age of 8.
He grew up in Montreal, Canada and moved to San Diego, California, where he currently resides, in 1978. In his personal life, he practices both yoga and Buddhist meditation.
Best Results
During his tournament chess career he was co-champion of the 19th National Open in 1987, tied with Maxim Dlugy*, Joel Benjamin, Walter Browne, and Sergey Kudrin ; co-champion of the 34th American Open in 1998, tied with GM Pavel Blatny of the Czech Republic while Lakdawala was still a FIDE Master ; US G/60, and US G/30 Championships; he is also the six-time California state champion. and two-time Southern California Open Chess Champion, in 1995 and 2003.
Writings
He has won the Chess Journalists Association's award for Instructional Book of the Year 2020 for In the Zone: Winning Streaks. He won the Chess Journalists Association's award for Best Chess Column in 2016, Cracked Grandmaster Tales / Why Do Grandmasters Blunder?, written on chess.com. His most recent work, From Boy to Challenger: The Toughest Battles of Gukesh D was published in August 2024, four months before the subject became the World Chess Champion.
Books
The Slav: Move by Move, 2011, Everyman Chess,.The Caro-Kann: Move by Move, 2012, Everyman Chess,.Larsen: Move by Move, 2014, Everyman Chess,.1...d6: Move by Move, 2011, Everyman Chess,.The Colle: Move by Move, 2013, Everyman Chess,.Play the London System, 2010, Everyman Chess,.From Boy to Man to Challenger: The Fiercest Battles of Gukesh D, 256 pages, 2024, ELK and RUBY,.In the Zone: Winning Streaks, 400 pages, 2020, New in Chess,.