Ben Finegold

Ben Finegold is an American Grandmaster, chess lecturer, and content creator known for combining high-level chess instruction with a sharp, comedic delivery. Born in 1969 in Detroit, Michigan, he started playing at age 5 and earned his USCF Master title at 14. After decades as one of the strongest International Masters in the United States, he finally secured his GM title in 2009 at the age of 40.

Finegold served as the Grandmaster-in-Residence at the Saint Louis Chess Club, where his entertaining lectures became some of the most-watched chess educational content on YouTube. In 2017, he and his wife Karen co-founded the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Atlanta, where he continues to teach and stream.

His YouTube channel has grown to over 160,000 subscribers, featuring lectures, game analysis, and highlight clips from his Twitch streams. Chess.com named him Creator of the Month in September 2025. Finegold comes from a chess family: his father and two brothers are USCF Masters, and his mother holds the Woman International Master title. His career highlights include tying for first at the 1994 and 2007 U.S. Open, the 2002 World Open, and multiple National Open championships.

Whether he is breaking down a classic Kasparov game or roasting a viewer for playing the London System, Finegold brings a style that is uniquely his own. He is one of the most recognizable personalities in chess education today.