Elo std: 2713 Rapid: 2593 Blitz: 2660 Date and place of birth: 01.10.1991 in Berkeley, California World ranking: 31
Sam Shankland became the champion of the US in 2018 before other top US-players like Caruana, Nakamura and Wesley So.
GM Santosh Vidit
India, 24
Elo std: 2703 Rapid: 2689 Blitz: 2694 Date and place of birth: 24.10.1994 in Nashik World ranking: 33
Santosh Vidit is the number 3 in India just after Anand and Harikrishna.
GM Jorge Cori
Peru, 23
Elo std: 2686 Rapid: 2608 Blitz: 2558 Date and place of birth: 30.07.1995 in Lima World ranking: 54
At the last Chess Olympiad, he won the scoring on the 3rd board as well as the best Elo performance of all participants.
GM Peter Leko
Hungary, 39
Elo std: 2674 Rapid: 2671 Blitz: 2743 Date and place of birth: 08.09.1979 in Subotica World ranking: 72
In Brissago 2004 Vladimir Kramnik barely won against Peter Leko. Peter Leko became the youngest grandmaster of all time in 1994 and will compete with other young competition at the chess festival Biel 2019.
GM Parham Maghsoodloo
Iran, 18
Elo std: 2656 Rapid: 2510 Blitz: 2719 Date and place of birth: 11.08.2000 in Gonbad-e Kavus World ranking: 76
Parham Maghsoodloo, the reigning U20 World Champion, is the main character of a young Persian team that is about to climb the top of the world's elite.
GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov
Uzbekistan, 14
Elo std: 2598 Rapid: 2400 Blitz: 2550 Date and place of birth: 18.09.2004 in Tashkent World ranking: 258
Nodirbek Abdusattorov, second youngest player, who was awarded with the GM title just after Sergei Karjakin, is currently the number 2 on the world ranking of U15 players.
GM Sebastian Bogner
Deutschland, 28
Elo std: 2584 Rapid: 2567 Blitz: - Date and place of birth: 17.01.1991 in Pforzheim World ranking: 260
Sebastian Bogner is the reigning Swiss champion 2018. After he participated in the 2008 & 2010 Olympics for Germany, he joined the Swiss Federation in 2013 and plays there since then.
GM Nico Georgiadis
Switzerland, 23
Elo std: 2514 Rapid: 2488 Blitz: 2464 Date and place of birth: 22.01.1996 in Bülach World ranking: 603
Nico Georgiadis, runner-up of Swiss Championship 2018, has a lot of experience in Biel from the years 2017 and 2018. His winning position in last year's game against Magnus Carlsen is unforgettable.
