EP 505- GM Melik Khachiyan on Building a Winning Team and Developing Chess Talent

GM Melik Khachiyan is a California-based, award-winning chess trainer and the 2023 U.S. Senior Champion. Melik is also the captain of the U.S. Women's Olympiad team, so it was the perfect time to catch up with him following the team's fourth-place finish at the 2026 Chess Olympiad in Uzbekistan. We discussed:

Melik's reflections on the Olympiad, including the difficult decisions and psychological challenges of captaining a national team. 

Why he is optimistic about the future of U.S. women's chess.

Stories from OTB encounters with GMs Nakamura, Kamsky and Mickey Adams

Plus, for video viewers, Melik gives a quick tour of hsi new chess academy in Glendale, California. And, of course, Melik shares chess improvement advice for players of different ages and levels.

🎙️ Timestamps:

00:00 Intro and sponsor: Claude AI

Check them out at Claude.ai/chess

01:53 GM Melik Khachiyan joins the show

02:38 Reflections on the U.S. Women's Olympiad performance

05:32 Helping players bounce back from tough losses

08:32 Why the U.S. women are now serious medal contenders