Efstratios Grivas
A Greek chess grandmaster who shifted his focus from elite play to becoming one of the world's most respected trainers and authors.
Born 1966 (age 60)·Greek chess grandmaster·Birthday: March 30·Generation X
Biography
Efstratios Grivas's career is a masterclass in evolving a deep passion into multifaceted expertise. As a player, he earned the Grandmaster title, representing Greece in numerous Olympiads and carving a respectable place in European chess. However, his lasting impact stems from his second act. Grivas dedicated himself to coaching, rising to the elite rank of FIDE Senior Trainer. His analytical mind found a perfect outlet in writing; he is the author of a vast library of instructional books, particularly on chess strategy and endgames, which are studied by club players and grandmasters alike. Serving also as an International Arbiter and Organizer, Grivas has shaped the game from every possible angle, ensuring its integrity and passing his knowledge to generations of new players.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Efstratios was born in 1966, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Efstratios Was Born
The biggest hits of 1966
#1 Movie
The Bible: In the Beginning
Best Picture
A Man for All Seasons
#1 TV Show
Bonanza
Efstratios's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1966Born
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1971Started school
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1979Became a teenager
Iran hostage crisis begins; Three Mile Island accident
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $37,900Min wage: $2.90/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"My Sharona" — The KnackBest Picture: Kramer vs. Kramer
1982Could drive
Michael Jackson releases Thriller
Gas: $1.22/galHome: $55,200Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Physical" — Olivia Newton-JohnBest Picture: Gandhi
1984Could vote
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Turned 21
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1996Turned 30
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 40
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 50
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 60
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Authored over 40 chess books, many focusing on strategic play and endgame theory, which are widely used for training.
- Achieved the title of FIDE Senior Trainer, one of the highest certifications for chess coaches in the world.
- Earned the International Arbiter and FIDE International Organizer titles, contributing to the official administration of the sport.
- Represented Greece as a player in multiple Chess Olympiads after earning the Grandmaster title.
Did You Know?
He is a certified FIDE Lecturer, traveling the world to train other chess trainers.
Grivas served as the Secretary of the FIDE Trainers' Commission.
He was the captain and trainer of the Turkish national chess team for several years.
One of his most popular books is 'Chess College,' a multi-volume series aimed at improving positional understanding.
“The best move is not always the one you like, but the one the position demands.”
