Peter Zhdanov

Peter Zhdanov is an IT project manager, expert and author of two books on parliamentary debate, BSc in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science. He also studied for an MA in Economics and a PhD in Sociology, but eventually decided to pursue a career in the chess industry. Chess-wise he is the founder and editor-in-chief at Pogonina.com, manager of grandmaster Natalia Pogonina and CEO at Chess Evolution. Peter is a Russian candidate master and an avid fan of the game who wishes he could participate in tournaments more often.

Recent news

Chess Cash Kings 2013 – guess who leads

5/5/2014 – The idea of creating a live rating list of the prize money winnings of top GMs was suggested some years ago by Peter Zhdanov, a student of math and sociology. Making these financial details publicly available, he suggested, was a crucial step towards transforming chess into a mainstream sport and making it more popular. The first list was published in 2012, the second has just been compiled.

Meet a genuine chess billionaire

5/31/2013 – Sergey Galitsky, 45, is a co-owner of a major Russian retail chain Magnit and president of FC Krasnodar. According to Forbes, as of 2013 his personal fortune was estimated at US $8.2 billion, making him the #138th richest person in the world. So why are we interested in his personality? Sergey is also a proficient chess player who can give 20-board simuls! Peter Zhdanov reports.

Team events: beating the bookmakers?!

3/15/2013 – "Many of you must have heard about sports betting and odds offered by bookmakers," writes Peter Zhdanov. While he is in no way interested in making money by placing bets, the analytical aspect of the problem seemed to him to be worth researching. His article is a lesson in how to precisely work out the odds in a team tournaments.

Feedback on Chess Cash Kings 2012

2/6/2013 – The recent article and project by Peter Zhdanov – to create a live list of the prize money winnings of top GMs – received a mixed response. "It leads the way to communicating chess success to the public," wrote one reader, while an unnamed GM announced he needed to give us "crap about that Zhdanov guy's article". One letter explains how how chess can become a cash sport.

Who are the Chess Cash Kings 2012?

2/2/2013 – The idea of creating a live rating list of the prize money winnings of top GMs was suggested a year ago on our pages by Peter Zhdanov. The key message of his article was that making the financial details publicly available is a crucial step towards transforming chess into a mainstream sport and making the game more popular. Peter has now progressed from theory to practice.

FIDE Grand Prix: A call for a fair player selection process

9/27/2012 – How are the participants of the FIDE Grand Prix chosen? Why are some top players not invited, while some of their less distinguished colleagues are taking part? Is there anything we can do about it? Peter Zhdanov reflects on the topic and pays special attention to women’s chess, which is relatively neglected compared to that of their male counterparts. What do you think?

Theory of success in life applied to chess

8/27/2012 – What are the factors that define success? How does one become successful in life in general and in chess in particular? Peter Zhdanov explains KPIs (key performance indicators) used to measure success and seeks to apply them to the game we all love. By objectively evaluating all the components described in his article, you can create your own plan of becoming a successful person.

Is chess not for everybody? – Feedback from our readers

7/5/2012 – Boris Gelfand said he thought that chess was not for everyone, Peter Zhdanov wrote a piece saying it was. Chess must be presented to the general public for what it is: a sport, an art and science. Many readers agree: "Let us make a Smörgåsbord and have everyone decide what is tasty for them," writes one, and another says we should emulate the mentalist Derren Brown.

Is chess not for everybody?

7/4/2012 – Recently Boris Gelfand said he thought that chess was not for everyone. "Chess is for people who want to make an intellectual effort, who have respect for the game, and we shouldn't make the game more simple so that more people would enjoy it,” said the world championship challenger. Do you think this is true? Peter Zhdanov, IT project manager and debate expert, begs to differ.

Do Women Have a Chance against Men in Chess?

3/8/2012 – As we know all too well: most of the strongest players in the world are male. In the past we have speculated on the reasons for this gender discrepancy, with vigorous reader participation. On International Women's Day Peter Zhdanov, who is married to a very strong female player, provides us with some valuable statistics, comparing men and women on a country-by-country basis. Eye-opening.

Live rating list of chess players’ earnings?

1/15/2012 – For some years now live ratings lists of the world's top players – calculated on a day-by-day basis – have become popular. Recently a live list for top female players was set up, and now one interested player and manager proposes a third list: one that tracks the earnings of the top chess stars, just like in many other sports. An interesting proposal that requires helping hands.
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