Ben Finegold is neck and neck with GM Larry Christiansen for the distinction of being the highest rated American born chess player in the country. Few realize how strong Ben is. What’s up with the underexposure? Ben Finegold is missing the two most vital letters in a pro chess player’s career, “G” and “M.” Despite having met the rating requirement for over a decade, the official title has proved elusive thus far. Lately, Ben is closing in on the title, playing in numerous international events.

Ben Finegold is also somewhat understated; in contrast to many confident grandmasters who strut around with their heads in the clouds, Ben is funny, friendly, and apt to make self-effacing jokes. His description of his style is characteristically modest: “I play simple moves and try not to blunder or get in time trouble.” He won first place at the 2006 U.S Championship blogging contest, and now he has a blog of his own, where he posts anecdotes, games and crosstables from his tournaments.

Serious chess players are divided by the question of whether it’s better to study a narrow set of openings in great depth, or play a wide variety of systems, to keep opponents wondering. Finegold falls somewhere in between. He’s been playing 1.d4 his whole life but with Black he’s more flexible and can play numerous defenses against both 1.e4 and 1.d4. Ben isn't afraid of trading Queens early in the game, and wins a lot of half points from endgame technique.

When asked about which books he recommended to aspiring players, Ben said “I’m not a fan of books.” His advice was to “Play in strong tournaments (open section) and analyze your games with a strong player. The best way to improve is to play strong players often.”

Finegold is unofficially the quickest chess player in America. Watching him play one-minute chess is like watching a virtuoso piano player. One of the secrets to his speed: setting up the chessboard as quickly as possible. Repeat until you’re the fastest chess player in America. Can Ben do something similar to become the strongest player in America?