IMMatvey Galchenko

Matvey Galchenko was born in Murmansk in 2000 and learned chess from his father at four or five. He and his brother attended a local chess club, and he trained for much of his childhood with Gennady Kiselev. He won Russia's under-nineteen blitz championship in 2017 and became an IM in 2020. In 2024 he won the Russian open blitz championship, finishing half a point ahead of the nearest challengers. Later that month he helped Central Park Tower win the Russian Rapid Team Championship. Alongside tournament play, he has coached students and produced chess videos.