Tigran Levoni Petrosian (Armenian: Տիգրան Լևոնի Պետրոսյան; born 17 September 1984) is an Armenian chess player who holds the title of grandmaster, which FIDE awarded him in 2004. A two-time national champion, he competed in two Chess Olympiads, winning team gold in 2008 and 2012.
Early years
Tigran L. Petrosian was born on 17 September 1984. His first name was deliberately chosen by his father to match the name of Tigran V. Petrosian (no relation), the first Armenian to become World Champion. When the late Tigran won the world title, Tigran's father dreamt that if he ever had a son he would call him Tigran.[1] The former world champion died a month before Tigran L. Petrosian was born.
In January 2013, Petrosian won the Armenian Chess Championship for the second time.[12] He also won clear first prize in International "Grand Europe Open Albena-2013" in Bulgaria.
In February 2018, Petrosian competed in the Aeroflot Open. He finished fifth out of ninety-two,[15] scoring 6/9 (+3–0=6).[16]
Petrosian plays on the Internet Chess Club (ICC) under the pseudonym "Tigrano".
Cheating disqualification
On 1 October 2020, Wesley So, the eighth highest-rated grandmaster in the world at the time, accused Petrosian of cheating in his semi-final and final games during the online Chess.com 2020 PRO Chess League. Petrosian responded to So with a long, insulting message on the Chess.com forum, including the comments, "You are a biggest looser i ever seen in my life ! You was doing PIPI in your pampers when i was beating players much more stronger then you! [sic]".[17][18] Chess.com subsequently determined that Petrosian had violated fair play regulations; consequently, his team the Armenia Eagles, was disqualified and So's Saint Louis Arch Bishops were crowned champions. Chess.com and the PRO Chess League both issued lifetime bans to Petrosian.[19]
Awards
In December 2009, Petrosian was awarded the title of "Honoured Master of Sport of the Republic of Armenia".[20]