Tamara Golovey

Tamara Golovey, Chess Coach

Tamara Golovey (Belarusian: Тамара Галавей; Russian: Тамара Ошеровна Головей) is a Chess Master, Chess International Arbiter and the Coach of the Republic of Belarus. Her United States Chess Federation rating (USCF) is 2322. She is a personal coach of chess players including Boris Gelfand, International Grandmaster, double Olympic Champion, ranked third in the world in 1991 and winner of the Candidates Tournament in 2011, Yury Shulman, International Grandmaster, 2008 US Champion, Yulia Levitan, International Master, 1992 US Olympic team member (USCF 2228) and Valeri Atlas, International Master, 1994 Olympic bronze medalist (USCF 2448).

Tamara was born in Kurgan (Republic of Uzbekistan) on September 19, 1943. She started studying chess at 12 under A. Shagalovich (Minsk). Although she graduated from Belarusian Polytechnic Institute in 1965, she left the engineering career for chess. Since 1970 she has been the Chief Chess Coach of Minsk Children's Sports School of Olympic Reserve N 11.

She won Belarusian Women Chess Championship three times (1965, 1969 and 1976) and was multiple finalist of the USSR Women Chess Championships. From 1989 she became an International Arbiter. She was Chief Arbiter of many international tournaments.

Since 1999 Tamara has lived in the USA. She took third place together with Albert Chow (International Master, USCF 2294) in Illinois-2000 Open Chess Championship and fourth in Illinois-2001 among men. She successfully continues to prepare children in Chicago for tournament play.