Murray Chandler

Murray Graham Chandler MNZM (born 4 April 1960 in Wellington, New Zealand) is a chess Grandmaster, author, and organiser who represented both New Zealand and England.

Career Overview

Chandler learned chess in New Zealand, winning the New Zealand Chess Championship in 1975–76. In the late 1970s, he relocated to the United Kingdom to pursue a professional chess career. He earned the International Master (IM) title in 1977 and became a Grandmaster (GM) in 1983.

International Competition

• Chess Olympiads: Represented New Zealand at the Olympiads of 1976, 1978, and 1980, before switching allegiance to England. Playing for England during the golden era of British chess, he competed in four consecutive Olympiads (1984, 1986, 1988, 1990), winning team silver medals in 1984, 1986, and 1988, as well as an individual bronze medal in 1986.
• Commonwealth Championship: Joint Commonwealth Champion in 1984 and 1987.
• Tournament Successes: Won or tied for first at prominent international events including Brighton (1981), Blackpool (1982), Hastings (1986/87), and the Aegon Man–Machine Tournament.

Writing and Publishing

Chandler served as editor of the British Chess Magazine from 1991 to 1999. In 1997, he co-founded Gambit Publications, which grew into one of the world's premier independent chess publishing houses.

He is also a celebrated author of best-selling instructional chess books, including:

• How to Beat Your Dad at Chess (1998)
• Chess Tactics for Kids (2003)
• Chess Opening Essentials (co-author)

In the 2017 New Year Honours, Chandler was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) for services to chess.