Elina Danielian Armenian chess player, grandmaster. Date of Birth: 16.08.1978 Country: Azerbaijan

Elina Danielyan: Armenian Chess Grandmaster

Elina Danielyan is an Armenian chess player and grandmaster. She was introduced to the game of chess by her father when she was just 5 years old. At the age of 7, she started training in a chess section under the guidance of Rafael Sarkisov.

In 1988, due to the outbreak of the Karabakh conflict, Elina Danielyan's family was forced to move from Baku to Yerevan, where she continued her training at the Tigran Petrosian Chess School under the guidance of Ovik Khalikyan. At the age of 15, she became the Armenian champion for the first time, and at 16, she earned the title of women's grandmaster.

Since 1992, Danielyan has been a part of the Armenian women's national chess team. In 2003, playing on the first board, she led the Armenian team to victory in the European Team Chess Championship, and in 2007, they won bronze medals in the same tournament.

In 2006, as a member of the Yerevan club "Mika," Danielyan became the champion of the European Club Chess Championship.

In 2008, Elina Danielyan married Dutch chess player Alexander Van Pelt and moved to Groningen. However, she continued to represent Armenia in chess competitions.