| Karen Grigorian | |
|---|---|
| Born | Karen Ashotovich Grigorian September 7, 1947 Moscow, Russia |
| Died | October 30, 1989 (aged 42) Yerevan |
| Cause of death | Suicide |
| Ethnicity | Armenian |
| Occupation | Chess master |
| Influenced by | Lev Aronin |
| Parents | Ashot Grashi (father) |
| Relatives | Levon Grigorian (brother) |
| Awards | International Master (1982) |
Karen Ashotovich Grigorian (7 September 1947 – 30 October 1989) was an Armenian chess master, and son of the poet Ashot Grashi.
Born in Moscow, Russia, Grigorian won the Armenian Chess Championship three times (joint winner 1969, winner 1971, joint winner 1972),[1] and the Moscow City Chess Championship twice (1975, 1979). He also participated in several of the USSR Chess Championships in the 1970s, with one of his best performances being at the 1973 USSR Chess Championships. He was awarded the International Master title in 1982.
Grigorian's trainers included Lev Aronin, and he was friends with the Latvian chess master Alvis Vitolins. Grigorian and Vitolins were excellent blitz players, but both also suffered from psychiatric disorders. At the age of 42, Grigorian committed suicide by jumping from the highest bridge in Yerevan.
His brother Levon Grigorian was also a chess player and won several chess championships.