Mark Heimann
{{Short description|American chess grandmaster (born 1993)}}
{{Infobox chess player
| country = United States
| image = Mark_Heimann_Chess.jpg
| birth_date = {{Bda|1993|1|25}}
| birth_place = Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
| title = Grandmaster (2025)
| peakrating = 2512 (February 2025)
| FideID = 2028441
}}
Mark A. Heimann is an American chess grandmaster and machine learning researcher.
Chess career
Heimann began playing chess at the age of 5 after his father bought him and his twin brother Alexander a chess set. He then won several national grade-level championships as well as the Pennsylvania and Ohio state championships in middle school and high school.{{cite web|url=https://www.studlife.com/scene/profile/2014/02/27/a-man-of-many-talents-mark-heimanns-intensive-quest-to-conquer-everything-wash-u-has-to-offer|title=A man of many talents: Mark Heimann's intensive quest to conquer everything Wash. U. has to offer|date=February 27, 2014|first=Mia|last=Kweskin}}
In October 2007, he was ranked as the national #2 under-14 player, only behind future grandmaster Marc Tyler Arnold.{{cite web|url=https://www.uschess.org/component/option,com_top_players/Itemid,406?op=list&month=0710&f=foreign&l=Top%20Age%2014&h=Top%20Age%2014%20regardless%20of%20Country,%20Residence,%20or%20Federation|title=Top Age 14 regardless of Country, Residence, or Federation}} In the February 2008 national rankings, he moved up to being the top-ranked under-14 player.{{cite web|url=https://www.uschess.org/component/option,com_top_players/Itemid,458?op=list&month=0802&f=foreign&l=Top%20Age%2014&h=Top%20Age%2014%20regardless%20of%20Country,%20Residence,%20or%20Federation|title=Top Age 14 regardless of Country, Residence, or Federation}}
In December 2012, he played for Washington University St. Louis' "A" team in the Pan-American Intercollegiate Chess Championships, where he was the second-most successful player, recording 4 wins, 1 draw, and 1 loss. The university's team also won the Division II championship title.{{cite web|url=https://www.studlife.com/news/2013/01/28/chess-club-wins-division-ii-championship|title=Chess Club wins Division II championship|date=January 28, 2013|first=Sahil|last=Patel}}
In three tournaments between September and December 2022, Heimann earned three international master title norms, earning the international master title at the age of 29.{{cite web|url=https://ratings.fide.com/crt/main230189.pdf|title=Title Application - Mark Heimann}}
In November 2024, he scored a GM norm at the U.S. Masters Chess Championship. He finished the event in joint-6th place.{{cite web|url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/2024-us-masters-caruana-wins|title=Caruana Wins 2024 U.S. Masters, Trails Arjun In FIDE Circuit By 1 Point|date=December 3, 2024|first=Anthony|last=Levin}} The following week, at the Saint Louis Masters tournament, he earned his final grandmaster norm and crossed 2500 in live rating, achieving the Grandmaster title.{{cite web|url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/caruana-donchenko-win-2024-saint-louis-masters|title=Caruana, Donchenko Tie For 1st In Saint Louis Masters, Caruana Leads FIDE Circuit|date=December 9, 2024|first=Anthony|last=Levin}} It was formally awarded to him in April 2025.
Research career
He obtained a bachelor's degree from Washington University at St. Louis and got his PhD from the University of Michigan. He is a machine learning researcher at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory.{{cite web|url=https://new.uschess.org/news/another-one-mark-heimann-earns-gm-title-days-after-second-norm|title=Another One! Mark Heimann Earns GM Title Days After Second Norm|date=December 12, 2024|first=JJ|last=Lang}}
Personal life
Outside of chess and research, he also plays several instruments and is a competitive powerlifter.{{cite web|url=https://www.openpowerlifting.org/u/markheimann|title=Open Powerlifting profile for Mark Heimann}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{American GMs}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Heimann, Mark}}
Category:American chess players
Category:Washington University in St. Louis alumni
Category:University of Michigan alumni
Category:Sportspeople from Pittsburgh