Currently Based out of Hungary, Alex "Sasha" Chernin is a former candidate to the title of world champion, as well as former Soviet co-champion. Chernin has also authored a number of best selling books, the most famous of which being the "Pirc Alert!"

Conceptually Chernin is hailed as a master of the Chess Opening, because of his "ability to prepare players to play an opening using ...ideas rather than memorized lines (ChessCafe.com columnist Carsten Hansen)." Chernin's talent as a trainer, is all the more amazing because of his ability to perceive the general trends of the chess culture, and to train his students accordingly to master such future obstacles. In other words ", "Chernin gives you theory as it will be in 10 years!(GM Alex Beliavsky)."