Peter Giannatos grew up in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, before moving to Charlotte in 2001. Peter learned how to play chess at the age of 7, but did not compete in his first tournament until he was 13. In 2004, he competed in his first tournament, achieving a USCF rating of 589. With hard work and dedication, Peter achieved the expert rating (2000+ USCF) in 2008. Peter plans on teaching students the same techniques he used to rapidly improve. At the age of 18, Peter is currently ranked 16th overall in the state of North Carolina, with a rating of 2062 USCF and 2094 FIDE. Peter's goal is to achieve National Master status (2200+) by the time he is 21 years old. Peter is currently a sophomore at the University of North Carolina - Charlotte, majoring in Economics and Business Law. Peter also is an active tennis and pool player.