Career
Originally from Armenia, he now resides in Los Los Angeles He played on the bronze-medal-winning United States. team in the 2006 and 2008 Chess Olympiads. Akobian, an Armenian American, became an International Master at age 16.
In 2001, he moved to the United States and one week after his 20th birthday in November 2003, earned the title of Grandmaster.
In 2006 he tied for first in the San Marino tournament with a performance rating of 2796. In 2007 he tied for 1st–8th with Hikaru Nakamura, Alexander Shabalov, Darmen Sadvakasov, Zviad Izoria, Victor Mikhalevski, Magesh Chandran Panchanathan and Justin Sarkar in the Miami Open and came equal first in the American Continental Championship in Cali, Colombia.
This qualified him for the Chess World Cup 2007, where he was eliminated in the first round. He also took part in the Chess World Cup 2009 and was knocked out by Ruslan Ponomariov in the second round.
In 2007, Akobian was featured on Music Television"s True Life documentary series, in an episode titled "I"m a Genius".
As of May 2014, he was the fifth highest rated player in the United States of America, with a FIDE rating of 2643. In an Armageddon Game he defeated Lenderman and went on to a Rapid Match against Kamsky, that resulted 1,5 for Kamsky to 0,5 to Akobian, granting Kamsky the title, and making Akobian the runner up in 2014 United States Chess Championship.