Holt earned his
USCF expert rating of 2000+ in October 2007 at
Derby, Kansas. He went on to achieve his
National Master title nine months later, in the World Open in
Philadelphia. In 2008, Holt won the US Cadet Championship, earning him his first
International Master norm, and in July 2009, he achieved his
FIDE Master title, crossing 2300 rating for the first time. In 2010, Holt gained his second IM norm in the 2010 World Open. Holt became a Senior Master in 2011, and achieved his third grandmaster norm by drawing
Alexander Lenderman in the 2012 Dallas GM invitational. With 5.0/10 in the event overall and crossing the 2500 FIDE rating mark, Holt gained his GM-elect title, which was confirmed later on in the year. In August 2014, Holt won the 2014 US Open Championship, finishing tied for first place and winning in a tie-break playoff game. ==Other==