Alexandra Kosteniuk is the best rapid chess player in the women's section and a very strong grandmaster. She is strong and fearless over the board, where she has shown to be one of the most representative women in the chess world.
She is comparable with GM Judith Polgar, or GM Hou Yifan. Alexandra Kosteniuk has an excellent chess culture, it comes mainly from her father, who encouraged her to play.
Excitingly enough, she became one of the best Russian players which is incredible for a country with the best chess masters!
She is also a great example of the chess community of women’s capability to play chess at the top level. However, her opinion on the topic was that she would prefer to keep chess competitions separated.
Meaning, in her own words “to support women’s chess, we should let it be separated from men’s chess”. She is also a very happy and active person on her social media, which she keeps attending right now.
Alexandra Kosteniuk’s story is one of the most interesting in the chess world, and one that hasn’t ended. Although she is not a YouTuber or streamer, she still appears in some events at chess.com or other websites.
For example, she was one of the commentators by chess.com on the Carlsen vs Nepomniachtchi match in 2021. Here is everything you may want to know about GM Alexandra Kosteniuk and her career!
Table of Contents
How Alexandra Kosteniuk has built her chess career
Alexandra Kosteniuk started to play chess when she was 5 years old. The initiative was proposed by her father, and she used to play her sister, Oksana Kosteniuk.
Oksana Kosteniuk used to play her sister a lot, and she also has great talent, she holds the title of WFM in actuality.
Konstantin Kosteniuk was her father, and he is also a very renowned trainer in Russia. Alexandra Kosteniuk’s father was an excellent trainer and also helped her to progress fast in chess.
Konstantin Kosteniuk even wrote a book called “Hos to become a grandmaster at 14”, talking about the formation of her daughter.
Alexandra Kosteniuk started to win recognition when she won the U10 category of the Europe championship. She also became Russia’s rapid chess champion in the girls’ section.
In 1996 she was able to win the World Youth Chess Championship in her category. In 2001 she became the sub champion in feminine chess in Europe and the absolute champion in 2004.
With all these records, in 2003 she graduated as a certificated chess trainer in Russia, a very respected title. And in 2004 Alexandra Kosteniuk became the tenth woman in receiving the international grandmaster title.
But her career was just starting, she became the world women's chess champion in 2008. She also became one writer of chess books, and one of the best chess trainers the world will see.
There is still a lot on the list, winning chess Olympiads in 2008, 2010, and 2012. Or winning Europe’s team's chess championships in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015, and 2017, Alexandra Kosteniuk has it all.
Alexandra Kosteniuk’s playstyle
Mainly, she is an aggressive player that is always looking for a combination, and she has great intuition. Alexandra Kosteniuk defined the chess playstyle herself as the chess culture that was taught to every player.
The essence that defines her games is keeping the mind cold and being aggressive. It also does very well in excelling that essence of domination over her rivals.
She doesn’t leave a place for mistakes over the board and is one of the best tacticians among the chess elite. Remember that she is a specialist in rapid chess, which probably explains why she can think fast.
Also, fits well with the aggressive style, as to create realistic winning chances in rapid games, GMs are usually ridiculously aggressive.
Best games by Alexandra Kosteniuk
First, we will see one of Alexandra Kosteniuk’s best rapid games from 2013 in the Genova Chess Masters!
GM Alexandra Kosteniuk vs GM Hou Yifan in the women's world chess championships in 2008!
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