GM Alexandra Kosteniuk

Bio: GM Alexandra Kosteniuk is a chess superstar in every sense of the word. She started playing the game when she was just 5 and, in 1996, she burst onto the international scene by winning the U-12 Girl's World Championship. In 2001, when she was just 17, she finished second at the Women's World Championship in Moscow and then went on to capture both the Russian Women's Championship and the European Women's Championship. In 2008, she defeated Hou Yifan to claim the 12th Women's World Championship title, the crowning achievement of her career to date.  

In addition to being a formidable opponent over the board, Alexandra enjoys modeling and has been featured in numerous media outlets worldwide. In addition to modeling and chess, she is also a published author and enjoys writing poetry. In 2004, FIDE awarded her the grandmaster title, making her the 10th woman in the world to achieve that feat.

Her strong 960 skills are a valuable asset for the women's team.