Chessville - News - Kosteniuk Recieves GM (Mens) Title

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Kosteniuk Recieves GM (Mens) Title!!

CHESS GRANDMASTER ALEXANDRA KOSTENIUK'S KEY NEWS FOR 2004

Alexandra was officially awarded the GM (men ) title at the most recent FIDE Congress. She is the 10th woman in history to get that title, and the first Russian.
Alexandra was the guest of honor at the recent Russian Men superfinal, with Garry Kasparov. Here's a good picture of them together.
Alexandra, on the first board of her national Russian team, helped her team get the bronze medal at the Calvia Olympiads.
Alexandra was crowned European Champion 2004 in Dresden, did a 2625 performance.
Alexandra's November 1, 2004 FIDE Rating is 2508, USCF Rating 2573 Making Alexandra #1 Girl U20 in World, #4 Woman in World, #1 Woman in the USA.
New chess photos came out, by P.-W. Henry, and Zh. Minkovich. All of Alexandra's photo albums can be found here.

COMPETITION !

Solve this chess problem and you may win a prize from Alexandra! White plays and mates in 2 moves. We're sorry if you have already solved this problem, we will soon give prizes out and put out a new puzzle. Send your solutions by email to alexandra@kosteniuk.com.

Good luck!

Mate in 2 moves
White to play!

(i.e. White plays, and whatever Black plays in response, he/she gets mated next move by white)

Send your solutions to alexandra@kosteniuk.com

Click below to see Alexandra Kosteniuk
interviewed live on CNN (3.6 MB mpg file)

GAME YOU CANNOT MISS!

Stefanova, A - Kosteniuk, A
European Women Championship Dresden 2004

1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.cxd5 cxd5 4.Nc3 Nf6 5.Bf4 Qb6 6.Rc1 Bd7 7.Qd2 Nc6 8.e3 e6 9.Bd3 Nh5 10.Bg5 h6 11.Bh4 g5 12.Qe2

Diagram

How could one guess that in the exchange variation of the Queen Gambit Slav Variation Black would sacrifice a piece already on the 12th move?

12...Nxd4 !

Both knights are "en prise". If 13.exd4 Nf4 wins for black. The game continues below, and is quite complicated. Alexandra ended up winning, which got her closer to earning the 2004 European Title. Antoaneta, on the other hand, two months later, became FIDE World Champion, congratulations!

13.Qxh5 Qxb2 14.Qd1 Rc8! 15.Qd2 Ba3! 16.Rb1 Qxc3 17.Qxc3 Rxc3 18.Kd2 Rc8 19.Bg3 Nc6 20.Rxb7 Nb4 21.Be5 Nxd3 22.Kxd3 Rh7 23.Rxa7 Bb5+ 24.Kd2 Bc5 25.Rb7 Bb4+ 26.Kd1 Ba4+ 27.Ke2 Rc2+ 28.Kf3 g4+ 29.Kg3 Be1 30.Nh3 gxh3 31.Rxe1 hxg2 32.Kxg2 Bc6 33.Rc7 d4+ 34.Kg3?! d3 35.Bf6 Bd7 36.Ra7 h5 37.Rb1 Rh6 38.Ra8+ Bc8 39.Bh4 e5 40.e4 Rd6 41.Bg5 d2 42.Rd1 Kd7 43.Ra7+ Kc6 44.Rxf7 Ba6 45.Rf5 Be2 46.Rxd2 Rcxd2 47.Bxd2 Rxd2 48.h3? Kd6 49.f3 Rd3 50.a4 h4+ 51.Kg4 Re3 52.a5 Rxe4+ 53.Kg5 Ra4 54.f4 e4 55.Re5 Bf3 56.Kxh4 Ra3 57.Kg3 Bd1+ 58.Kg2 e3 59.h4 e2 60.Kf2 Rf3+ 61.Ke1 Rxf4 62.Re8 Rxh4 63.a6 Rh1+ 64.Kd2 Rh7 65.Rd8+ Kc6 66.Rc8+ Kb6 67.Re8 Kxa6 68.Re5 Kb6 69.Re8 Kc6 70.Ke1 Kd7 71.Re3 Re7 72.Rd3+ Ke8 73.Rh3 Ba4 74.Rh8+ Kd7 75.Ra8 Bb5 76.Ra7+ Kd6 77.Ra3 Rf7 78.Re3 Rf1+ White resigns, Alexandra wins (0-1)

Members of our site have access to this game and others with extensive comments by Alexandra. Click here to find out how to become a Member.