Alexandra Kosteniuk just received her Chess Grandmaster (Men) Title

CHESS GRANDMASTER ALEXANDRA KOSTENIUK'S KEY NEWS FOR 2004 1. 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. 2. Alexandra was the guest of honor at the recent Russian Men superfinal, with Garry Kasparov. Here's a good picture of them together. 2. Alexandra, on the first board of her national Russian team, helped her team get the bronze medal at the Calvia Olympiads. 3. Alexandra was crowned European Champion 2004 in Dresden, did a 2625 performance. 4 . 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. 5. 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			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 to the right, 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.

A MUST BUY! Alexandra's hardcover book is perfect for children who want to learn chess or parents who don't know how to start teaching them. It is available in English, Spanish, or Russian, buy your copy now! Discounts for multiple purchase.	SPECIAL! Alexandra's book (electronic edition, on CD) is available in English, Spanish, and Russian (all 3 versions on 1 CD), buy it now! Lots of bonuses on the CD.	A CLASSIC! Alexandra's first fashion CD "Beauty and Chess", with stunning photos in high resolution, fun videos about Alexandra (see Alexandra doing sports in Miami) you have never seen before, all of Alexandra's web photo albums, games and much more. Buy now!	NEW! Alexandra's 2nd CD: Exclusive Fashion photos - they will surprise you! Fashion Photographer Zhenia Minkovich photographs Alexandra under a different angle. Many bonuses on the CD including an extravagant 27-min. video of Alexandra waltzing at the Viennese Ball in Moscow! Buy now!	NEW! Alexandra's 3rd CD: High Resolution Photos by P.-W. Henry, and as a free bonus - lots of videos (15 min. 1997 Eurovision (rus with engl. subtitles), 8 min. Transworld (eng), 14 min. Talk Show (rus), 10 min. News Programs (eng, germ, ital), 8 min. Photo Slideshow, and more!), and Alexandra's Games. Buy now!	FOR TRAINING AND COLLECTING! 1 Set of 28 High Quality Chess Training Puzzle Cards (superb photos & puzzles). Limited Edition, may run out, get your set now! Buy now!
Attention Newspaper or Magazine Editors! Do you know that Alexandra is the most popular woman chessplayer in the world? That she is often referred to the "Kournikova" of Chess"? If you would like to write an article about Alexandra, and need information or photographs, please contact us! We will gladly collaborate, we can answer most questions by phone or email, we can help you with the photos. Send us information about your publication and your credentials and we will respond!	Attention Tournament Organizers! Did you know that inviting Alexandra to your tournament can make it more attractive to other players, to sponsors, and to the press, due to the huge following she has? So if you are considering hosting a chess tournament or chess event, consider first Alexandra, it will bring more excitement (more entries, more visitors, more press) to your event!	Attention School Principals, Chess Federations, Chess Club Directors! Alexandra can help develop chess for your children and for your members, by inspiring young children to make progress, by showing that it is possible to be good at chess and successful in life. Alexandra wants to prove that chess is good for school and for children! Alexandra can be the role model for your organization. Contact us for more information!	ALEXANDRA'S FUND Did you know that Alexandra does a lot to help to popularize chess in the world and often gives free simuls to children, with no cost at all to the organizers and free prizes for all? Look at our report from Cali (Colombia), Chicago, Elista, and Biel. Many gifts are handed to the children (incl. Chess Computers "Alexandra the Great" and watches Balmain!) offered by Alexandra's Chess Fund, Excalibur Electronics and the Swiss watch company Balmain!	DONATE By contributing to Alexandra Kosteniuk's Chess Fund, you can help Alexandra in her goal, which is to help develop chess in the world, especially among children. Any contribution is appreciated, you will receive a personal thank you note from Alexandra, and reports on the activities of the Fund. Larger contributions can be directed to specific events. Click to donate to Alexandra's Chess Fund! Thanks!	Click on image to see Alexandra Kosteniuk interviewed live on CNN (3.6 MB mpg file)

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