Alexandra Kosteniuk's CHESSBLOG.COM

The world's leading Women's Chess Blog, hosted by the Grandmaster

and Chess Queen™, Reigning 12th World Chess Champion, Alexandra Kosteniuk.


Thursday, March 18, 2010

Pia Cramling - Women's European Champion 2010



Hello everybody!

Today the last tie-break matches of the European championship have been played and it's time to congratulate the winners.

Pia Cramling from Sweden took clear first place in the women's European chess championship 2010 , she scored 9 points out of 11, congratulations! It's the second success of the Swedish GM in the continental championships, Pia also took gold 7 years ago in 2003.

Viktorija Cmilyte who lost to Pia in the final round took clear second place with 8,5 out of 11. This is Viktorija’s third second-place finish, the other two being in 2003, and 2008.

The bronze medal was decided on tie-break since 5 players shared third place with 8 points out of 11. After winning all the tie-break matches Monika Socko won the bronze medal.

1. Pia Cramling 2. Viktorija Cmilyte 3. Monica Socko

Congratulations to these 3 ladies on their great performance and fair play!

Among the players who scored 7,5 out of 11, tie-break matches were also needed to determine the qualifiers for the 2012 women's world chess championship. Since only 14 qualification places were on play, some players needed to play tie-breaks. Among all the tie-break matches one can notice the win by the 14-year old Ziaziulkina Nastassia (2188) from Belarus who beat Almira Skripchenko in blitz 2-0 to take the final qualifying spot.

The full table of the 2010 European Chess Championship can be found at the bottom of this post.

The previous winners of the European Chess Championships are as follows:

2000: Natalia Zhukova
2001: Almira Skripchenko
2002: Antoaneta Stefanova
2003: Pia Cramling
2004: Alexandra Kosteniuk
2005: Kateryna Lahno
2006: Ekaterina Atalik
2007: Tatiana Kosintseva
2008: Kateryna Lahno
2009: Tatiana Kosintseva
2010: Pia Cramling

Below are a few tactical shots from Pia Cramling's games from this championship:



Round 1. Sandu - Cramling. Black to move



Round 3. Molchanova - Cramling. Black to move



Round 4. Cramling - Zawadzka. White to move



Round 9. Khurtsidze - Cramling. Black to move.


By the way, did you know that Pia and I share the same birthday day - April 23 :-)

Here is the full final table of the European Championship:

Rk. NameFEDRtgIPts. TB1 TB2 TB3 Rpnwwew-weKrtg+/-
1
GMCramling PiaSWE25239,0061,574,526771197,071,931019,3
2
IMCmilyte ViktorijaLTU24858,5059,573,52622118,56,561,941019,4
3
GMSocko MonikaPOL24658,0163,577,525951186,161,841018,4
4
GMSebag MarieFRA25068,0260,573,525551187,340,66106,6
5
GMKosintseva TatianaRUS25248,0363,076,025951187,010,99109,9
6
WGMZhukova NataliaUKR24928,0460,572,525561187,130,87108,7
7
IMDembo YelenaGRE24578,0557,069,525451186,731,271012,7
8
GMStefanova AntoanetaBUL25557,5065,580,52552117,57,420,08100,8
9
IMMuzychuk AnnaSLO25337,5063,577,02550117,57,180,32103,2
10
IMKosintseva NadezhdaRUS25547,5061,074,52540117,57,63-0,1310-1,3
11
IMMuzychuk MariyaUKR24447,5061,074,52550117,55,871,631016,3
12
IMKhurtsidze NinoGEO24347,5060,574,02526117,56,061,441014,4
13
IMSkripchenko AlmiraFRA24567,5060,073,52514117,56,590,91109,1
14
IMUshenina AnnaUKR24527,5058,070,52511117,56,580,92109,2
15
IMRajlich IwetaPOL24597,5056,570,02477117,57,160,34103,4
16
WFMZiaziulkina NastassiaBLR21887,5056,569,02543117,52,485,021575,3
17
IMKovalevskaya EkaterinaRUS24387,5053,066,02457117,57,120,38103,8
18
WGMZawadzka JolantaPOL24047,0064,577,524781175,881,121011,2
19
GMHoang Thanh TrangHUN24877,0061,574,524421177,55-0,5510-5,5
20
IMMoser EvaAUT24377,0060,573,525171175,791,211012,1
21
IMRomanko MarinaRUS24097,0059,572,024881175,811,191011,9
22
IMGvetadze SopioGEO23427,0057,569,524851174,892,111021,1
23
WGMSavina AnastasiaRUS23917,0056,569,524841175,631,371013,7
24
WFMGunina ValentinaRUS24577,0056,569,024151177,59-0,5910-5,9
25
GMDzagnidze NanaGEO24797,0055,567,024721177,11-0,1110-1,1
26
WGMBodnaruk AnastasiaRUS23847,0055,565,023511065,420,58158,7
27
IMGaponenko InnaUKR24727,0054,566,524151177,81-0,8110-8,1
28
IMPaehtz ElisabethGER24867,0053,564,523971178,20-1,2010-12,0
29
WGMGalojan LilitARM23806,5061,574,02473116,55,051,451521,8
30
WGMGuramishvili SopikoGEO22666,5059,571,52467116,53,572,931544,0
31
WGMNebolsina VeraRUS23106,5058,570,02436116,54,561,941529,1
32
IMSedina ElenaITA23346,5058,070,52468116,54,472,031020,3
33
WIMSchneider VeronikaHUN23146,5056,568,52423116,54,861,641524,6
34
WGMCosma Elena-LuminitaROU23466,5055,068,02403116,55,640,86108,6
35
IMDanielian ElinaARM24916,5054,566,02387116,57,92-1,4210-14,2
36
IMMelia SalomeGEO24676,5054,565,52369116,57,82-1,3210-13,2
37
WIMMolchanova TatjanaRUS23696,5054,067,02398116,56,030,47157,1
38
WGMGirya OlgaRUS23626,5054,066,02373116,56,310,19152,8
39
GMPeng ZhaoqinNED24016,5053,565,52411116,56,330,17101,7
40
WGMManakova MariaSRB23156,5053,063,52391116,55,311,191517,9
41
WGMCharkhalashvili IngaGEO23386,5052,564,52399116,55,570,931513,9
42
WGMKashlinskaya AlinaRUS23326,5051,564,52399106,55,590,911513,6
43
WGMKovanova BairaRUS23856,5051,563,52358116,56,83-0,3310-3,3
44
WGMVega Gutierrez SabrinaESP23146,5051,563,02374116,55,600,901513,5
45
IMKhotenashvili BelaGEO24486,5050,561,52334116,58,05-1,5510-15,5
46
WGMZdebskaja NataliaUKR23906,5050,561,02339116,57,22-0,7210-7,2
47
WGMKochetkova JuliaRUS23136,5048,559,52345116,55,980,52157,8
48
GMArakhamia-Grant KetevanSCO24476,0064,578,024571165,860,14101,4
49
IMMatveeva SvetlanaRUS23736,0059,071,524341165,120,88108,8
50
IMJavakhishvili LelaGEO25006,0058,069,523691167,83-1,8310-18,3
51
WGMChelushkina IrinaSRB23196,0057,569,524111164,671,331013,3
52
WGMKursova MariaRUS22966,0053,563,523171165,180,821512,3
53
WGMDoluhanova EvgeniyaUKR22976,0053,563,523401165,020,981514,7
54
WIMArabidze MeriGEO22926,0053,065,023911164,621,381520,7
55
IMMkrtchian LilitARM25036,0053,064,523131168,59-2,5910-25,9
56
WIMSchut LisaNED22246,0053,063,023431164,281,721525,8
57
WGMVojinovic JovanaMNE22966,0051,061,522621054,570,43156,4
58
WIMFranciskovic BorkaCRO22456,0051,061,023051164,711,291519,4
59
IMMilliet SophieFRA23916,0050,561,023001167,39-1,3910-13,9
60
IMFoisor Cristina-AdelaROU24336,0050,063,023201167,63-1,6310-16,3
61
WGMPrzezdziecka MartaPOL22546,0050,062,023631164,411,591523,9
62
WGMMajdan JoannaPOL23646,0050,061,523451166,32-0,3215-4,8

WIMTarasova ViktoriyaRUS22616,0050,061,523791164,311,691525,4
64
WIMDanelia MariamGEO21996,0049,559,523021164,291,711525,6
65
WGMKostiuk TatianaUKR22946,0049,559,022341054,960,04150,6
66
IMVasilevich TatjanaUKR24146,0048,559,523011167,56-1,5610-15,6
67
IMLomineishvili MaiaGEO23856,0047,558,022861167,47-1,4710-14,7
68
WGMAginian NellyARM22966,0047,057,022431166,43-0,4315-6,4
69
WIMSolic KristinaCRO21926,0045,555,523331163,972,031530,5
70
WIMVidenova IvaBUL22586,0043,052,522621165,910,09151,4
71
WIMSeveriukhina ZojaRUS23556,0041,552,021231168,27-2,2715-34,0
72
WGMBerend ElviraLUX22995,5058,570,02317115,54,910,59158,9
73
IMPurtseladze MakaGEO22995,5057,568,52366115,54,331,171517,5
74
WGMMelnikova YanaRUS22725,5056,568,52349115,54,411,091516,4
75
WGMKadziolka BeataPOL23115,5053,565,02335115,55,120,38155,7

WIMDolzhykova KaterynaUKR22905,5053,565,02335115,54,860,64159,6
77
WIMSikorova OlgaCZE22565,5053,064,52288115,54,740,761511,4

WIMWorek JoannaPOL22455,5053,064,52346115,54,011,491522,4
79
WFMLomako AnnaRUS22585,5052,563,52298115,54,610,891513,4
80

Papp PetraHUN22635,5052,562,52233104,54,010,49157,3
81
IMBojkovic NatasaSRB23845,5051,563,02277115,57,07-1,5710-15,7
82
WIMOzturk KubraTUR22605,5051,562,02314115,54,660,841512,6
83

Mrvova AlenaSVK22395,5051,561,52240104,53,610,891513,4
84
WGMMotoc AlinaROU23485,5051,062,52263115,56,77-1,2715-19,0
85
WGMMamedjarova TurkanAZE22695,5050,561,52312115,54,860,64159,6
86
WIMButuc MariaRUS21945,5049,060,02318115,53,711,791526,9
87

Abdulla KhayalaAZE21405,5047,057,02292115,53,312,191532,8
88
WIMKazimova NarminAZE22125,5046,056,02226115,55,030,47157,1
89
WIMToma KatarzynaPOL22595,5043,054,52223115,55,91-0,4115-6,2
90
WIMDrljevic LjiljaSRB22485,5036,546,52050115,57,47-1,9715-29,5
91
WIMBorosova ZuzanaSVK23075,0052,563,022351155,95-0,9515-14,3
92
WIMPapadopoulou VeraGRE22285,0052,064,022501154,670,33154,9
93
WFMMammadova GulnarAZE22995,0052,063,022171155,83-0,8315-12,4
94
WIMGromova IuliaRUS22265,0052,062,522561154,460,54158,1
95
IMDworakowska JoannaPOL23565,0051,062,522121157,10-2,1010-21,0
96
WIMIvakhinova InnaRUS22185,0050,061,022891153,931,071516,0
97
WIMFakhiridou EkateriniGRE22525,0050,060,021961155,48-0,4815-7,2
98
WGMCalzetta Ruiz MonicaESP22965,0049,059,021931156,01-1,0115-15,1
99
WGMMamedjarova ZeinabAZE22895,0048,559,521851156,36-1,3615-20,4
100
WGMMedic MirjanaCRO22795,0047,058,021881156,26-1,2615-18,9
101
WGMSemenova IrinaRUS22725,0047,056,522091155,93-0,9315-13,9
102

Haast AnneNED22355,0046,056,022201155,22-0,2215-3,3
103
WIMTsatsalashvili KetiGEO23265,0045,556,021761157,19-2,1915-32,8
104
WIMUmudova NargizAZE22115,0045,055,022011154,820,18152,7
105
WIMPaikidze NaziGEO23225,0044,556,021691157,24-2,2415-33,6
106
WIMHoolt SarahGER22155,0044,054,021641155,43-0,4315-6,4
107
WIMKopinits Anna-ChristinaAUT21835,0044,052,521611154,930,07151,0
108
WIMJelica MaraCRO22355,0043,554,021121044,92-0,9215-13,8
109
WGMSandu MihaelaROU22775,0042,555,521991156,11-1,1115-16,6
110
IMBorsuk AngelaISR23385,0042,054,521851157,22-2,2215-33,3
111
WIMNikolova AdrianaBUL23485,0042,054,022001157,15-2,1515-32,3
112
WGMNemcova KaterinaCZE22645,0042,052,021311156,85-1,8515-27,8
113
WGMCherednichenko SvetlanaUKR23375,0042,052,021771157,35-2,3515-35,3
114
WFMCherednichenko ElenaUKR21005,0040,551,022101153,361,641524,6
115
Ikonomopoulou MariaGRE20815,0036,545,01910823,01-1,0115-15,1
116
WIMFuchs JudithGER22224,5051,564,02238114,54,340,16152,4
117

Pavlidou EkateriniGRE21354,5050,562,02228114,53,221,281519,2
118
WIMYildiz Betul CemreTUR22444,5047,556,02143114,55,53-1,0315-15,4
119
WIMBrunello MarinaITA22174,5047,058,02180114,55,11-0,6115-9,1
120
WIMSargac RajnaCRO21574,5047,056,52213114,53,780,721510,8
121
IMKachiani-Gersinska KetinoGER23464,5046,058,52198114,56,71-2,2110-22,1
122
WFMKushka AlenaRUS21644,5046,056,02216114,53,770,731510,9
123
WFMBerke AnaCRO20974,5045,556,52197114,53,111,391520,9
124
IMZimina OlgaITA23194,5044,555,02127114,57,28-2,7810-27,8
125
WIMIsgandarova KhayalaAZE22244,5044,553,52103103,54,48-0,9815-14,7
126
WGMPaulet IozefinaROU23034,5044,054,52143114,56,74-2,2415-33,6
127
WIMTrofimova AntoninaRUS21824,5043,053,02145114,54,98-0,4815-7,2
128
WGMKouvatsou MariaGRE21614,0051,563,522211143,220,781511,7
129
WGMMakropoulou MarinaGRE22254,0051,063,022121144,22-0,2215-3,3
130

Djukic SandraSRB22144,0047,057,521611144,76-0,7615-11,4
131
WGMShaydullina SandugachRUS22184,0047,057,521681144,74-0,7415-11,1
132
WIMPertlova SonaCZE22624,0045,056,020981146,14-2,1415-32,1
133
WGMPartac ElenaMDA21724,0045,054,520241034,15-1,1515-17,3
134
WFMBaciu DianaMDA21464,0044,553,01968923,08-1,0815-16,2
135
WFMBogumil TatianaRUS22014,0044,054,021321144,94-0,9415-14,1
136
WIMVan Weersel ArletteNED21974,0041,551,020791145,47-1,4715-22,0

WFMEfroimski MarselISR21784,0041,551,020821145,23-1,2315-18,5
138
WIMMakka IouliaGRE21804,0041,049,019941034,45-1,4515-21,8
139

Brunello RobertaITA20434,0040,550,020371144,13-0,1315-2,0
140
WFMSemenova ElenaRUS21954,0039,549,020261146,21-2,2115-33,2
141

Kukic LoraCRO17234,0039,548,019391031,861,141517,1
142

Kharatyan AnahitARM21174,0039,047,519991145,21-1,2115-18,1
143

Tonel GiuliaITA20234,0038,046,019181033,83-0,8315-12,4
144

Boyarchenko MarieLUX20093,5044,052,52042102,51,860,64159,6
145

Yusuphanova Sadi-CarolinISR18433,5041,550,02029113,51,941,562539,0
146
WFMCoimbra MargaridaPOR21233,5041,050,52021113,54,89-1,3915-20,9
147

Kanceljak DaliaCRO19393,5040,549,01945102,52,340,16152,4
148
WGMZakurdjaeva IrinaRUS23133,0042,053,02093935,56-2,5615-38,4
149

De Seroux CamilleSUI20193,0040,048,519111022,99-0,9915-14,9
150

Racki BarbaraCRO16983,0037,545,518541021,460,54158,1

Posted by:
Alexandra Kosteniuk
Women's World Chess Champion

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posted by Alexandra Kosteniuk @ 7:37 PM   0 Comments

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

Russian President Medvedev's Decree



Hi everybody!

I just found out today that on the 8th of April 2009, Russian President Medvedev wrote a decree awarding me a Medal "For Services to the Homeland" of 2nd Level. It's to honor me for winning the Women's World Chess Championship in September 2008.

I'm very happy about it, but why did it take them so long to send me the original of the Decree?

Posted by Alexandra Kosteniuk
Women's World Chess Champion

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posted by Alexandra Kosteniuk @ 4:00 PM   4 Comments

Chess Movie - The Story of I.S. 318


CHESS MOVIE (working title) from Rescued Media on Vimeo.


Hi dear chess lovers!

Today I got an email from Katie Dellamaggiore, that I'd like to share with you. She's working on a chess movie, with an inspiring story about scholastic chess, which I liked very much. It stars the I.S. 318 chess team of Elizabeth Vicary in Brooklyn, New York. A true marvelous chess story that definitely deserves to be shared with the world!

I decided to back her project with a donation, maybe you'd like to do the same.

My name is Katie Dellamaggiore and I'm an independent filmmaker from Brooklyn, New York. Over the last 2 years I have been producing and directing a documentary about scholastic chess with my company Rescued Media. Chess Movie (working title) goes inside one of the best junior high chess program in the nation, Intermediate School 318 in Brooklyn, New York. Many students at 318 come from difficult circumstances and 60% are from low-income families, but being part of a winning chess team gives them a unique opportunity to experience success at a young age. Justus, Patrick, Alexis, Pobo & Rochelle are 5 of 50 team members that are learning on the chessboard the skills they need to face challenges of adolescence and their working class circumstances. As a woman who has found such great success at chess I think you will particularly enjoy Rochelle's story because she dreams of one day becoming the first female African American grandmaster. A dream that is well within her reach!

In April 2009 we embarked on our first trip with Rochelle and her teammates to the USCF Super Nationals in Nashville, Tennessee. Once we witnessed how big the scholastic chess world was, we were hooked. Over the next year we embedded ourselves with the team-- at home, at school and away at tournaments -- and slowly, the kids' individual stories began to take shape. It’s our ultimate goal to secure a national television broadcast for Chess Movie on PBS and maybe even a small theatrical release. We also plan to build a strong community outreach campaign in the hopes the film will build support for scholastic chess programs in under served communities as we have witnessed firsthand the profound effect the I.S. 318 chess program has had on its students.

Right now we have a fundraising campaign underway at Kickstarter.com. Kickstarter is an online funding platform for artists to engage with their audiences and build support for their projects. Our Kickstarter campaign has been successful so far, reaching our initial goal of $4,000 in just a few short weeks. But we still have 40 days to go and we need more than 4k to finish this film. As independent filmmakers we are working hard to make this documentary on our own and hope to complete production in the next few months.

The original link to the 5-minute teaser is here, and the company's blog is here.

Posted by Alexandra Kosteniuk
Women's World Chess Champion

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posted by Alexandra Kosteniuk @ 3:58 PM   0 Comments

Women's Chess shines all around the world



Hello everybody!

The last round of the European Chess Championship just started. You can see the very first moves of the games on the image above. The winner will be decided in the direct encounter between Pia Cramling and Viktorija Cmilyte. While we are waiting for the final result of this exciting tournament, let me tell you some news about women's tournaments around the world.

From March 3 to March 14, 2010, Iranian Chess Championship Finals for Men and Women took place. In the women's final the 16-years old WFM Ghazal Hakimifard defended the lead and eventually won the women championship by collecting 10 points from twelve games.


The winners of the Iranian women's chess championship 2010.

Last year champion WGM Atousa Pourkashian finished second with 8.5. The full reports with photos and results can be found on chessdom.com.

I visited Iran in August 2001 and played with the best girls of the country. Since women in Iran can officially participate only in very limited number of sports and chess is one of such sport, chess is very popular among women and girls.

The women's Iranian team on the Olympiad 2006 in Torino.

I faced Iranian girls also at the very top level competition, for example, in the Women's World Chess Championship in Nalchik in 2008 where I played against Atousa Pourkashian in the first round.

As the web-site The Week in Chess reports from March 8 to March 14, 2010 the Parachute Advansed International took place in Cox's Bazaar, Bangladesh. Organised by GM Niaz Murshed of organisation Six Seasons Chess Tornaments. Manisha Mohanty Kiran was the convincing winner by a point and a half on 7/9.

That's nice to see so many women's tournaments played all around the world. If you know about a women's tournament in your country or your community and would like to share it with the world, write me an email with your article and photos. I'm sure that if we all unite our efforts in making chess and women's chess more popular we will succeed!

Posted by: Alexandra Kosteniuk
Women's World Chess Champion




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posted by Alexandra Kosteniuk @ 9:30 AM   2 Comments

Tuesday, March 16, 2010

Free Trainer Seminar for Women


Dear Chess Friends!

I am pleased to announce the Atlanta May 7-9, 2010

FIDE Trainers Seminar for Women and for Women's and Girl's Trainers

PRESENTED BY FIDE Women’s Commission & FIDE Trainers Commission

IN ASSOCIATION WITH U.S. Chess Federation & American Chess University

FREE OF CHARGE

LECTURERS/SEMINAR LEADERS INCLUDE:

Women’s World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk

FIDE Senior Trainer and GM Alexander Chernin,
2004 U.S. Women’s Olympiad Team Coach

FIDE Senior Trainer Michael Khodarkovsky,
2004, 2008 U.S. Women’s Olympiad Team Head Coach and Captain,
2005 – 2009 U.S. World Youth Teams Coach

IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE

Burt Lerner National Elementary Championships in Atlanta, GA

May 7-9, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency

SCHEDULE:
Fri., May 7 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sat., May 8 10:00 am – 7:00 pm
Sun., May 9 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

During the seminar you will learn about:

  • Professional development
  • Endgame Golden Rules
  • Pawn Endings
  • Minor pieces Endings
  • Rook Endings
  • Queen Endings
  • Endings: Bishop vs Knight - Knight vs Bishop
  • Most Important Tactical Elements
  • Combinations and the Role of Calculation
  • Studies and Exercises
  • Principles of Opening Play - Building a Repertoire
  • Literature - Opening Preparation - Why do we Lose
  • The Exchange Sacrifice
  • The Positional Sacrifice
  • Outpost
  • Zugzwang
  • The Role of Classics
  • Trainers’ Common Mistakes
  • Physical and Psychological Factors
  • Technique of Analysis
  • The Role of Prophylactic Thinking-1
  • The Passed Pawn
  • Open File - Semi-Open File
  • Working with Classical Games
  • Basic / Typical Plans
  • Thinking Process - Elements of Evaluation
  • The Role of Prophylactic Thinking -2
  • Middlegame and Endgame Studies
  • The Isolated Pawn - 1
  • The Isolated Pawn - 2
  • Doubled Pawns - Backward Pawn - Hanging Pawns
  • Pawn Majority - Pawn Minority
  • Attacking the King
  • Mixed Endings
  • The Bishop-Pair
  • Lost Positions

At the end of the seminar you will have a special written examination.

All participants will be certified upon conclusion of the seminar by FIDE Trainers Commission.

Contact/registration by phone: (201) 317-8581


Posted by Alexandra Kosteniuk
Women's World Chess Champion
Follow me on YouTube, Facebook, Twitter

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posted by Alexandra Kosteniuk @ 7:30 AM   0 Comments