GMAlexandra Kosteniuk

Alexandra Kosteniuk learned chess from her father at five. As a child, she sometimes played casual games for money to help fund tournament travel. She won European girls' titles at under-ten and under-twelve level. In 1996 she also became world girls' under-twelve champion. She graduated from Moscow's Russian State Academy of Physical Education in 2003 as a professional chess trainer. Winning the 2004 European Women's Championship brought her the grandmaster title. She became Russian women's champion in 2005 and again in 2016.

In 2008 Kosteniuk defeated Hou Yifan to become women's world champion. She helped Russia win three consecutive women's Olympiads in 2010, 2012 and 2014. In 2013 she became the first woman to win the open Swiss Championship. She also won its women's title. Her later team successes included the 2017 Women's World Team Championship. In 2021 she won the inaugural Women's World Cup. The Women's World Rapid title followed that December. She began representing Switzerland in March 2023.