GMValentina Gunina

Valentina Gunina was born in Murmansk in 1989. She won the European under-12 girls' title in 2000 and the World under-14 title in 2003. Further European under-16 and World under-18 victories followed before her transition into senior competition. She became a grandmaster in 2013. Her national record includes five Russian women's championships, while her European individual titles came in 2012, 2014 and 2018. Gunina also helped Russia win three consecutive Women's Olympiads from 2010 to 2014. She won the Women's World Blitz Championship in 2012 and regained it in 2023. In 2016 she won the London Chess Classic Super Rapidplay Open, defeating several leading male grandmasters. Her team achievements also include gold at the 2017 Women's World Team Championship.