Alexandra Kosteniuk

Alexandra Kosteniuk is one of the most successful female players of the 21st century, holding the title of Women’s World Champion from 2008 to 2010. Kosteniuk nearly won the title earlier.  She was only 17 when she lost in 2001 to Zhu Chen in the final, in a match decided only at the tie-break stage. 

A prodigy as a youngster, Kosteniuk won the Russian Women’s Rapid Chess Championship at the age of 12. She also finished first in the Women’s World Rapid Championship in 2021. Kosteniuk, who now represents Switzerland, won team gold medals for her native Russia in the 2010, 2012 and 2014 Chess Olympiads.

Kosteniuk has played in four of the five previous Cairns Cup, always finishing with a plus score and in the top half of the standings (2nd in 2019, =3rd in 2020, 2nd in 2023 and = 3rd in 2024), but never winning. Will this be her year?

Alexandra Kosteniuk is currently rated the fourteenth woman in the world.