Players
Alexandra Kosteniuk
Photo: Yunfan Zhao
GM

Alexandra Kosteniuk

SwitzerlandBorn 1984 (age 42)FIDE ID 4128125

Luft classical

24002500260027002023202420252026
Monthly Luft ratings, now 2439
FIDE

FIDE classical

23002400250026002700200020052010201520202025
Monthly FIDE ratings, now 2478
Luft

Flair

Alexandra Kosteniuk's classical flairs

2 of 19 earned over the last 12 months

  • Lightning#8 woman at speed chess (blitz 2408, rapid 2420)
  • Fighter65% decisive: 8 wins, 5 losses
  • TitanLuft classical rating averaging 2800+ over the last 4 years
  • Serial WinnerWon 2+ elite events in the last 12 months
  • UnderdogRegularly beats players rated 50+ higher
  • Fortress25+ games in a row without a loss
  • Black BeltDoes better with black than with white
  • IronmanPlayed 50+ games over the last 12 months
  • RisingAged 18 or under, Luft rating up 40+ over the last 12 months
  • Endgame SpecialistEndgame 90+: converting, saving and not throwing endgames
  • TacticianTactics 90+: sharp, tactical games they made sharp
  • Hot StreakAt least 6 points from 7 straight games against strong opposition
  • SignatureSticks to one defence with black far more than most
  • ChameleonPlays a wide range of defences with black
  • WildcardBrilliant one event, off the next: hard to predict
  • ReliableConsistent across all top events
  • AdaptableTactics and Positional both 90+
  • PositionalPositional 90+: slow, quiet games they steered
  • PodiumTop 3 in at least half of their elite events
  • Lightning
  • Fighter

Trophy cabinet

Alexandra Kosteniuk's classical titles

9 classical titles, 29 medals, newest first

  • World Cup 20211st
  • European Women's Team Championship 2017Gold, board 1 · Russia
  • European Women's Team Championship 2017Gold, team · Russia
  • Women's World Team Championship 2017Gold, team · Russia
  • Russian Championship 20161st
  • European Women's Team Championship 2015Bronze, board 1 · Russia
  • European Women's Team Championship 2015Gold, team · Russia
  • Women's World Team Championship 2015Silver, team · Russia
  • Swiss Championship 20151st
  • Women's Chess Olympiad 2014Gold, board 3 · Russia
  • Women's Chess Olympiad 2014Gold, team · Russia
  • European Women's Team Championship 2013Gold, board 2 · Russia
  • European Women's Team Championship 2013Silver, team · Russia
  • Women's World Team Championship 2013Bronze, board 2 · Russia
  • Women's World Team Championship 2013Bronze, team · Russia
  • Swiss Championship 20131st
  • Swiss Championship 20131st
  • Women's Chess Olympiad 2012Bronze, board 4 · Russia
  • Women's Chess Olympiad 2012Gold, team · Russia
  • European Women's Team Championship 2011Gold, board 4 · Russia
  • European Women's Team Championship 2011Gold, team · Russia
  • Women's World Team Championship 2011Silver, team · Russia
  • Swiss Championship 20111st
  • Women's Chess Olympiad 2010Gold, team · Russia "A"
  • European Women's Team Championship 2009Gold, board 1
  • European Women's Team Championship 2009Gold, team · Russia
  • World Championship 20081st
  • European Women's Team Championship 2007Bronze, board 1
  • European Women's Team Championship 2007Gold, team · Russia
  • Women's Chess Olympiad 2006Silver, team · Russia
  • European Women's Team Championship 2005Bronze, team · Russia
  • Russian Championship 20051st
  • Women's Chess Olympiad 2004Bronze, team · Russia
  • European Championship 20041st
  • European Women's Team Championship 2003Gold, reserve board
  • European Women's Team Championship 2003Bronze, team · Russia
  • Women's Chess Olympiad 2002Silver, team · Russia
  • Women's Chess Olympiad 1998Silver, board 2 · Russia
  • World Championship 
  • World Cup 
  • Russian Championship×2

Attributes

Tactics 66Positional 74Endgame 74Openings 66Composure 67Defence 77Speed 65Consistency 68

Luft classical rating

2439No. 364

From 20 classical games in top events over the last year, playing at a 2367 level.

ResultsPlayed at a 2367 level, blended with their FIDE rating−21
Tournament winsNone in the last year0
FormThe last 3 months against the whole year−10
ConsistencyHow steady they are from event to event−5
Activity20 classical games in top events−3

Openings

Their most-played, from 89 classical games in top events over the last 4 years

OpeningGamesScore
Sicilian Defense1040%
Ruy Lopez650%
French Defense570%
Nimzo-Indian Defense475%
Queen's Gambit Declined450%

Sicilian Defense

With White: 10 games, won 1, drew 6, lost 3 · 40%

VariationGamesScore
Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack550%
Najdorf Variation250%
Moscow Variation150%
French Variation10%
Alapin Variation10%

Ruy Lopez

With White: 6 games, won 1, drew 4, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Berlin Defense350%
Morphy Defense275%
Closed10%

French Defense

With White: 5 games, won 2, drew 3, lost 0 · 70%

VariationGamesScore
Winawer Variation250%
Exchange Variation1100%
Classical Variation1100%
Steinitz Variation150%

Nimzo-Indian Defense

With White: 4 games, won 2, drew 2, lost 0 · 75%

VariationGamesScore
Normal Variation475%

Queen's Gambit Declined

With White: 4 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 1 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
Exchange Variation350%
Queen's Knight Variation150%

Queen's Pawn Game

With Black: 6 games, won 2, drew 4, lost 0 · 67%

VariationGamesScore
Symmetrical Variation367%
Colle System1100%
London System150%
Zukertort Variation150%

French Defense

With Black: 5 games, won 1, drew 2, lost 2 · 40%

VariationGamesScore
Winawer Variation333%
Exchange Variation1100%
Advance Variation10%

English Opening

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 4, lost 0 · 50%

VariationGamesScore
King's English Variation350%
Agincourt Defense150%

Semi-Slav Defense

With Black: 4 games, won 0, drew 3, lost 1 · 38%

VariationGamesScore
Marshall Gambit225%
Accelerated Move Order150%
Meran Variation150%

Slav Defense

With Black: 3 games, won 2, drew 1, lost 0 · 83%

VariationGamesScore
Modern Line1100%
Exchange Variation1100%
Quiet Variation150%

Recent events

See all
EventPlace+/−+/−
46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 202627 Sep 20265/9−14−14
59th Biel International Chess Festival 202618 Jul 20262/5−3−4
French TOP 12 202617 May 20263/4+5+4
Austrian Bundesliga 2025/2617 Apr 20263½/4+6+5
European Chess Club Cup 202525 Oct 20254/6+1−1

Best wins

OpponentRating
GMTan Zhongyi20 Feb 2025 · FIDE Grand Prix 2024/252561
GMH. Dronavalli13 Sep 2024 · 45th Chess Olympiad Budapest 20242502
IMS. Khademalsharieh18 Aug 2024 · FIDE Grand Prix 2024/252489
GMN. Batsiashvili13 May 2026 · French TOP 12 20262475
GMR. Vaishali13 May 2025 · FIDE Grand Prix 2024/252475

Most played

OpponentGamesWDL
IMO. BadelkaLast 26 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20264121
IMM. NarvaLast 18 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20263030
IME. RoebersLast 20 Sep 2026 · 46th FIDE Chess Olympiad Samarkand 20263111
GMR. VaishaliLast 16 Jul 2026 · 59th Biel International Chess Festival 20263120
GMM. MuzychukLast 25 Oct 2025 · European Chess Club Cup 20253021

Compare Luft

GMAlexandra KosteniukSwitzerland

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How attributes are calculated

From their games in top events over the last 12 months, each judged against the opponent's rating

  • TacticsHow well they score in sharp games they chose to make sharp.
  • PositionalHow well they score in quiet, manoeuvring games they steered.
  • EndgameHow they do in endgames against what the position promised when it began: converting a winning one earns a little, saving a losing one earns a lot, and throwing a winning one costs a lot.
  • OpeningsThe engine's verdict on their position around moves 15 to 20, against what's normal for that colour, as the score it points to. Over the last 4 years, with older games counting less.
  • ComposureHow well they score under pressure: the game straight after a loss, and the last 3 games of an event while they can still win it. Over the last 4 years.
  • DefenceHow they do in games where they were 0.8 pawns or more worse after move 18, against what that position usually scores: holding the draw earns, turning it around earns more, and losing costs a little.
  • SpeedTheir Luft rapid and blitz ratings. With neither, an estimate a little below their classical level.
  • ConsistencyTheir Luft rating, less their off days: tournaments (5+ games each) over the last 4 years where they played 50+ below it. Anything better never counts against them.

  • "How well they score" is a performance rating: the opponent's rating, plus 400 for a win and minus 400 for a loss, averaged. So it's always judged against who they played.

    The score out of 100: 80 is a 2600 level, and each 13 rating points adds one, so 2860 and up is 100.

    Fair to everyone: with only a few games of a kind, the result leans towards their overall Luft rating. Strengths and weaknesses are measured against their overall level and compared with the top 100, so a specialist's best side stands out. A little recent form is added to all but Speed.