When Alexandra Kosteniuk became a grandmaster in 2004, at the age of 19, she joined an exclusive club for women. Only nine women before her became great ladies. She has since won the World Championship, World Cup and World Speedway Championship. She was part of the Olympic-winning Russian team on three consecutive occasions. At 41 years old, she is still a force on the chessboard. Excerpts from an interview Kosteniuk gave to The Hindu newspaper in Mumbai:
How do you look back when you played the World Championship final as a 17-year-old, against Zhou Chen in 2001?
I didn’t think much at the time. You’re just living in the moment. But now that you think about it, it seems unbelievable.
Seven years later, you won your first world title, defeating Hou Yifan in the final. I started as the ninth seed. He is ranked third.
She was 14 at the time, but of course she was no ordinary 14-year-old. Now Jokish is a world champion, having won the title when he was 18 years old. I think this is normal these days as kids. I was of course very happy when I won my first world title. When I play a tournament, no matter what level it is, I just focus on my movements.
How much do you think the game of chess has changed since you started?
A lot, with computers arriving first. Because when I started, there were no computers. Or rather, there were computers, but not this much, and not this kind. As you know, I started playing chess in 1989. Then computers entered our lives, and of course the game changed a lot. The amount of information you need to absorb daily is enormous. I’m glad I started playing when there were no computers at all, because chess now is all about memory and spending hours and hours with your computer. Therefore, there is less creativity. In chess, I like the creative side, but I don’t like memorization. But one needs to adapt too. There’s a new wave of players, and you’ll have to adapt if you want to stay competitive.
Team player: Kosteniuk’s love of team events attracted her to GCL. When you win so many individual titles, getting another one is nothing special. “But if you win as a team, it gives you a lot,” she says. | Image source: GCL
You had an interesting blog about chess…
Nowadays, I don’t have enough energy, so I try to prioritize my actions. When I started my YouTube channel, it was in 2009, and I think I was one of the pioneers [among chess players]. Now there are many content creators on YouTube and other platforms.
Including the very popular Hikaru Nakamura…
Yes, and they do it very professionally, with all the support, everything. It’s like a whole career now. But I did it on my own.
I was part of the Russian team that won three consecutive Olympics, in 2010, 12 and 14.
Every victory was special. The Olympics is a collective matter. I’ve always loved team events. This is one of the reasons I play in the World Chess League (GCL) every year. Team events give chess another meaning. When you win so many titles from individual events, another title for yourself won’t bring you anything special. But if you win as a team, it gives you a lot.
At the GCL 2024 in London, it was your performance that helped the Triveni Continental Kings retain the title.
Well, my first GCL [with Chingari Gulf Titans in Dubai 2023] It wasn’t great, but the second one was excellent. I believe a team loses together and wins together, so we won it as a team. I was happy to contribute to my team winning the final. The team atmosphere was better in the third season of the GCL [Mumbai 2025].
How is the GCL different from other tournaments you have played in over the years?
It’s an interesting event. We need to play as a team even though we barely know each other sometimes, unlike the Olympics, for example. In the Olympics, you’ve known your teammates for years. In the GCL, only after the draft will you find out who you will be playing with.
This year, since I was playing for the same team, it was a little easier, because half the team stayed. So, we already know at least half the team. But still, sometimes this team atmosphere works well, and sometimes it doesn’t. You can’t really explain it. But, well, for me, I enjoy being part of my team a lot. We would have blitz sessions every morning, playing against each other.
One of the pioneers: Alexandra Kosteniuk started a YouTube channel in 2009. | Image credit: Getty Images
Do you think a tournament like the GCL will help chess develop further, and perhaps make it more popular and more widespread?
The organizers are trying to make this tournament a product, which is an interesting endeavor. It’s very difficult. It’s not always easy with chess. I have been playing chess for many years, and I know that it is not easy. But I’m happy to see their efforts. Every year, I saw improvement. Whether that will be enough to achieve a breakthrough is another question. But I think it’s a small step in the right direction. Well, sometimes it’s the journey that matters, not the end result.
You’ve been playing competitive chess at the highest level for a long time, winning the World Rapid title as well as the World Cup in 2021. What keeps you going? You are playing against opponents your daughter’s age.
Tournaments like the GCL are my motivation. Because those are fast [and not classical] Tournaments, it is easier for me to play. Because energy-wise, when you’re 40, you’re not at the same level as a 20-year-old. But in speed you can still compete well. That’s why I like fast and blitz chess so much. I love that these shapes evolve. In fact, chess is universal.
Has this been the case since you were a little girl, having learned the game at the age of five?
Little by little, chess became more than just a game for me. It’s where I enjoy myself. I have a lot of friends, and I play a lot of interesting games. I once compared chess to religion. This is the essence of my life. It allows me to survive in many difficult situations.
In 2013, she became the first woman to win the Swiss men’s championship. Your thoughts on women competing against men on the chessboard? Women like Judit Polgár, Ho and Koneru Hampi have done well against men.
This is normal. Chess is not a physical sport. It is an intellectual sport. It is more difficult for women due to some social and physiological factors. Although there is a gap in the rankings, some women have proven that it is possible to compete well [against men]. Judit was in the top ten [in men’s chess].
