Alexandra Kosteniuk, the 24-year-old Women’s World Chess Champion is using her good looks to garner interest in the game, showing off her bikini bod in photos on her website chessiscool.com.
An aspiring model, Kosteniuk learned to play chess from her father when she was five years old. In 2001, at age 17, she made it to the finals of the World Championship. In 2004 she became the 10th woman to earn the title of International Grandmaster.
Kosteniuk is married to 49-year-old Diego Garces, whom she met at a chess demonstration in Switzerland. She gave birth 2 1/2 months prematurely to daughter Francesca Maria in April 2007 and took some time away from the game, returning to Russia this fall to win the World Championship.
After several months of traveling, the couple and their 20-month-old daughter have returned to their home in Key Biscayne, Florida.
Although her title has not brought her worldwide fame, Kosteniuk is just fine with that. “The modeling is just a hobby. What I really want is for people to enjoy chess the way I do.”
View Alexandra Kosteniuk pictures and video below.