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Alexandra's
Travel Log |
She
was in:
Torino, Mainz
She is now in: Miami
She will next go to: Mainz |
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02.08.2007 Thanks to all of you who have sent emails to Alexandra and asked how her daughter Francesca is doing. Well we are pleased to report that Francesca is doing fine, she passed the 4 kilo mark, and today she even was a mini chess star in front of the camera. You can read more about her and see the last photos on Francesca's personal web site.
31.07.2007 Alexandra is pleased to introduce to you her new project: the new free chess video podcast "Chess Killer Tips". Each podcast is a short educational video of about 3 minutes, with a chess position to think about. After a short introduction to the position, you have a chance to press "pause", and when you are ready you can continue and watch Alexandra talk about the position and give the solution or best continuation. Alexandra is putting a great deal of effort into her new podcast and sincerely hopes you will like it. She will gladly listen to your comments and suggestions. You can download the videos automatically for free on iTunes (direct link to the podcast on iTunes), or else at the main site. She already published 11 episodes, watch the last one in MP4, or in Flash, and the first one in MP4 or Flash. If you regularly watch Alexandra's Killer Tips, you will improve at chess, guaranteed!
22.07.2007 After a long break, Alexandra just published today a new episode of her audio podcast Chess is Cool. It's less than 7 minutes long in MP3 format and you can download it either via iTunes, or via our Podcast Page, or simply listen to it by clicking here. Find out what Alexandra has been doing and what she's working on right now.
01.07.2007 Alexandra continues in the world chess elite and is rated World Top 6 on the official July 1, 2007 FIDE rating list. Her rating stays at 2515 ELO, as last rating list of April 1, 2007. You can see all details by clicking here. One major improvement in the top 10 is the 4th position of Chinese Hou Yifan, she was only 8th a year ago, and she is one of the youngest players in the circuit.
01.07.2007 As you can see on the following chart compiled by FIDE, average ratings of women chess players have improved over the last 7 year. In the year 2000 the average rating of the top 50 women in the circuit was 2444 ELO, whereas now it is 2463 ELO. More talented young players have arrived and top tournaments are clearly more competitive than they used to be years ago. Congratulations to all women who are doing their best to improve in the tough world of competitive chess. Now to be fair let us note that the average of men rating has also increased over the same period in approximately the same manner, but it's good to see that women are not losing ground.
23.06.2007 Several people have asked us how to buy Alexandra's new book "Play like Kosteniuk", with over 100 positions from her games, with solutions. A handy book to take along and train your brains. We have some in stock and Alexandra will gladly autograph a copy for you for the discounted price of only $5.99 instead of the regular price of $9.99 (Payments via Secure Paypal). Order your copy while supplies last by clicking here.
19.06.2007 It is with immense happiness and emotion that Alexandra and her husband Diego announce the birth of their daughter Francesca Maria. Francesca was born 2 1/2 months premature, weighing only 1.46 kilos at birth, and spent 8 weeks at the hospital's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. Today June 19, Francesca has made tremendous progress and was allowed to go home to her parents. You can read about Francesca's progress on her Official Web Site. Thanks to all of you who sent emails with good wishes the last two months, they helped Alexandra in this very stressful period at the hospital.
12.06.2007 Alexandra was overwhelmed by the large number of correct answers to her last chess puzzle (1. Ra3+! bxa3 2. b3 mate), so she has decided to give 20 free copies of her new book Play like a Champion as prizes. To the left is a collage of some of the great chess photos that people sent in for extra credit (those entries had more chances to be chosen). Thanks to all of you who have sent Alexandra good wishes about her baby, she is very thankful to all of you. Alexandra has just written to the winners asking for their mailing addresses. Winners come from Switzerland, Singapore, Finland, USA, Italy, Mexico, Canada, Costa Rica, Palestine, Indonesia, Germany, UK. Chess allows you to make friends all over the world! Chess is cool!
19.05.2007 Alexandra is really glad that her latest book has been published, "Play like a Champion", 192 pages, with 103 examples from her games, with diagrams and solutions, that she will give away 10 copies of the book to people who solve correctly the mate in 2 position of the diagram to the left. It's mate in two moves, white plays and whatever Black plays it's mate the next move. Send the solution to Alexandra by email and she will randomly pick 10 winners. People who send alongside their solutions, also their photos with a chess set or chess motive get extra credit! We'll get the book in stock on June 3 and we'll send the prizes then. Good luck!
30.04.2007 Some of you already knew it, and many guessed it... Alexandra is extremely pleased to present to you a superb and exclusive Chesspics photo album by photographers Pierre-W. Henry and Pufichek taken on April 19, of herself, almost 7-month pregnant, in the beautiful gardens of Vizcaya in Miami, Florida. Feel free to rate any of the photos you like from 5 (best) to 1 (worst). Enjoy! Thanks to all of you who have already sent emails of congratulations for Alexandra's pregnancy. There is nothing better than the gift of life! Thanks to Chesspics for hosting the album and to Miss Boll for the beautiful green chess board.
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