Swimsuit Model Alexandra Kosteniuk Wins Chess Championship

Russian swimsuit model Alexandra Kosteniuk has been crowned Queen of Chess after winning the Women's World Chess Championship.

The 23-yr-old model whose motto is "beauty and intelligence can go together", has worked as a catwalk and swimsuit model to raise the profile of the game.
 

She also sells sultry semi-clad photographs of herself, and has made a 36-minute video which shows her "doing exercises on Miami beach".

She has dismissed claims her modelling exploits distract people from the intellectual importance of chess.
 

She says: "Modelling is not a job. It is just a hobby, like reading books. I want people to see there is a fun side to chess. It can be made as exciting as soccer or tennis. Things are changing. I am clever, so I can play chess; and I am not so ugly, so I can model."
 

Kosteniuk became a Grandmaster at 14, the youngest woman in the world to attain the title And at the age of 20 she achieved the International Grandmaster title.
 

Kosteniuk is married to Swiss-born Diego Garces. In April last year, she gave birth to her daughter Francesca Maria.
 

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