NEW PHOTO ALBUM! We are pleased to present the promised photo album of Alexandra’s friend and excellent chess player, the Champion of France Almira Skripchenko, look at it by clicking here. Thanks to Pufichek for a great album with photos of Almira alone and with Alexandra. You will have to agree that it’s hard to beat those two champions with a combined coefficient beauty + brains! Is that not a great way to promote chess?

NEW PHOTO ALBUM! Alexandra is glad to offer to all her fans a new series of beautiful Christmas Photos, look at them by clicking here. Latest tomorrow we will present another exclusive chess photo series together with French champion Almira Skripchenko, don’t miss seeing it!

Alexandra is in Las Vegas, playing in the North American Open. Today was the first day, and Alexandra is fighting hard, at the moment she has 2 points out of 3. Many GM’s are playing in the event. There are 4 more rounds to go, 2 per day for 2 days. We’ll let you know how it goes. Update: Alexandra finished the tournament with 5 out of 7, sharing the 8th-14th place. She then played the blitz tournament and finished 2nd-3rd with GM Milov, behind GM Nakamura.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL! Today Christmas day Alexandra and Almira spent the afternoon in the studio. We’ll soon have an exclusive photo album of the two beautiful and intelligent chess champions. An incredible combination of chess power and unsurpassed elegance, not to be missed, so come back soon to see them! Tomorrow flight to Las Vegas, and on the 27th begins the North American Open, we’ll keep you informed. We hope you have listened to the recent interview of Almira in Alexandra’s Chess is Cool Podcast Episode Number 8. You can listen to it from our Podcast Page by clicking here.

From the bottom of my heart, I wish everybody a Merry Christmas 2005! May you spend it in happiness with your family and your loved ones. In this bright holiday, let’s give even more love and attention to all the people around us. It depends on us to make the world a happier place. Sincerely yours, Alexandra Kosteniuk.

Look who came to visit Alexandra in Florida: it’s her best friend Almira Skripchenko, the chess champion of France. Alexandra and Almira are now enjoying together the beautiful Florida weather and the nice shopping opportunities. Yesterday the two champions went to visit the Cape Florida Lighthouse, which was built in 1825 and is the State’s oldest landmark. Have a look at the photo album we made specially for you by clicking here. Tomorrow we will issue our 8th episode of Alexandra’s podcast, and yes you guessed right, Almira Skripchenko will be the special guest of honor, make sure to visit our podcast page and take a listen when it comes out. Just after Christmas, Alexandra and Almira fly to Las Vegas, where Alexandra will play in the North American Open, which will take place on December 27-29, 2005.

We are proud to present a most beautiful work of art, a lacquer box of incredible detail from the MSTERA painting school, painted by hand by M. Papsheva in Russia specially for Alexandra. The motive is totally unique, it depicts a king playing chess with a wiseman, and yes, Alexandra is there to help those two men play chess! View close-up. The person who will make the highest bid for a donation to Alexandra’s Chess Fund (minimum $300 bid) will get it (deadline December 31, 2005), with a “Buy me now” feature of $600 (just in time for Christmas). Send your serious bids to us by using our Contact page. See more photos of it by clicking here. A true unique collector’s item. Note 18.12: Sold.

Here is our Christmas Competition! We will send a Chess Computer Alexandra the Great, made by Excalibur Electronics, to the happy winner, selected at random from the correct answers. There will be other winners, who will receive autographed postcards from Alexandra, so make sure you include your postal address in the email to Alexandra. Also, if you want to increase your chances of winning just a little (your name will be entered 3 times into the drawing), please send a short voice greeting to Alexandra, either by sending it in MP3 format by email, or by calling her voicemail at +1-305-7672143. It might end up being played in one of Alexandra’s next podcasts! Good luck!

Valid USA postage has been issued with Alexandra and Chess as their theme. We have extremely limited numbers of these stamps. They are true collectors items, sure to go up in value, but they are not for sale. Alexandra will send a thank you card using those stamps as postage to anybody who makes a donation to her Chess Fund. See all the stamps by clicking here. Help chess and at the same time make yourself a gift!

Thanks to our good friend IM Jovan Petronic, who send us a nice photo report from his Kavala Chess Club in Greece. The kids there really liked Alexandra’s comic and it is posted on their board for all to see. Look at Jovan’s report by clicking here. By the way if any chess club writes to Alexandra by email, she will gladly send a color version of the comic and some goodies for the kids, all entirely free! Alexandra wants the whole world to know that… Chess is Cool!

It is the holiday season, and as a special gift to all our visitors, with the help of our good friend René Duret, Alexandra is very glad to be able to offer you a beautiful chess story. Please click here to find out whom Alexandra is going to visit and what they will do together.