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!

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.

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.

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.