Person of day   -  14 JANUARY 2024

NADEZHDA KOSINTSEVA

NADEZHDA KOSINTSEVA

Together with her younger sister Tatiana, Nadezhda began playing chess during childhood: they enrolled in sessions when Nadya was 7 and Tanya was 6. The sisters’ first trainer was the famous specialist from Arkhangelsk Vladimir Popov. Two years later, the sisters became first-class junior sportsmen. Together, they trained rigorously and travelled to children’s tournaments. For many years, matches between them ended in short draws and only in the 2012 knockout World Women’s Championship in Khanty-Mansiysk, Nadezhda and Tatiana had to play each other. The older sister won.

Success came quickly to Nadezhda: at the female junior European championship, she win first place three times- when under 10, 12 and 18, she was an U14s world champion and she took silver medals in U20s world championships twice. Soon the time came for victories in adult championships- at the 2005 European championship, Nadezhda came second and, one year later, she split 2nd place in the super-final of the Russian championship. Two years later, after Yuri Dokhoian began to train the sisters, Nadezhda became the Russian champion in 2008. 

Under the guidance of their experienced mentor, the Kosintseva sisters grew into grandmasters of extra class. The rating of both chess players long ago passed the elite mark of chess and Tatiana and Nadezhda fulfilled the norms of male grandmasters. For many years, the sisters played in the “golden” women’s Russian team: on Nadezhda’s count are three titles of the European women's champion, silver medals of the World Team Championships, and gold, silver and bronze Olympiad medals. Nadezhda led the Russian team on many occasions. Overall, her statistics for participating for the national team are one of the best in history.

Nadezhda’s style is universal. She is a wonderful tactician, she handles pressure well, her calculation is far and precise, but she nonetheless plays basic positions enthusiastically and she knows and likes the endgame.

In 2013, Nadezhda got married and in 2014 she became a mother. She currently lives in USA. After her child’s birth, Nadezhda rarely participates in competitions.