Almira Skripchenko

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Almira Skripchenko

Almira Skripchenko (born 17 February 1976) is a French chess player who has achieved the FIDE Woman Grandmaster title. She won the second European Open Women's Chess Championship in 2001.

In 2004 she won the North Urals Cup, the second international super-tournament for female chess players. Held in Krasnoturinsk, the 9-round single round robin tournament featured ten of the strongest female players in the world. Skripchenko finished a half point ahead of Maia Chiburdanidze, the former Women's World Champion, and also defeated her in their individual encounter.

Born in Kishinev (today Chişinău, Moldova) in 1976, Almira Skripchenko married French Grandmaster Joel Lautier in 1996, and has since lived in France. Despite separating from Lautier later on, she became a French citizen in 2001 and continues to make France her home. A daughter of pedagogues, both chess coaches, Almira started playing chess when she was 6 years old.

In 1991, Moldova became independent from the Soviet Union. This meant that Almira could take part for the first time in the World championships. She was immediately crowned at the Under 16, before winning hands down in 1993 the bronze at Under 18. In 2001, at 25 years old, she celebrated her biggest success ever, winning the individual ladies European championship. She was at this time chosen "best sportsman in 2001 in Moldovia" and decorated with the Order of National Merit in her native country.

Living in Paris and representing France in tournaments since 2002, Almira Skripchenko has become one of the greatest ambassadors for the game in Europe. She is the only woman in the history to have played in the Men's French Individual Championship (2002, 2003). In 2004 and 2006, she also won the Ladies French Championship. In team play, she won the national title (men) in France with the NAO Chess Club (2003, 2004) and in Germany with Werder Bremen (2005). Her career victories also include three national ladies titles which she earned with Baden-Oos in 2003, 2004, and 2005.

Almira Skripchenko took part in the last 7 Olympiads (with Moldova, then with France), each time playing on her team's top board. In 2004, she won the strongest ladies closed tournament in Krasnoturinsk (Russia). She is also member of the ACP Board (Association of Chess Players).