Young Superstars: Anna Muzychuk

Anna Muzychuk was born 28 February 1990 in Lviv, Ukraine.  She is an International Master and a Woman Grandmaster with FIDE rating 2486. In 2004 she became a citizen of Slovenia, where she is the strongest female chess player.  On the list of girls up to 20 years old she is ranked 2nd in the world and she's the 15th strongest female player.  Her sister, Mariya, is 15 and already #7 in the FIDE Girls ratings list.  Anna has played first board for the Slovenian team since 2004.  She earned the title of Woman Grandmaster in 2004 and the title of International Master in 2007. 

When she was two years old she could correctly place the pieces on the board.  At three she would play complete games by the rules.  When she was five she played in the championship of her school and finished second.  That year she played in the Championship of the Lviv region (girls U10) and also finished second place.  Her parents are professional coaches and were her first teachers.  She practices chess six or seven hours a day.  Roman Kozel (FIDE 2347) was her next teacher and then GM Orest Gritsak (FIDE 2541).  She does well in school in an independent curriculum, despite her many tournaments and is learning English.

Recent tournament victories include:  World Champion, girls under-16 in 2005.  2nd place in the European Women's Rapid Championship in 2007.  1st place in the European Women's Blitz Championship in 2007.  1st place in Moscow Open Women's Section in 2008.  1st place in Scandinavian Ladies Open 2008.

She plays 1.e4 90% of the time with the White pieces.  As Black, she plays Alapin and Kan Sicilians as well as the Scandinavian against 1.e4 and the King's Indian, Queen's Indian and Dutch against 1.d4.