Four-time U.S. Women's Champion: Anna Zatonskih

Anna Zatonskih at the 2018 U.S. Women's Championship. Photo: Austin Fuller

Anna Zatonskih

Four-time U.S. Women's Champion and International Master

Birthday: July 17, 1978

City: Hartsdale, NY

Anna Zatonskih is a four-time U.S. Women's Champion, winning the title in 2006, 2008, 2009, and 2011. For a decade, Zatonskih dominated the championship along with her rival, Irina Krush. Year after year from 2006-2015, it was considered virtually a given that one of them would win the title. Zatonskih has also achieved numerous successes at the World Chess Olympiad. She was a part of the U.S. Women's team in 2004, earning a silver medal. In 2008, she won an individual gold medal and contributed greatly to the team's bronze medal. One of Zatonskih's most impressive games is her victory over super-grandmaster and former World Championship Candidate, Boris Gelfand, at the 2017 Isle of Man Open.

[pgn][Event "Isle of Man Open"] [Site "Douglas IMN"] [Date "2017.09.28"] [Round "6.19"] [White "Boris Gelfand"] [Black "Anna Vitalyevna Zatonskih"] [Result "0-1"] [ECO "D36"] [WhiteElo "2737"] [BlackElo "2424"] [PlyCount "74"] [EventDate "2017.09.23"]1. c4 e6 2. Nc3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Bd3 c6 8. Nge2 O-O 9. Qc2 Re8 10. O-O Nf8 11. f3 g6 12. Kh1 Ne6 13. Bh4 b6 14. Rad1 a5 15. Qc1 Ba6 16. Bxa6 Rxa6 17. e4 Nh5 18. Bxe7 Rxe7 19. exd5 cxd5 20. Nxd5 Rd7 21. Ndc3 Nf6 22. Ne4 Nd5 23. N2c3 Ra8 24. Nb5 Rc8 25. Qd2 Rc4 26. a3 Rc8 27. f4 f5 28. Nec3 Kf7 29. Rf3 Qf6 30. g3 Rcd8 31. Qe2 Kg7 32. Qc4 g5 33. Nxd5 Rxd5 34. fxg5 Nxg5 35. Rf2 Rc5 36. Qe2 Qc6+ 37. Rg2 Rxb5 0-1[/pgn]