IM/WGM Elena Tairova passes away at eighteen

IM/WGM Elena Tairov, 1991–2010

Some shocking news from the Russian-language website e3.e5.com: WGM Elena Tairova has died at the age of just 18. Born on 28 August 1991, Tairova became a WGM at just 14 years of age, and a full IM the following year. She won a succession of European and World girls’ junior titles, and in 2006 was the Russian women’s under-20 champion. That same year, and again the following year, she was runner-up in the Russian women’s superfinal.

Rumours of ill-health first surfaced in early 2008, when she missed several tournaments, but she recovered and returned again to tournament successes. However, in late 2009, she fell ill again, and was unable to take her place in the latest Russian women’s superfinal in December 2009. She passed away on 16 March 2010, a grievous loss to Russian women’s chess.

ChessBase offers its deepest condolences to her family and friends.

Elena analysing a game in her hotel room at the China vs Russia match 2007

Nadezhda Kosintseva and Elena Tairova at the Russia vs China match in 2007
(in the background FIDE President Kirsan Ilyumzhinov)

Elena Tairova (right) beating Nadezhda Kosintseva in round three of the Russian Superfinal 2007

Elena Tairova at the Chinese League in Beijing 2009

Rating progress of Elena Tairova over the last eight years