Why Hello Chess, When Did You Get So Sexy?
Categories: Flotsam
I can't find it on YouTube, so call up your friend who's an expert on Austin Powers movies (yes, we all have one such amigo), and ask him to recite the Ivana Humpalot bit. You know, the one with the busty Russian supermodel (played by Kristen Johnston) whose favorite hobby is playing suggestive chess, Austin Powers was a brilliant cultural satire -- but hey, chess and sexy just do not go together.
Well, not anymore. The Herald had a story this weekend about Alexandra Kosteniuk (far left), a chess champion/aspiring model who lives on Key Biscayne. It instantly reminded me of a supermodel/aspiring chess champion, Carmen Kass (mid right). She was elected president of the Estonian National Chess League in 2004. Kass was last in Miami stomping down the runway at the Victoria Secret's Fashion Show. She also found time to date Leo Dicaprio, and pose for these J'Adore Dior perfume ads that were ubiquitous a few years back.
A little more Googling also turned up Arianne Caoili (far right), a 22 year-old chess champ from Australia who appeared on her native version of Dancing with the Stars. Then there's Maria Manakova (mid right), a former chess grandmaster who posed nude for a Russian men's magazine in 2004.
There's not much chess in South Florida, so we're thinking the only chance to get the local population interested in a big chess game is arranging a charity tournament with these ladies.
Well, this doesn't include the chess reference, but here's an Ivana Humpalot clip incase you're still contemplating which move to make next with your pawn. Oh, behave.
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