Petrenco Svetlana

About

Svetlana Petrenco, born on May 27, 1974, in Chisinau, is one of the most remarkable figures in Moldovan chess. She obtained the title of Woman International Master in 2001 and the title of International Master in 2004, after fulfilling the required norm at the Chess Olympiad in Calvia, Spain. Throughout her competitive career, she represented the Republic of Moldova eight times at the World Chess Olympiads, consistently demonstrating a high level of play and dedication to the sport. Her career has been marked by multiple notable performances in international competitions, including victories at women's tournaments in Bucharest, Lviv, Saint Petersburg, and Belgrade. Petrenco is a multiple national champion, with no less than thirteen Moldovan Women's Chess Championship titles to her name, won in the years 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021. A landmark moment in her career was 2005, when she won the Moldovan Open Chess Championship, becoming the only woman to achieve this feat in the country's mixed competition. Mentored by the renowned coach Ivan Yakovlevich Solonar, who was a decisive figure in shaping her chess skills, Petrenco developed a systematic and creative approach to the game. In addition to her competitive career, Svetlana Petrenco has channeled her passion for chess into teaching and social activities. Since 2007, she has been working at the International Free University of Moldova in the sports department, where she teaches chess and passes on her knowledge to younger generations. In parallel, she has developed a career in Vedic astrology, offering consultations and psychological analyses, including to high-level chess players from countries such as Ukraine, Serbia, the United States, and Hungary. Petrenco states that chess is an integral part of her life and feels grateful to the sport for the richness it has brought to her existence, considering the game a complex combination of sport, science, and art.