Born in Kishinev to a Ukrainian father and an Armenian mother, both pedagogues and chess coaches, Skripchenko started playing chess when she was 6 years old. In 1991, Moldova became independent from the Soviet Union. This meant that Skripchenko could take part for the first time in the World Youth Chess Championships. She was crowned World Under-16 girls champion in 1992 at Duisburg, Germany and in 1993, she took the bronze medal at the World Under-18 girls championship. She married French GrandmasterJoël Lautier in 1997 and consequently moved to live in France. Despite separating from Lautier in 2002, she became a French citizen in 2001 and continued to make France her home. Skripchenko then married French Grandmaster Laurent Fressinet and in January 2007, gave birth to a daughter. In 2001, at 25 years old, she celebrated her biggest success ever, winning the Women's European Individual Chess Championship. She was at this time chosen "best sportsperson in 2001 in Moldova" and decorated with the Order of National Merit in her native country. In 2004, she won the North Urals Cup, the second international super-tournament for female chess players. Held in Krasnoturinsk, the nine-round single round-robin tournament featured ten of the strongest female players in the world. Skripchenko finished a half point ahead of Maia Chiburdanidze, the former Women's World Champion, and also defeated her in their individual encounter. In 2005, she won the Accentus Ladies Tournament in Biel. Skripchenko reached the quarter-finals at the Women's World Chess Championship in 2000, 2001 and 2010. Living in Paris and representing France in tournaments since 2002, Skripchenko has become a noted ambassador for the game in Europe. She competed in the Men's French Individual Championship. She won the Ladies' French Chess Championship in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2015. In team play, she won the French National Chess League with NAO Chess Club and with Clichy Echecs and the German Chess Bundesliga with Werder Bremen. Her career victories also include three Nationale ladies titles and five European Club Cup victories with Cercle d'échecs de Monte-Carlo. Almira Skripchenko has taken part in several Chess Olympiads, each time playing on her team's top board. She is also a member of the ACP Board.
