Nepomniachtchi Crashes Out Of World Cup In Latest Sign Russian Chess Is In The Doldrums

Russia, that once-proud chess superpower, is well and truly in the doldrums.

On Tuesday, Russia's top player GM Ian Nepomniachtchi, a serial world title contender and such a force in the game over recent years, crashed out of the strongest tournament of the year, the FIDE World Cup, in Round 2.

Nepomniachtchi, given a bye in Round 1, secured a solid draw with Indian opponent GM Diptayan Ghosh in the first game of Round 2 on Tuesday.

But in the second on Wednesday, Nepomniachtchi found himself quickly on the ropes with the black pieces. Ghosh turned the screw and after the 40th move, and in a hopeless position, Nepomniachtchi ended it with a resignation.

In his first outing in the tournament, Nepomniachtchi was out. GM David Howell called it "the biggest shock of the tournament so far."

Weight Of Expectation

Nepomniachtchi went into the event with a lot to shoulder. He wasn't Russia's only hope, but the 35-year-old was certainly its biggest.

His elimination marked yet another blow to Russian chess which has been on a downward spiral now for years. The result also caps a rough year personally for Nepomniachtchi during which he hasn't appeared himself.

Nepomniachtchi started 2025 (somewhat controversially) as joint World Blitz champion with GM Magnus Carlsen, a title he is expected to defend in December, but it's been downhill since then.

In April he finished a disappointing third in the FIDE Candidates tournament in Toronto, Canada, meaning he missed a shot at the world title.

The defining moment for Russian chess came in August when Nepomniachtchi dropped from 10th to 14th following another disappointing performance at the UzChess Cup in Tashkent.

It meant, for first time since rating lists were introduced in 1971, there were no Russian players in the world's top 10. It got worse for the popular "Nepo".

In November's list, Nepomniachtchi slumped to 19th with a FIDE rating of 2732. The next-best Russian on the list is currently GM Andrey Esipenko on 41. Can the mighty Russia really have no grandmasters in the top 20 come December?

Brain Drain

Russia's other big stars are faring no better.

GM Sergey Karjakin remains a pariah in the West after taking an active role in his government's wartime propaganda and expressing his enthusiastic support for Russian tanks rolling into Ukraine.

GM Vladimir Kramnik, Russia's last undisputed world champion, is also currently fighting for his reputation off the board after being accused of bullying tragic GM Daniel Naroditsky. Kramnik is being investigated by FIDE and could face serious punishment.

Aside from Karjakin's exclusion from events, and subsequent suspension by FIDE, Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine has had a catastrophic effect on its standing in chess.

FIDE has excluded Russian chess teams from international competitions meaning once-dominant nation hasn't been present at successive FIDE Olympiads and World Team Chess Championships.

The country has also been heamorrhaging grandmasters.

Since February 2022, a total of 192 Russian players have switched federations. In 2023 alone, 104 Russian chess players changed their national affiliation.

These emigres have inevitably beefed up other nations. The 2021 Russian champion GM Nikita Vitiugov, for example, is now the English number-two. Vitiugov was a member of the victorious Russian team at the World Teams in 2009 and 2013.

When Russians do win, it isn't always obvious. In line with International Olympic Committee recommendations, the Russian tricolor flag can't be flown at international events.

Russia still stands 4th in FIDE's table of top federations behind a traditional giant in the U.S., the nascent India and another powerhouse in China. While it has been overtaken, Russia also still has by far the most grandmasters, with 256. The U.S. has 101 Germany 96, and India 90.

Let's not forget Russia ended 2024 with 18-year-old GM Volodar Murzin capturing the 2024 FIDE World Rapid Chess Championship with an undefeated 10/13 score. His win and Nepomniachtchi sharing the Blitz title was celebrated as a welcome return to form in Russia.

Also, more talented Russian youngsters do continue to emerge with 10-year-old prodigy IM Roman Shogdzhiev, the kid from Kalmykia, leading the way. In May, Shogdzhiev broke the record to become the youngest International

The Russian Chess Federation is believed to be ploughing plenty of resources into Shogdzhiev's rise, providing seven coaches including two-time Russian Champion GM Evgeny Tomashevsky.

Yet Russian chess is showing the strain. As a result of Russia's isolation, several top tournaments have dropped off the elite circuit or been ignored.

The Russian Chess Championships was once a formidable contest. In 2025 it again lacked players from the top 10. The Aeroflot Open, Moscow Open and Chess Stars have also suffered a drop in prestige.

In Soviet times the USSR championship was studied with intent in the West. It was practically an eliminator for the world title.

How times have changed.