In a symbolic blow to a once-dominant force, Russian chess has hit an unprecedented low. For the first time since the international chess federation (FIDE) began publishing official ratings in July 1971, no Russian player features among the world's top 20 grandmasters. This historic shift was confirmed in the December 2025 FIDE ratings list, following the fall of two-time World Championship contender Ian Nepomniachtchi from the elite bracket.
The Fall of a Chess Superpower
The absence of a Russian name among chess's global elite is a staggering development, comparable to the Brazilian football team missing a FIFA World Cup. This decline marks the end of a remarkable era. The Soviet Union and later Russia functioned as a chess factory, producing a legendary conveyor belt of world champions: from Mikhail Botvinnik and Mikhail Tal to Anatoly Karpov, Garry Kasparov, and Vladimir Kramnik.
The roots of this former dominance were deeply systemic. As Garry Kasparov explained in a 2016 interview, chess was promoted by Soviet authorities as a vital ideological tool to showcase intellectual superiority. With limited career paths available, millions of children were funneled into a state-supported chess network, creating an unparalleled talent pool.
That system is now running on fumes. The signs have been visible for years. In July 2024, Russia lost its spot in the world's top 10 for the first time. The 2024 World Chess Championship in Singapore was contested between China's Ding Liren and India's teenage sensation D. Gukesh—a far cry from the all-Soviet duels of the past.
New Empires Rise on the Global Chessboard
As Russian influence wanes, new chess powers have firmly established themselves. Nations like China, the United States, India, and Uzbekistan are now at the forefront of the game. The era of Norway's Magnus Carlsen and the explosion of Indian prodigies has coincided with Russia's gradual retreat to the periphery.
Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand, who battled Russian greats throughout his career, highlighted key reasons for the shift in a 2024 interview. "Russia is not the Soviet Union. It's a fraction," he stated, pointing to the dissolution of the old state apparatus. The advent of computers rapidly eroded the Soviet's structured training advantages, while the post-1991 diaspora saw many top coaches and players emigrate, spreading knowledge globally.
Is This a Checkmate for Russian Chess?
Despite this stark downturn, it would be premature to declare a final checkmate for Russian chess. While the open section struggles, there are pockets of resilience and potential for revival.
In the women's game, Russia remains a formidable force. Three players—Kateryna Lagno, Aleksandra Goryachkina, and Polina Shuvalova—are in the global top 10. Lagno and Goryachkina recently led a team playing under the FIDE flag to victory at the 2025 Women's World Team Chess Championships. Furthermore, Russian teams are poised to return to competing under their national flag in 2025, after a three-year ban due to the Ukraine conflict.
The junior ranks also offer hope. Talents like Anna Shukhman (world No. 2 girls), Volodar Murzin (world No. 3 boys), and Aleksey Grebnev (world No. 8 juniors) represent the next generation. Recent successes include Goryachkina winning the Women's World Rapid title and Vladislav Artemiev taking silver in the Open World Rapid event in late 2025.
While the 35-year-old Nepomniachtchi is far from the Candidates tournament to choose the next world challenger, Russia will still have representation. Andrey Esipenko retains an outside chance at qualification. The nation's chess infrastructure and culture, though diminished, are not extinct.
The December 2025 ratings list is a definitive milestone, closing a 54-year chapter of Russian supremacy. The chess world order has been fundamentally reshaped, with power now dispersed across continents. Yet, with a strong pipeline in women's and junior chess, the story of Russian chess is one of a dramatic decline, but not a conclusive end.
