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Russia's invasion of Ukraine had numerous negative effects on the chess world in general and the Russian chess community in particular. The former dominance of Soviet and later Russian chess players has largely dissipated. Russian sports federations, including the Chess Federation of Russia (FSR), are sanctioned and barred from participating in international sporting events. No official international tournaments are held in Russia, and Russian players are not allowed to compete under the Russian flag in official events.
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Many players voiced opposition to the war from the outset and faced personal consequences. A significant number have emigrated and officially switched federations, while others have tried to adapt to the circumstances as best they can. Currently, only six players are listed under the Russian flag in FIDE's Top 100 world rankings. The Russian Federation itself has moved from the European Chess Union to the Asian Chess Federation, where restrictions against Russia are less stringent.
From the Russian perspective, the results of Russian players at the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in New York, the heart of the US financial world, were particularly gratifying. Ian Nepomniachtchi and Magnus Carlsen shared the title at the World Blitz Championship, while the Russian Federation celebrated an even greater success in the World Rapid Championship, as Volodar Murzin, Alexander Grischuk and Ian Nepomniachtchi took all three podium places. These three players are among the few who have not yet turned their backs on their homeland. The success was, of course, widely celebrated in Russian media.
A dispute has since arisen regarding the newly crowned world rapid champion, Volodar Murzin. The young grandmaster, currently one of the greatest talents in Russian chess, and his coach, Mikhail Kobalia, have publicly criticised the Chess Federation of Russia. Kobalia has been training Murzin since 2017. Until 2023, Kobalia worked as a coach for the FSR but left after a conflict with the federation.
Murzin and Kobalia | Photo: Sport.ru
After Murzin won the World Rapid Championship title, Kobalia complained in an interview with Sport.ru about the lack of support from the FSR. According to Kobalia, Murzin's successes were instead the result of private efforts by his family and personal sponsors. Kobalia cited a lack of invitations to round-robin tournaments due to the political situation as a key reason why Murzin's development is slower than it should be. As a result, Murzin has to play in many open tournaments.
In a sharp response to Kobalia's statements, FSR Executive Director Alexander Tkachev accused Kobalia of sabotage and labelled him a "detractor". Tkachev rejected Kobalia's allegations.
Kobalia revealed the high costs associated with Murzin's participation in the World Rapid and Blitz Championships (one million roubles) and the difficulties in obtaining a visa. The federation had only partially helped. Kobalia also criticised the lack of invitations to major official Russian tournaments. For instance, Murzin was not invited to the final of the Russian Individual Championship 2024.
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Since winning the World Rapid Championship, Murzin's status has improved. If not for his Russian citizenship, which currently limits his opportunities, he would likely receive numerous invitations. The Chess Federation of Russia, having already lost many top players and talents to other countries, fears further losses. Murzin, for instance, was reportedly offered a scholarship in the United States, which he has not yet accepted. The federation is trying to retain its young players with long-term support contracts, and offered such a contract to Murzin. However, Murzin declined the offer. The FSR also reportedly attempted to force Murzin to change coaches.
In an interview, Murzin stated that he has no plans to switch federations as long as he continues to receive support. However, he also expressed a desire to have no dealings with the Chess Federation of Russia.
Beyond these recent public issues, the young Russian grandmaster also endured significant personal challenges in his childhood. In an interview with the Russian site Championat, Murzin recounted experiences of abuse at the hands of his violent father. His father regularly beat and mistreated his children in brutal ways and had peculiar ideas, such as washing their hair with raw eggs, believing it to be healthy.
Eventually, Murzin's mother, Ekaterina, fled with her then eleven-year-old son and four daughters over 1,000 kilometres from their hometown of Nizhny Tagil to Moscow to escape her abusive husband. The six-member family now lives in a 50-square-metre two-room apartment in a suburb of Moscow.
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