The match is organized by the Russian Chess Federation with the support of the Volga Group, the official partner of the men's national chess team of Russia, and UES Federal Grid Company, the general sponsor of Russia’s national chess teams.
Men: Ian Nepomniachtchi, Dmitry Yakovenko, Daniil Dubov, Dmitry Andreykin and Maxim Matlakov. Coaches: Alexander Motylev and Vladimir Potkin.
Women: Valentina Gunina, Natalia Pogonina, Anastasia Bodnaruk, Alexandra Goryachkina, and Ekaterina Lagno. Coaches: Sergey Rublevsky and Alexander Ryazantsev.
Men: Wang Yue, Yu Yangyi, Lu Shanglei, Wen Yang and Zhou Jianchao. Coach: Yu Shaoteng
Women: Tan Zhongyi, Shen Yang, Guo Qi, Ding Yixin, and Lei Tintsze. Coach: Yu Shaoten.
The matches are hard fought but from 30 games only ten (four in the men's event, six in the women's event) were decided - and in each of these ten games White won.


Ian Nepomniachtchi


Wang Yue

One of the decided games was the encounter between Lu Shanglei and Dmitry Andreikin in round two which turned into a veritable slugfest with lots of interesting tactical motifs.

Lu Shanglei

Dmitry Andreikin



Yu Yangyi

The Chinese coach Yu Shaoteng

Ekaterina Lagno


Aleksandra Goryachkina


Vlalentina Gunina (left, with Black) before her game against Tan Zhongyi



Ding Yixin

Guo Qi

Valentina Gunina

Natalia Pogonina

Anastasia Bodnaruk
Photos: Russian Chess Federation