Searching for Slavkas

the tenuous future of Russian chess

Russian chess is in crisis. In August, after the men’s national team finished 14th at the European chess championships in Göteborg, Sweden, even the most generous observers agreed that the situation was dire. There was some consolation that the women’s team took home the bronze medal, but it was hardly sufficient. The men’s gold medal went to undefeated Holland. And, much to the humiliation of Russian chess fans, the Russian team lost its head-to-head match to France 1.5 : 2.5.