The Russian Chess Championship Superfinal is the final round of Russia’s national championship — a 12-player round-robin tournament held annually in autumn. The 2026 edition is scheduled for Sochi from October 4 to 15.
The Russian Championship has a complex history. The Soviet Championship, held annually from 1920 to 1991, was widely considered the strongest tournament in the world during much of that period — many of the eventual world champions (Botvinnik, Smyslov, Tal, Petrosian, Spassky, Karpov, Kasparov) won the Soviet Championship before taking the world title.
The post-Soviet Russian Championship has continued the tradition with a 12-player Superfinal preceded by a qualifying Higher League. Recent Superfinal winners include Ian Nepomniachtchi (multiple times), Daniil Dubov, Andrey Esipenko, and Sergey Karjakin.
The 2026 edition’s status with respect to FIDE-rated competition has been the subject of ongoing arbitration following Russia’s exclusion from FIDE team events in 2022. The Russian Chess Federation continues to run the Superfinal as a FIDE-rated event domestically; international participation is limited.
For the official championship site, current standings, and Russian Chess Federation news, see the right column.