Rank and File | World chess community responds to Russian invasion of Ukraine

Global and U.S. chess organizations have condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and have taken action to punish Russia and support Ukraine. FIDE, the International Chess Federation, is removing the 2022 Chess Olympiad from Russia and terminating its sponsorship agreements with Russian firms. The U.S. Chess Federation has established a GoFundMe campaign, seeded by a $10,000 donation from the Kasparov Chess Foundation, to help Ukrainian chess players during their time of need.

Many of the world’s leading chess players, including former World Champion Gary Kasparov and other current and former Russian players, are also speaking out. Kasparov, a long-ime critic of Putin, says that the rest of the world should “Support Ukraine militarily, immediately. … Bankrupt Putin’s war machine. … Kick Russia out of every international and financial institution.”

Several of Ukraine’s leading chess players remain in their home country and are at risk. Grandmaster Evgeny Shtembuliak, who competed for the Texas Tech chess team before moving back to Kyiv, is using his Texas Tech business and marketing studies to good effect. In a recent appearance on U.S. Grandmaster Benjamin Finegold’s YouTube channel, he urged viewers to “raise their voice” and “spread the word” in opposition to Russia’s actions:

Shtembuliak is best known in the chess world for winning the 2019 World Junior Championship, a title that he will hold until the next World Junior competition is held later this year. He was the seventh-ranked player at the start of the tournament, but smoothly moved up to the top position by winning seven of his 11 games, with no losses. Shtembuliak clinched his title by defeating the talented but young Volodar Murzin of Russia in the final round of play.

2019 World Junior Chess Championship, Round 11

White: Evgeny Shtembuliak, Ukraine

Black: Volodar Murzin, Russia

1d4 Nf6 c4 e6 3Nc3 c6 White usually responds to this defense by developing his kingside pieces. Shtembuliak opts to start with queenside development, giving him the option of castling on either side of the board.