The 78th Russian Chess Championship (Russian: 78-й чемпионат России по шахматам), also known as the Superfinal of the 78th Russian Championship, was a chess tournament held in Moscow, Russia. It took place at the Central Chess Club and ran from 30 September to 13 October 2025, with the 11 rounds played from 1 to 12 October (rest day on 7 October). Games started at 3 PM Moscow time.

Arseniy Nesterov won his first Russian Championship title with 6½/11 points, remaining undefeated (+2 =9).

The 75th Russian Women's Chess Championship was held concurrently as a separate 11-round round-robin.

Open section

Crosstable

Pos Player Title Fed Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pts TPR 1 Arseniy Nesterov GM FID 2584 * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 ½ ½ 6½ 2654 2 Daniil Dubov GM RUS 2684 ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ 6 2616 3 Andrey Esipenko GM RUS 2693 ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 6 2615 4 Vadim Zvjaginsev GM RUS 2528 ½ ½ ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 6 2630 5 Vladislav Artemiev GM RUS 2646 ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 5½ 2583 6 Pavel Ponkratov GM RUS 2586 ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 ½ ½ 0 1 5½ 2589 7 Vladimir Malakhov GM FID 2643 ½ ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ * 0 1 ½ 1 ½ 5½ 2584 8 Savva Vetokhin GM FID 2569 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 * ½ ½ 1 ½ 5½ 2590 9 Artem Uskov GM FID 2498 ½ 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 ½ * ½ 1 1 5½ 2597 10 Ilia Iljiushenok GM FID 2514 0 ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ ½ * ½ ½ 5 2559 11 Ivan Zemlyanskii GM RUS 2596 ½ ½ ½ ½ 1 1 0 0 0 ½ * 0 4½ 2523 12 Sergei Lobanov GM FID 2526 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 0 ½ ½ 0 ½ 1 * 4½ 2529

Schedule and results by round

The tournament was contested as a single round-robin over 11 rounds with one rest day. All rounds started at 15:00 Moscow time.

Open section

Round 1 (1 October 2025) White Black Result Moves ECO Opening Nesterov, Arseniy Iljiushenok, Ilia 1–0 37 D38 QGD Ragozin Dubov, Daniil Lobanov, Sergei ½–½ 41 A05 Various Esipenko, Andrey Artemiev, Vladislav ½–½ 41 C50 Giuoco Piano Zvjaginsev, Vadim Vetokhin, Savva ½–½ 26 A00 Irregular Openings Ponkratov, Pavel Malakhov, Vladimir ½–½ 15 C45 Scotch Game Zemlyanskii, Ivan Uskov, Artem 0–1 67 C60 Ruy Lopez

Round 2 (2 October 2025) White Black Result Moves ECO Opening Zvjaginsev, Vadim Ponkratov, Pavel 1–0 41 C47 Four Knights Malakhov, Vladimir Zemlyanskii, Ivan 1–0 39 A05 Various Vetokhin, Savva Artemiev, Vladislav ½–½ 47 D30 Queen's Gambit Uskov, Artem Nesterov, Arseniy ½–½ 34 A08 Barcza System Iljiushenok, Ilia Dubov, Daniil ½–½ 40 D90 Grünfeld Lobanov, Sergei Esipenko, Andrey ½–½ 51 D31 Semi-Slav Defence

Round 3 (3 October 2025) White Black Result Moves ECO Opening Nesterov, Arseniy Malakhov, Vladimir ½–½ 33 D11 Slav Defence Dubov, Daniil Uskov, Artem 1–0 80 A05 Various Esipenko, Andrey Iljiushenok, Ilia ½–½ 40 C42 Petroff's Defence Artemiev, Vladislav Lobanov, Sergei 1–0 50 D38 QGD Ragozin Ponkratov, Pavel Vetokhin, Savva 1–0 37 C92 Ruy Lopez Chigorin Zemlyanskii, Ivan Zvjaginsev, Vadim ½–½ 64 A30 English Symmetrical

Round 4 (4 October 2025) White Black Result Moves ECO Opening Zvjaginsev, Vadim Nesterov, Arseniy ½–½ 19 C01 French Exchange Ponkratov, Pavel Zemlyanskii, Ivan 0–1 49 C88 Ruy Lopez Closed Malakhov, Vladimir Dubov, Daniil ½–½ 26 A49 King's Indian Vetokhin, Savva Lobanov, Sergei ½–½ 41 D30 Queen's Gambit Uskov, Artem Esipenko, Andrey ½–½ 40 A13 Réti Opening Iljiushenok, Ilia Artemiev, Vladislav ½–½ 40 D36 QGD Exchange

Round 5 (5 October 2025) White Black Result Moves ECO Opening Nesterov, Arseniy Ponkratov, Pavel ½–½ 27 D86 Grünfeld Simagin Dubov, Daniil Zvjaginsev, Vadim ½–½ 42 C67 Ruy Lopez Berlin Esipenko, Andrey Malakhov, Vladimir 1–0 38 C53 Giuoco Piano Artemiev, Vladislav Uskov, Artem ½–½ 41 A29 English Four Knights Zemlyanskii, Ivan Vetokhin, Savva 0–1 45 E06 Catalan Lobanov, Sergei Iljiushenok, Ilia ½–½ 41 A33 English Symmetrical

Round 6 (6 October 2025) White Black Result Moves ECO Opening Zvjaginsev, Vadim Esipenko, Andrey ½–½ 40 B30 Sicilian Rossolimo Ponkratov, Pavel Dubov, Daniil ½–½ 47 D33 Tarrasch Defence Malakhov, Vladimir Artemiev, Vladislav ½–½ 31 A06 Zukertort Opening Vetokhin, Savva Iljiushenok, Ilia ½–½ 50 E60 King's Indian Uskov, Artem Lobanov, Sergei 1–0 61 C50 Giuoco Piano Zemlyanskii, Ivan Nesterov, Arseniy ½–½ 41 C42 Petroff's Defence

Round 7 (8 October 2025) White Black Result Moves ECO Opening Nesterov, Arseniy Vetokhin, Savva 1–0 41 E06 Catalan Opening Dubov, Daniil Zemlyanskii, Ivan ½–½ 41 A16 English Opening Esipenko, Andrey Ponkratov, Pavel ½–½ 68 B90 Sicilian Najdorf Artemiev, Vladislav Zvjaginsev, Vadim ½–½ 60 D31 Semi-Slav Defence Iljiushenok, Ilia Uskov, Artem ½–½ 42 E21 Nimzo-Indian Defence Lobanov, Sergei Malakhov, Vladimir ½–½ 39 D15 Slav Defence

Round 8 (9 October 2025) White Black Result Moves ECO Opening Nesterov, Arseniy Dubov, Daniil ½–½ 37 A41 Modern Defence Zvjaginsev, Vadim Lobanov, Sergei ½–½ 27 C47 Four Knights Game Ponkratov, Pavel Artemiev, Vladislav ½–½ 63 C67 Ruy Lopez Berlin Defence Malakhov, Vladimir Iljiushenok, Ilia ½–½ 40 A38 English Opening Vetokhin, Savva Uskov, Artem ½–½ 32 E17 Queen's Indian Defence Zemlyanskii, Ivan Esipenko, Andrey ½–½ 33 D31 Semi-Slav Defence

Round 9 (10 October 2025) White Black Result Moves ECO Opening Dubov, Daniil Vetokhin, Savva ½–½ 44 A00 Irregular Opening Esipenko, Andrey Nesterov, Arseniy ½–½ 51 C42 Petroff's Defence Artemiev, Vladislav Zemlyanskii, Ivan 0–1 71 A34 English Opening Uskov, Artem Malakhov, Vladimir 0–1 54 A07 Barcza System Iljiushenok, Ilia Zvjaginsev, Vadim ½–½ 30 C45 Scotch Game Lobanov, Sergei Ponkratov, Pavel 0–1 68 A29 English Four Knights

Round 10 (11 October 2025) White Black Result Moves ECO Opening Nesterov, Arseniy Artemiev, Vladislav ½–½ 47 D38 QGD Ragozin Dubov, Daniil Esipenko, Andrey ½–½ 41 D31 Semi-Slav Defence Zvjaginsev, Vadim Uskov, Artem ½–½ 21 A20 English Opening Ponkratov, Pavel Iljiushenok, Ilia ½–½ 41 A33 English Symmetrical Vetokhin, Savva Malakhov, Vladimir 1–0 68 D00 Queen's Pawn Game Zemlyanskii, Ivan Lobanov, Sergei 0–1 39 C53 Giuoco Piano

Round 11 (12 October 2025) White Black Result Moves ECO Opening Esipenko, Andrey Vetokhin, Savva ½–½ 36 D35 QGD Exchange Variation Artemiev, Vladislav Dubov, Daniil ½–½ 42 D31 Semi-Slav Defence Malakhov, Vladimir Zvjaginsev, Vadim ½–½ 28 A49 King's Indian Defence Uskov, Artem Ponkratov, Pavel ½–½ 45 A13 Réti Opening Iljiushenok, Ilia Zemlyanskii, Ivan ½–½ 52 E60 King's Indian Defence Lobanov, Sergei Nesterov, Arseniy ½–½ 33 D38 QGD Ragozin

Nesterov remained undefeated throughout the event and secured the title in the final round.

Women's section

The 75th Russian Women's Chess Championship was held concurrently in Moscow with the same schedule and format (11 rounds, 12 players). Anna Shukhman (aged 16, WGM) won the title with 7/10 points, half a point ahead of Leya Garifullina and Daria Charochkina. Shukhman secured victory by defeating Garifullina in the final round (the first game to finish that round). Alisa Galliamova withdrew around the halfway stage due to health reasons, and her results were annulled.

Crosstable

Rk Player Title Fed 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Pts 1 Anna Shukhman WGM RUS * 1 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 1 1 1 1 (+) 7 2 Leya Garifullina IM RUS 0 * 1 ½ 1 1 1 0 1 ½ ½ -1 6.5 3 Daria Charochkina IM RUS ½ 0 * 1 1 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 -1 6.5 4 Polina Shuvalova IM RUS ½ ½ 0 * 0 ½ 1 ½ 1 1 1 (+) 6 5 Ekaterina Goltseva WGM RUS ½ 0 0 1 * ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 (+) 5.5 6 Ekaterina Kovalevskaya IM RUS ½ 0 1 ½ ½ * 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 (½) 5 7 Anastasia Bodnaruk IM RUS 1 0 ½ 0 ½ 1 * 0 1 ½ 0 (+) 4.5 8 Olga Girya GM RUS 0 1 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 * 0 0 1 (+) 4.5 9 Valentina Gunina GM RUS 0 0 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 1 * 1 1 -1 4 10 Margarita Potapova WIM RUS 0 ½ 0 0 ½ ½ ½ 1 0 * ½ -1 3.5 11 Yana Zhapova WGM RUS 0 ½ 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 ½ * (+) 2 12 Alisa Galliamova IM RUS (-) 0 0 (-) (-) (½) (-) (-) 0 0 (-) * 0

Note: (+) and (-) notations reflect adjustments due to Galliamova's withdrawal.

Prize fund The total prize fund for the superfinals was 11 million RUB. Each Russian champion (open and women's) received a LADA car from JSC AvtoVAZ, the official automobile partner of the event.

Organization The tournament was organized by the Chess Federation of Russia with support from the Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation.

References

External links Official website