Search Party
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How Russia lost chess
Posted
September 30, 2025
Views
650,212
Likes
20,607
Comments
2,333
Engagement
3.53%
September 30, 2025
650,212
20,607
2,333
3.53%
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14:32Now PlayingAnd why Vladimir Putin is to blame.
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Imagine a world where chess wasn’t just a game, but a weapon of ideology — that was the Soviet Union, where grandmasters became symbols of national pride and soft power. Legends like Botvinnik, Spassky, and Kasparov, Russia dominated the chessboard for most of the 20th century, crushing rivals and shaping the global game. But after the fall of the USSR, cracks began to show: corruption scandals, infighting at FIDE, and a new generation of stars rising outside Russia weakened its grip. Today, with Magnus Carlsen refusing to play under FIDE’s old rules and Russia banned from international competition over the war in Ukraine, the once-unshakable empire of Russian chess looks like a shadow of its former self. In this video, we’ll explore how Russia went from chess supremacy to decline — and what it means for the future of the royal game.
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About:
Search Party is led and produced by Sam Ellis, a journalist, director, editor, and animator based in New York City. For more than 6 years, Ellis produced the hugely popular video series, Vox Atlas, for which he earned an Emmy nomination. He specializes in breaking down the most complex new stories and presenting them with a refreshing, accessible, and engaging visual style.
He’s produced explainers on some of the world’s thorniest geopolitical stories; from corruption scandals in Latin America, conflict in the Middle East, and the rise of China, to the world of sports; the Monaco Grand Prix, the FIFA corruption scandal, and the 100-foot waves of Nazaré, Portugal. Ellis has also directed multiple episodes of TV; notably on Netflix’s ‘Explained’ and HBO Sport’s ‘Level Playing Field’.
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