As Kateryna Lagno and Aleksandra Goryachkina line up for the Candidates 2026 in the women’s section, they will attempt to reclaim the crown a Russian last win in 2008-10 through Alexandra Kosteniuk. Two Ukrainians and three Chinese have taken the world title cycles since then, including Hou Yifan thrice. Vladimir Kramnik was the last Russian in open events to win twenty years ago in 2006-7. Aleksandra Goryachkina however is the world Rapid champion from 2025. Goryachkina had just about started liking chess at that point, but the 2019 Candidates winner has not managed to get the breakthrough that the old powerhouse restlessly desires, going down to Ju Wenjun. Sasha’s mother Larisa Matvienko had told Krasny Sever back then that the family’s move to Karpov’s Polar Chess academy had been strongly driven by the country’s keen to turn one of its prodigies into a world beater. Goryachkina was born into a chess family – her mother, a candidate master of sports, her father a FIDE master who coached at chess school. “Sasha enjoyed dancing at the …