Why are Russians so good at chess?

Answer 1

Russia is a big country with a lot of citizens. Probability has something to do with it. In the 20th century following World War 2, Russia (the U.S.S.R.) made a decision that the state would sponsor excellence in sports, dance, and in other activities - including Chess. With a mechanism in place, talent could be found and fostered to see if it developed as hoped. Anyone with any perspective could see the effect of the state's efforts by reviewing the international sports scene throughout the latter half of the 20th century.