From 1997 to 2004, Fominykh represented Russia at the European Youth Chess Championships and World Youth Chess Championships in different age groups, where she won four medals: gold (in 2003, at the European Youth Chess Championship in the U16 girls age group), silver (in 2001, at the World Youth Chess Championship in the U14 girls age group) and two bronze (in 2002, at the World Youth Chess Championship in the U16 girls age group, and in 2004, at the European Youth Chess Championship in the U18 girls age group).

Maria Fominykh received prizes of many international chess tournaments, including second place in Lviv and Moscow International Women's Chess Tournaments in 2010.

In 2009, she was awarded the FIDE Woman International Master (WIM) title[1] and received the FIDE Woman Grandmaster (WGM) title eight year later.

She has directed several chess broadcasts on various Russian TV channels.

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