This list of chess players is ordered by their peak FIDE rating, an implementation of the Elo rating introduced by FIDE in 1971. The cut-off value is 2700 for men (players with a rating at or above this value are colloquially known as super grandmasters) and 2500 for women.
Only six players achieved their over-2700 peak before the year 2000 and twenty-one players achieved their respective peak between 2000 and 2009 (inclusive).
Classical
| Country | Player | Peak rating | Achieved | Birth year | Death year | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2800+ | |||||||
| 1 | Norway | Magnus Carlsen | 2882 | 2014-05 | 1990 | Highest-ranked player (2013–), world no. 1 (2010, 2011, 2011–), former World Chess Champion (2013–2023), highest-ranked Norwegian player (2006–) | |
| 2 | Soviet Union Russia | Garry Kasparov | 2851 | 1999-07 | 1963 | Highest-ranked Russian player, former world no. 1 (1984–1993, 1995–2006), former world champion (1985–2000), first player to achieve 2800+ rating (1990), 4th player to achieve 2700+ rating (1984), former highest-ranked player (1990–2012) | |
| 3 | Italy United States | Fabiano Caruana | 2844 | 2014-10 | 1992 | Former highest-ranked American player (2016–2017, 2017–2018, 2018–2022, 2022, 2023–2024, 2024–2025), former highest-ranked Italian player (2007–2015) | |
| 4 | Armenia Germany United States | Levon Aronian | 2830 | 2014-03 | 1982 | Former highest-ranked Armenian player (2005–2021), former highest-rated American player (2022) | |
| 5 | Philippines United States | Wesley So | 2822 | 2017-02 | 1993 | Former highest-ranked Filipino player (2009–2014), former highest-rated American player (2015, 2017, 2018, 2022) | |
| 6 | Azerbaijan | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2820 | 2018-09 | 1985 | Highest-ranked Azerbaijani player (2006, 2007–2008, 2010–2011, 2017–) | |
| 7 | France | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | 2819 | 2016-08 | 1990 | Former highest-ranked French player (2013, 2013–2021, 2021) | |
| 8 | India | Viswanathan Anand | 2817 | 2011-03 | 1969 | Highest-ranked Indian player (1987–2023, 2023–2024), former world champion (2007–2013, FIDE 2000–2002), former world no. 1 (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011), 7th player to achieve 2700+ rating (1993) | |
| Soviet Union Russia | Vladimir Kramnik | 2817 | 2016-10 | 1975 | Former world champion (2000–2007), former world no. 1 (1996, 2008), former youngest player to achieve 2800+ rating, 8th player to achieve 2700+ rating (1993) | ||
| 10 | Bulgaria | Veselin Topalov | 2816 | 2015-07 | 1975 | Highest-ranked Bulgarian player (since 1993), former world champion (FIDE 2005–2006), former world no. 1 (2006–2007, 2008–2009) | |
| United States | Hikaru Nakamura | 2816 | 2015-10 | 1987 | Highest-ranked American player (2009–2011, 2011–2012, 2013–2015, 2015–2016, 2022–2023, 2024, 2025-) | ||
| China | Ding Liren | 2816 | 2018-11 | 1992 | Former highest-ranked Chinese player (2014–2024), former World Chess Champion (2023–2024) | ||
| 13 | Russia | Alexander Grischuk | 2810 | 2014-12 | 1983 | Former highest-ranked Russian player (2013, 2014–2015) | |
| 14 | Iran FIDE France | Alireza Firouzja | 2804 | 2021-12 | 2003 | Highest-ranked Iranian-born player, former highest-ranked Iranian player (2019), youngest player to achieve 2800+ rating, highest rated French player (2021, 2021-) | |
| 15 | India | Arjun Erigaisi | 2801 | 2024-12 | 2003 | Highest-rated Indian player (2024, 2024–2025, 2025–) | |
2775–2799 | |||||||
| 16 | Russia Netherlands | Anish Giri | 2798 | 2015-10 | 1994 | Highest-ranked Dutch player (since 2011) | |
| 17 | Russia | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 2795 | 2023-03 | 1990 | Two-time World Championship challenger, highest-rated Russian player (2019, 2020–) | |
| 18 | India | Gukesh Dommaraju | 2794 | 2024-10 | 2006 | Current World Chess Champion, former highest-rated Indian player (2023, 2024, 2025) | |
| 19 | Azerbaijan | Teimour Radjabov | 2793 | 2012-11 | 1987 | Former highest-ranked Azerbaijani player (2002–2005, 2006, 2009–2010, 2011–2017) | |
| 20 | Russia | Alexander Morozevich | 2788 | 2008-07 | 1977 | Former highest-ranked Russian player (2008, 2009) | |
| Ukraine Russia | Sergey Karjakin | 2788 | 2011-07 | 1990 | Highest-ranked Ukrainian-born player, former youngest Grandmaster (2002–2021), former highest-ranked Russian player (2011) | ||
| 22 | Soviet Union Ukraine | Vasyl Ivanchuk | 2787 | 2007-10 | 1969 | Highest-ranked Ukrainian player (1992–2002, 2005–2006, 2006–2009, 2009–2010, 2010–2013, 2014, 2017–2018, 2018–2019, 2019), 5th player to achieve 2700+ rating (1991) | |
| 23 | United States | Bobby Fischer | 2785 | 1972-07 | 1943 | 2008 | Former world champion (1972–1975), former highest-ranked player (1971–1989), former highest-ranked American player (1971–2008), former world no. 1 (1971–1975), former youngest Grandmaster (1958–1991), first player to achieve 2700+ rating |
| India | Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa | 2785 | 2025-09 | 2005 | Former highest-ranked Indian player (2025) | ||
| 25 | Uzbekistan | Nodirbek Abdusattorov | 2783 | 2024-10 | 2004 | Highest-ranked Uzbekistani player (since 2023) | |
| 26 | Soviet Union Russia | Anatoly Karpov | 2780 | 1994-07 | 1951 | Former world champion (1975–1985, FIDE 1993–1999), former world no. 1 (1976–1983, 1985, 1994), former highest-ranked Soviet player (1974–1986), second player to achieve 2700+ rating (1974) | |
| 27 | Soviet Union Belarus Israel | Boris Gelfand | 2777 | 2013-11 | 1968 | Highest-ranked Israeli player (since 1999), former highest-ranked Belarusian player (1993–1998) | |
| 28 | Hungary Romania | Richárd Rapport | 2776 | 2022-04 | 1996 | Highest-ranked Hungarian player (2021–2022, since 2024), former highest-ranked Romanian player (2022–2024) | |
| Germany | Vincent Keymer | 2776 | 2025-12 | 2004 | Highest-ranked German player (since 2023) | ||
2750–2774 | |||||||
| 30 | India | Pentala Harikrishna | 2770 | 2016-12 | 1986 | ||
| 31 | Soviet Union Russia | Peter Svidler | 2769 | 2013-05 | 1976 | Former highest-ranked Russian player (2006) | |
| 32 | Cuba United States | Leinier Domínguez | 2768 | 2014-05 | 1983 | Highest-ranked Cuban-born player, former highest-ranked Cuban player (1998–2001, 2001–2003, 2004–2005, 2007–2018) | |
| 33 | Ukraine | Pavel Eljanov | 2765 | 2016-03 | 1983 | Former highest-ranked Ukrainian player (2010, 2013, 2014–2015, 2015, 2015–2017, 2021, 2022–2025) | |
| China | Yu Yangyi | 2765 | 2018-09 | 1994 | |||
| 35 | Ukraine | Ruslan Ponomariov | 2764 | 2011-07 | 1983 | Former world chess champion (FIDE 2002–2004), former youngest Grandmaster (1997–1999), former highest-ranked Ukrainian player (2002–2004, 2006, 2009, 2013) | |
| 36 | Hungary | Peter Leko | 2763 | 2005-04 | 1979 | Former youngest Grandmaster (1994–1997), former highest-ranked Hungarian player (1999–2021, 2022–2024) | |
| Soviet Union United States France | Gata Kamsky | 2763 | 2013-07 | 1974 | Former highest-ranked American player (1990-1991, 1992–2000, 2005–2009, 2008–2010, 2011) | ||
| China | Wang Hao | 2763 | 2020-04 | 1989 | Former highest-ranked Chinese player (2010, 2011–2014) | ||
| China | Wei Yi | 2763 | 2024-10 | 1999 | Youngest player to achieve 2700+ rating, highest-rated Chinese player (2024-) | ||
| 40 | Azerbaijan | Vugar Gashimov | 2761 | 2012-01 | 1986 | 2014 | |
| England | Michael Adams | 2761 | 2013-09 | 1971 | Former highest-ranked English player (1994-1995, 1997–2009, 2010–2019, 2019–2023) | ||
| Russia | Vladislav Artemiev | 2761 | 2019-06 | 1998 | |||
| 43 | Russia | Dmitry Jakovenko | 2760 | 2009-01 | 1983 | Former highest-ranked Russian player (2009) | |
| Poland | Jan-Krzysztof Duda | 2760 | 2021-12 | 1998 | Highest-ranked Polish player (since 2019) | ||
| 45 | Russia | Evgeny Tomashevsky | 2758 | 2015-09 | 1987 | ||
| China | Li Chao | 2758 | 2016-06 | 1989 | |||
| 47 | China | Wang Yue | 2756 | 2010-11 | 1987 | Former highest-ranked Chinese player (2007, 2007–2008, 2008–2010, 2010–2011) | |
| 48 | Soviet Union Latvia Spain | Alexei Shirov | 2755 | 2008-01 | 1972 | Highest-ranked Spanish player (1995–2011, since 2018), former highest-ranked Latvian player (1992–1994, 2011–2018), 6th player to achieve 2700+ rating (1992) | |
| 49 | Georgia Czech Republic Slovakia Armenia | Sergei Movsesian | 2751 | 2009-01 | 1978 | Former highest-ranked Czech player (1999–2002), former highest-ranked Slovak player (2002–2010), highest-ranked Armenian player (since 2021) | |
| Czech Republic | David Navara | 2751 | 2015-05 | 1985 | Former highest-ranked Czech player (2005–2024, 2025) | ||
| Russia England | Nikita Vitiugov | 2751 | 2019-11 | 1987 | Highest-ranked English player (2023–2024, 2025-) | ||
| 52 | Poland | Radosław Wojtaszek | 2750 | 2017-01 | 1987 | Former highest-ranked Polish player (2010–2019) | |
2725–2749 | |||||||
| 53 | France | Étienne Bacrot | 2749 | 2013-11 | 1983 | Former highest-ranked French player (2004–2013, 2013–2014), former youngest Grandmaster (1997) | |
| India | Aravindh Chithambaram | 2749 | 2025-04 | 1999 | |||
| 55 | India | Vidit Gujrathi | 2747 | 2024-02 | 1994 | ||
| 56 | Russia | Dmitry Andreikin | 2743 | 2016-06 | 1990 | ||
| 57 | Iran | Parham Maghsoodloo | 2742 | 2023-12 | 2000 | Highest-ranked Iranian player (2018–2019, since 2019) | |
| 58 | Vietnam | Lê Quang Liêm | 2741 | 2024-08 | 1991 | Highest-ranked Vietnamese player (since 2009) | |
| 59 | Soviet Union Russia Canada | Evgeny Bareev | 2739 | 2003-10 | 1966 | Former highest-ranked Canadian player (2015–2017, 2018–2024) | |
| Russia Slovenia | Vladimir Fedoseev | 2739 | 2025-03 | 1995 | Highest-ranked Slovenian player (since 2023) | ||
| 61 | Russia | Maxim Matlakov | 2738 | 2017-11 | 1991 | ||
| United States | Hans Niemann | 2738 | 2025-10 | 2003 | |||
| 63 | Latvia Germany Azerbaijan Bulgaria | Arkadij Naiditsch | 2737 | 2013-12 | 1985 | Former highest-ranked German player (2006–2008, 2009–2015) | |
| 64 | Hungary | Judit Polgár | 2735 | 2005-07 | 1976 | Highest-ranked female player; first and only female player to achieve 2700+ rating, only female player to be ranked in the world's top 10, former youngest Grandmaster (1991–1994), former highest-ranked Hungarian player (1996–1998) | |
| 65 | Soviet Union Moldova | Viktor Bologan | 2734 | 2012-08 | 1971 | Highest-ranked Moldovan player | |
| Georgia | Baadur Jobava | 2734 | 2012-09 | 1983 | Highest-ranked Georgian player (since 2010) | ||
| 67 | Russia | Vladimir Malakhov | 2732 | 2010-07 | 1980 | ||
| Kyrgyzstan Russia | Ernesto Inarkiev | 2732 | 2016-09 | 1985 | |||
| 69 | China | Bu Xiangzhi | 2731 | 2019-02 | 1985 | Former youngest Grandmaster (1999–2002), former highest-ranked Chinese player (2005–2006, 2008) | |
| United States | Samuel Shankland | 2731 | 2019-02 | 1991 | |||
| 71 | Hungary | Zoltán Almási | 2726 | 2011-07 | 1976 | ||
| Ukraine | Alexander Moiseenko | 2726 | 2011-09 | 1980 | |||
| Uzbekistan | Javokhir Sindarov | 2726 | 2025-12 | 2005 | |||
| 74 | Russia Israel | Evgeny Alekseev | 2725 | 2009-09 | 1985 | ||
| Ukraine | Andrei Volokitin | 2725 | 2013-03 | 1986 | |||
2700–2724 | |||||||
| 76 | China | Ni Hua | 2724 | 2009-04 | 1983 | ||
| Spain | Francisco Vallejo Pons | 2724 | 2011-07 | 1982 | Former highest-ranked Spanish player (2012–2018) | ||
| 78 | Ukraine | Anton Korobov | 2723 | 2014-01 | 1985 | Former highest-rated Ukrainian player (2020, 2021–2022, 2022) | |
| Russia | Andrey Esipenko | 2723 | 2022-03 | 2002 | |||
| 80 | India | Krishnan Sasikiran | 2720 | 2012-05 | 1981 | ||
| Russia | Alexander Riazantsev | 2720 | 2012-07 | 1985 | |||
| Ukraine | Alexander Areshchenko | 2720 | 2012-12 | 1986 | Former highest-rated Ukrainian player (2020, 2021) | ||
| France | Laurent Fressinet | 2720 | 2015-06 | 1981 | |||
| Russia | Daniil Dubov | 2720 | 2021-12 | 1996 | |||
| 85 | Bulgaria Georgia | Ivan Cheparinov | 2718 | 2018-08 | 1986 | ||
| Iran | Amin Tabatabaei | 2718 | 2024-07 | 2001 | |||
| 87 | Cuba United States | Lázaro Bruzón | 2717 | 2012-10 | 1982 | Former highest-ranked Cuban player (2001, 2003–2004, 2005–2007, 2018–2020) | |
| Ukraine | Yuriy Kryvoruchko | 2717 | 2015-11 | 1986 | Former highest-ranked Ukrainian player (2018, 2019, 2020–2021) | ||
| Russia Serbia | Alexey Sarana | 2717 | 2024-07 | 2000 | Highest-ranked Serbian player (since 2023) | ||
| 90 | Soviet Union Russia | Valery Salov | 2715 | 1995-01 | 1964 | 9th player to achieve 2700+ rating (1994) | |
| Uzbekistan | Rustam Kasimdzhanov | 2715 | 2015-05 | 1979 | Former world chess champion (FIDE 2004–2005), former highest-ranked Uzbek player (2000–2023) | ||
| Russia Austria | Kirill Alekseenko | 2715 | 2019-11 | 1997 | Highest-ranked Austrian player (2023-) | ||
| Netherlands | Jorden van Foreest | 2715 | 2022-05 | 1999 | |||
| 94 | Netherlands | Loek van Wely | 2714 | 2001-10 | 1972 | Former highest-ranked Dutch player (2001–2011) | |
| Russia | Denis Khismatullin | 2714 | 2014-03 | 1984 | |||
| 96 | Soviet Union Armenia United States | Vladimir Akopian | 2713 | 2006-07 | 1971 | Former highest-ranked Armenian player (1995–2005) | |
| England | Luke McShane | 2713 | 2012-07 | 1984 | |||
| 98 | England | Nigel Short | 2712 | 2004-04 | 1965 | Former highest-ranked English player (1986–1993, 1996-1997, 2009–2010) | |
| England | David Howell | 2712 | 2015-08 | 1990 | Former highest-rated English player (2019, 2023, 2024–2025) | ||
| Egypt | Bassem Amin | 2712 | 2019-01 | 1988 | Highest-ranked Egyptian player (since 2012), highest-ranked African player (since 2012) | ||
| United States | Jeffery Xiong | 2712 | 2019-11 | 2000 | |||
| Russia Hungary | Sanan Sjugirov | 2712 | 2022-11 | 1993 | |||
| 103 | Soviet Union Russia | Alexey Dreev | 2711 | 2011-07 | 1969 | ||
| Armenia | Gabriel Sargissian | 2711 | 2022-09 | 1983 | |||
| 105 | Soviet Union Ukraine Slovenia | Alexander Beliavsky | 2710 | 1997-07 | 1953 | Former highest-ranked Slovenian player (1996–2023) | |
| Russia Romania | Alexander Motylev | 2710 | 2009-07 | 1979 | |||
| Israel | Maxim Rodshtein | 2710 | 2016-03 | 1989 | |||
| Romania | Bogdan-Daniel Deac | 2710 | 2022-09 | 2001 | Highest-ranked Romanian player (2021–2022, since 2024) | ||
| United States | Awonder Liang | 2710 | 2025-10 | 2003 | |||
| 110 | Azerbaijan | Rauf Mamedov | 2709 | 2017-12 | 1988 | ||
| England | Gawain Jones | 2709 | 2019-06 | 1987 | Former highest rated English player (2019) | ||
| 112 | Ukraine | Zahar Efimenko | 2708 | 2011-03 | 1985 | ||
| Armenia | Haik M. Martirosyan | 2708 | 2023-11 | 2000 | |||
| 114 | Romania Germany | Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu | 2707 | 2005-10 | 1976 | Former highest-ranked Romanian player (1998–2000, 2003–2014), former highest-ranked German player (2015–2023) | |
| Russia | Evgeny Najer | 2707 | 2017-08 | 1977 | |||
| 116 | Yugoslavia Bosnia and Herzegovina Netherlands | Ivan Sokolov | 2706 | 2004-01 | 1968 | Former highest-ranked Bosnian-Herzegovinian player (1993–1994, 1996–2002, 2009–2010) | |
| Hungary | Ferenc Berkes | 2706 | 2011-09 | 1985 | |||
| Soviet Union Russia | Sergei Rublevsky | 2706 | 2013-11 | 1974 | |||
| 119 | Soviet Union Latvia | Mikhail Tal | 2705 | 1980-01 | 1936 | 1992 | Former world champion (1960–1961), former highest-ranked Latvian player (1992), 3rd player to achieve 2700+ rating (1980) |
| Soviet Union Russia Israel Switzerland | Vadim Milov | 2705 | 2008-07 | 1972 | Highest-ranked Swiss player (since 2008) | ||
| Russia | Boris Grachev | 2705 | 2012-03 | 1986 | |||
| Norway | Jon Ludvig Hammer | 2705 | 2016-02 | 1990 | |||
| 123 | Czech Republic | Viktor Láznička | 2704 | 2012-01 | 1989 | ||
| United States | Ray Robson | 2704 | 2023-04 | 1994 | |||
| India | Nihal Sarin | 2704 | 2025-11 | 2004 | |||
| 126 | Soviet Union Israel | Emil Sutovsky | 2703 | 2012-01 | 1977 | ||
| Austria | Markus Ragger | 2703 | 2017-02 | 1988 | Former highest-ranked Austrian player (2010–2023) | ||
| Belarus | Vladislav Kovalev | 2703 | 2019-02 | 1994 | Highest-ranked Belarusian player (since 2019) | ||
| Croatia | Ivan Šarić | 2703 | 2019-03 | 1990 | Highest-ranked Croatian player (since 2011) | ||
| Spain | David Antón Guijarro | 2703 | 2020-03 | 1995 | |||
| United States | Samuel Sevian | 2703 | 2022-05 | 2000 | |||
| 132 | Soviet Union Russia Poland | Michał Krasenkow | 2702 | 2000-07 | 1963 | Former highest-ranked Polish player (1996–2010) | |
| Soviet Union Israel | Ilya Smirin | 2702 | 2001-07 | 1968 | |||
| Soviet Union Germany Russia | Alexander Khalifman | 2702 | 2001-10 | 1966 | Former world chess champion (FIDE 1999–2000), former highest-ranked German player (1991–1992) | ||
| Soviet Union Bosnia and Herzegovina Georgia | Zurab Azmaiparashvili | 2702 | 2003-07 | 1960 | Former highest-ranked Georgian player (1992–1994, 1996–2009) | ||
| France | Romain Edouard | 2702 | 2014-06 | 1990 | |||
| Ukraine Latvia | Igor Kovalenko | 2702 | 2015-08 | 1988 | Former highest-ranked Latvian player (2018–2021), highest-rated Ukrainian player (2025-) | ||
| 138 | Soviet Union Ukraine United States | Alexander Onischuk | 2701 | 2010-07 | 1975 | Former highest-rated American player (2002–2005) | |
| India | Adhiban Baskaran | 2701 | 2019-04 | 1992 | |||
| 140 | Denmark | Peter Heine Nielsen | 2700 | 2010-07 | 1973 | Former highest-ranked Danish player (2004–2022) | |
| Russia | Igor Lysyj | 2700 | 2015-01 | 1987 | |||
Highest-rated female players
| Country | Player | Peak rating | Achieved | Birth year | Death year | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2700+ | |||||||
| 1 | Hungary | Judit Polgár | 2735 | 2005-07 | 1976 | Highest-ranked female player (since 1992), highest-ranked Hungarian female player (since 1989), formerly youngest grandmaster (1991–1994), formerly youngest female grandmaster (1991–2002), formerly female world no. 1 (1989–2015) | |
2600–2699 | |||||||
| 2 | China | Hou Yifan | 2686 | 2015-03 | 1994 | Former women's world champion (2010–2012, 2013–2015, 2016–2017), youngest female grandmaster (since 2008), female world no. 1 (since 2015), highest-ranked Chinese female player (since 2008) | |
| 3 | India | Koneru Humpy | 2623 | 2009-07 | 1987 | Highest-ranked Indian female player (since 2001), formerly youngest female grandmaster (2002–2008) | |
| 4 | Russia | Aleksandra Goryachkina | 2611 | 2021-08 | 1998 | Formerly highest-ranked Russian female player (2020–2023) | |
| 5 | Ukraine Slovenia | Anna Muzychuk | 2606 | 2012-07 | 1990 | Highest-ranked Ukrainian female player (since 2014), formerly highest-ranked Slovenian female player (2004–2014) | |
| 6 | China | Ju Wenjun | 2604 | 2017-03 | 1991 | Current Women's World Chess Champion (since 2018) | |
2500–2599 | |||||||
| 7 | Russia | Tatiana Kosintseva | 2581 | 2010-11 | 1986 | Highest-ranked Russian female player (2010–2020, since 2023) | |
| 8 | China | Zhao Xue | 2579 | 2013-09 | 1985 | ||
| 9 | China | Zhu Jiner | 2579 | 2025-11 | 2002 | ||
| 10 | Hungary United States | Susan Polgar | 2577 | 2005-01 | 1969 | Former women's world champion (1996–1999), formerly youngest female grandmaster (1991), formerly female world no. 1 (1984–1985, 1986), formerly highest-ranked Hungarian female player (1984–1988), formerly highest-ranked American female player (2003–2019) | |
| 11 | Russia | Nadezhda Kosintseva | 2576 | 2010-11 | 1985 | ||
| 12 | China | Xie Jun | 2574 | 2008-01 | 1970 | Former women's world champion (1991–1996, 1999–2001), formerly highest-ranked Chinese female player (1990–2008) | |
| 13 | Georgia | Nana Dzagnidze | 2573 | 2015-06 | 1987 | Highest-ranked Georgian female player (since 2011) | |
| 14 | China | Lei Tingjie | 2569 | 2025-11 | 1997 | ||
| 15 | Ukraine | Mariya Muzychuk | 2563 | 2016-03 | 1992 | Former women's world champion (2015–2016) | |
| Ukraine Russia | Kateryna Lagno | 2563 | 2022-10 | 1989 | Formerly highest-ranked Ukrainian female player (2003–2014) | ||
| 17 | Russia Switzerland | Alexandra Kosteniuk | 2561 | 2018-01 | 1984 | Former women's world champion (2008–2010), highest-ranked Swiss female player (since 2023) | |
| China | Tan Zhongyi | 2561 | 2024-12 | 1991 | Former women's world champion (2017–2018) | ||
| 19 | Soviet Union Georgia | Maia Chiburdanidze | 2560 | 1988-01 | 1961 | Former women's world champion (1978–1991), formerly highest-ranked female player (1985–1992), formerly youngest female grandmaster (1984–1991), formerly female world no. 1 (1980–1982, 1983, 1985–1986, 1987–1988), formerly highest-ranked Soviet female player (1985–1992), formerly highest-ranked Georgian female player (1992–2011) | |
| Soviet Union Ukraine Russia | Alisa Galliamova | 2560 | 1998-07 | 1972 | Formerly highest-ranked Ukrainian female player (1992–1996), formerly highest-ranked Russian female player (1996–2010) | ||
| Bulgaria | Antoaneta Stefanova | 2560 | 2003-01 | 1979 | Former women's world champion (2004–2006), highest-ranked Bulgarian female player (1994, since 1995) | ||
| 22 | Sweden | Pia Cramling | 2550 | 2008-10 | 1963 | Formerly female world no. 1 (1983, 1984), highest-ranked Swedish female player (since 1981) | |
| 23 | China Qatar | Zhu Chen | 2548 | 2008-01 | 1976 | Former women's world champion (2001–2004), highest-ranked Qatari female player (since 2006) | |
| Russia | Valentina Gunina | 2548 | 2015-06 | 1989 | |||
| 25 | India | Harika Dronavalli | 2543 | 2016-11 | 1991 | ||
| 26 | Lithuania | Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen | 2542 | 2017-06 | 1983 | Highest-ranked Lithuanian female player (since 1999) | |
| 27 | Ukraine United States | Anna Zatonskih | 2537 | 2011-05 | 1978 | Highest-ranked American female player (since 2019) | |
| France | Marie Sebag | 2537 | 2013-03 | 1986 | Highest-ranked French female player (since 2007) | ||
| 29 | Georgia | Bella Khotenashvili | 2531 | 2013-06 | 1988 | ||
| 30 | Georgia | Nino Batsiashvili | 2528 | 2018-03 | 1987 | ||
| 31 | Armenia | Elina Danielian | 2521 | 2011-07 | 1978 | Highest-ranked Armenian female player (1994–2002, 2004–2005, since 2008) | |
| 32 | Soviet Union Georgia | Nana Ioseliani | 2520 | 1997-07 | 1962 | ||
| 33 | Kazakhstan | Dinara Saduakassova | 2519 | 2020-01 | 1996 | Highest-ranked Kazakhstani female player (2014–2016, 2017–2018, since 2018) | |
| 34 | China | Xu Yuhua | 2517 | 2006-04 | 1976 | Former women's world champion (2006–2008) | |
| 35 | Russia | Polina Shuvalova | 2516 | 2021-12 | 2001 | ||
| 36 | Germany | Elisabeth Pähtz | 2513 | 2018-09 | 1985 | Highest-ranked German female player (since 2008) | |
| Kazakhstan Russia | Bibisara Assaubayeva | 2513 | 2025-10 | 2004 | |||
| 38 | China | Wang Lei | 2512 | 2001-10 | 1975 | ||
| 39 | Vietnam Hungary | Hoang Thanh Trang | 2511 | 2013-11 | 1980 | Formerly highest-ranked Vietnamese female player (1992–2006) | |
| 40 | Russia | Natalia Pogonina | 2508 | 2014-07 | 1985 | ||
| 41 | Russia | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | 2507 | 2001-07 | 1974 | ||
| Kazakhstan | Zhansaya Abdumalik | 2507 | 2021-10 | 2000 | Formerly highest-ranked Kazakhstani female player (2017, 2018) | ||
| 43 | Soviet Union Georgia Scotland | Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant | 2506 | 2009-07 | 1968 | Highest-ranked Scottish female player (since 2008) | |
| China | Wang Pin | 2506 | 2000-10 | 1974 | |||
| India | Vaishali Rameshbabu | 2506 | 2024-08 | 2001 | |||
| 46 | Hungary | Sofia Polgar | 2505 | 1998-07 | 1974 | ||
| Poland | Monika Soćko | 2505 | 2008-04 | 1978 | Highest-ranked Polish female player (1999–2001, since 2005, shared since 2022) | ||
| Russia | Olga Girya | 2505 | 2017-09 | 1991 | |||
| Russia Poland | Alina Kashlinskaya | 2505 | 2022-06 | 1993 | Highest-ranked Polish female player (shared since 2022) | ||
| India | Divya Deshmukh | 2505 | 2025-11 | 2005 | |||
| 51 | Armenia | Lilit Mkrtchian | 2503 | 2010-01 | 1982 | Formerly highest-ranked Armenian female player (2002–2003, 2005–2007) | |
| China | Ruan Lufei | 2503 | 2014-01 | 1987 | |||
| 53 | Soviet Union Kyrgyzstan Russia | Svetlana Matveeva | 2502 | 2004-01 | 1969 | Formerly highest-ranked Russian female player (1992, 1994–1996), formerly highest-ranked Kyrgyzstani female player (1993) | |
| Ukraine | Anna Ushenina | 2502 | 2007-07 | 1985 | Former women's world champion (2012–2013) | ||
| United States | Irina Krush | 2502 | 2013-10 | 1983 | Formerly highest-ranked American female player (2002) | ||
| 56 | China | Qin Kanying | 2501 | 2000-07 | 1974 | ||
| Moldova France | Almira Skripchenko | 2501 | 2003-01 | 1976 | Formerly highest-ranked Moldovan female player (1995–2001), highest-ranked French female player (2002–2007) | ||
| 58 | Georgia | Lela Javakhishvili | 2500 | 2010-03 | 1984 | ||
Highest ratings by decade
This section lists the top 20 active players by peak FIDE rating achieved in every decade since 1971, when FIDE started officially publishing rating lists.
1970s
1980s
1990s
| Country | Player | Peak rating in 1990s | Achieved | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garry Kasparov | 2851 | 1999-07 | |
| 2 | Viswanathan Anand | 2795 | 1998-07 | |
| 3 | Vladimir Kramnik | 2790 | 1998-01 | |
| 4 | Anatoly Karpov | 2780 | 1994-07 | |
| 5 | Alexander Morozevich | 2758 | 1999-07 | |
| 6 | Veselin Topalov | 2750 | 1996-07 | |
| 7 | Gata Kamsky | 2745 | 1996-07 | |
| 8 | Alexei Shirov | 2740 | 1994-07 | |
| Vasyl Ivanchuk | 2740 | 1995-07 | ||
| 10 | Michael Adams | 2716 | 1999-01 | |
| 11 | Valery Salov | 2715 | 1995-01 | |
| 12 | Peter Svidler | 2713 | 1999-01 | |
| Boris Gelfand | 2713 | 1999-07 | ||
| 14 | Alexander Beliavsky | 2710 | 1997-07 | |
| 15 | Peter Leko | 2701 | 1999-07 | |
| 16 | Evgeny Bareev | 2698 | 1999-07 | |
| 17 | Nigel Short | 2697 | 1999-01 | |
| 18 | Sergei Rublevsky | 2685 | 1998-07 | |
| 19 | Zurab Azmaiparashvili | 2681 | 1999-01 | |
| 20 | Jan Timman | 2680 | 1990-01 | |
| Artur Yusupov | 2680 | 1995-07 |
2000s
| Country | Player | Peak rating in 2000s | Achieved | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garry Kasparov | 2851 | 2000-01 | |
| 2 | Veselin Topalov | 2813 | 2006-07 | |
| 3 | Vladimir Kramnik | 2811 | 2002-01 | |
| 4 | Viswanathan Anand | 2803 | 2006-04 | |
| 5 | Magnus Carlsen | 2801 | 2009-11 | |
| 6 | Alexander Morozevich | 2788 | 2008-07 | |
| 7 | Vasyl Ivanchuk | 2787 | 2007-10 | |
| 8 | Levon Aronian | 2786 | 2009-11 | |
| 9 | Peter Svidler | 2765 | 2006-01 | |
| 10 | Peter Leko | 2763 | 2005-04 | |
| 11 | Teimour Radjabov | 2761 | 2009-01 | |
| 12 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2760 | 2008-01 | |
| Dmitry Jakovenko | 2760 | 2009-01 | ||
| 14 | Vugar Gashimov | 2758 | 2009-11 | |
| Boris Gelfand | 2758 | 2009-11 | ||
| 16 | Alexei Shirov | 2755 | 2008-01 | |
| Michael Adams | 2755 | 2000-07 | ||
| 18 | Sergei Movsesian | 2751 | 2009-01 | |
| 19 | Alexander Grischuk | 2748 | 2009-04 | |
| 20 | Ruslan Ponomariov | 2743 | 2002-04 |
2010s
| Country | Player | Peak rating in 2010s | Achieved | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magnus Carlsen | 2882 | 2014-05 | |
| 2 | Fabiano Caruana | 2844 | 2014-10 | |
| 3 | Levon Aronian | 2830 | 2014-03 | |
| 4 | Wesley So | 2822 | 2017-02 | |
| 5 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2820 | 2018-09 | |
| 6 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | 2819 | 2016-08 | |
| 7 | Viswanathan Anand | 2817 | 2011-03 | |
| Vladimir Kramnik | 2817 | 2016-10 | ||
| 9 | Veselin Topalov | 2816 | 2015-07 | |
| Hikaru Nakamura | 2816 | 2015-10 | ||
| Ding Liren | 2816 | 2018-11 | ||
| 12 | Alexander Grischuk | 2810 | 2014-12 | |
| 13 | Anish Giri | 2798 | 2015-10 | |
| 14 | Teimour Radjabov | 2793 | 2012-11 | |
| 15 | Sergey Karjakin | 2788 | 2011-07 | |
| 16 | Vasyl Ivanchuk | 2779 | 2011-03 | |
| 17 | Boris Gelfand | 2777 | 2013-11 | |
| 18 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 2776 | 2019-09 | |
| 19 | Alexander Morozevich | 2770 | 2012-07 | |
| Pentala Harikrishna | 2770 | 2016-12 |
2020s
| Country | Player | Peak rating in 2020s | Achieved | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Magnus Carlsen | 2872 | 2020-01 | |
| 2 | Fabiano Caruana | 2842 | 2020-02 | |
| 3 | Hikaru Nakamura | 2816 | 2025-10 | |
| 4 | Ding Liren | 2811 | 2022-10 | |
| 5 | Alireza Firouzja | 2804 | 2021-12 | |
| 6 | Arjun Erigaisi | 2801 | 2024-12 | |
| 7 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 2795 | 2023-03 | |
| 8 | Gukesh Dommaraju | 2794 | 2024-10 | |
| 9 | Levon Aronian | 2785 | 2022-03 | |
| Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa | 2785 | 2025-09 | ||
| 11 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | 2784 | 2020-10 | |
| 12 | Nodirbek Abdusattorov | 2783 | 2024-10 | |
| 13 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2782 | 2021-07 | |
| 14 | Anish Giri | 2780 | 2021-05 | |
| 15 | Alexander Grischuk | 2778 | 2021-07 | |
| Wesley So | 2778 | 2021-09 | ||
| 17 | Richárd Rapport | 2776 | 2022-04 | |
| Vincent Keymer | 2776 | 2025-12 | ||
| 19 | Teimour Radjabov | 2765 | 2020-01 | |
| 20 | Wang Hao | 2763 | 2020-04 | |
| Wei Yi | 2763 | 2024-10 |
List of rating peaks throughout history
| Player | Rating | Achieved |
|---|---|---|
| Bobby Fischer | 2760 | 1971-07 |
| 2785 | 1972-07 | |
| Garry Kasparov | 2800 | 1990-01 |
| 2805 | 1993-01 | |
| 2815 | 1993-07 | |
| 2820 | 1997-07 | |
| 2825 | 1998-01 | |
| 2851 | 1999-07 | |
| Magnus Carlsen | 2861 | 2013-01 |
| 2872 | 2013-02 | |
| 2881 | 2014-03 | |
| 2882 | 2014-05 |
See also
wikipedia, wiki, encyclopedia, book, library, article, read, free download, Information about List of chess players by peak FIDE rating, What is List of chess players by peak FIDE rating? What does List of chess players by peak FIDE rating mean?