# List of chess players by peak FIDE rating

This list of top-ranked chess grandmasters is ordered by their peak Elo rating. 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.
Notably, only six players achieved their over-2700 peak before the year 2000 and twenty-one players achieved their respective peak between the years 2000 and 2009 (inclusive).

## List

FIDE players ordered by peak Elo rating :
| | 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, formerly world no. 1 (1984–1993, 1995–2006), former world champion (1985–2000), first player to achieve 2800+ rating, formerly highest-ranked player (1990–2012) |
| 3 | Italy United States | Fabiano Caruana | 2844 | 2014-10 | 1992 | | Highest-ranked American player (since 2015), formerly highest-ranked Italian player (2007–2015) |
| 4 | Armenia Germany United States | Levon Aronian | 2830 | 2014-03 | 1982 | | Formerly highest-ranked Armenian player (2005–2021) |
| 5 | Philippines United States | Wesley So | 2822 | 2017-02 | 1993 | | Formerly highest-ranked Filipino player (2009–2014) |
| 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 | | Highest-ranked French player (2013, since 2014) |
| 8 | India | Viswanathan Anand | 2817 | 2011-03 | 1969 | | Highest-ranked Indian player (since 1987), former world champion (2007–2013, FIDE 2000–2002), formerly world no. 1 (2007, 2008, 2010, 2011) |
| 8 | Soviet Union Russia | Vladimir Kramnik | 2817 | 2016-10 | 1975 | | Former world champion (2000–2007), formerly world no. 1 (1996, 2008), formerly youngest player to achieve 2800+ rating |
| 10 | Bulgaria | Veselin Topalov | 2816 | 2015-07 | 1975 | | Highest-ranked Bulgarian player (since 1993), former world champion (FIDE 2005–2006), formerly world no. 1 (2006–2007, 2008–2009) |
| 10 | United States | Hikaru Nakamura | 2816 | 2015-10 | 1987 | | Formerly highest-ranked American player (2011–2015) |
| 10 | China | Ding Liren | 2816 | 2018-11 | 1992 | | Highest-ranked Chinese player (since 2015), former World Chess Champion (2023–2024) |
| 13 | Russia | Alexander Grischuk | 2810 | 2014-12 | 1983 | | |
| 14 | Iran France | Alireza Firouzja | 2804 | 2021-12 | 2003 | | Highest-ranked Iranian-born player, formerly highest-ranked Iranian player (2019), youngest player to achieve 2800+ rating |
| 15 | India | Arjun Erigaisi | 2801 | 2024-12 | 2003 | | |
| 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 | | |
| 18 | India | Gukesh Dommaraju | 2794 | 2024-10 | 2006 | | Current World Chess Champion (since 2024) |
| 19 | Azerbaijan | Teimour Radjabov | 2793 | 2012-11 | 1987 | | Formerly highest-ranked Azerbaijani player (2002–2005, 2006, 2009–2010, 2011–2017) |
| 20 | Russia | Alexander Morozevich | 2788 | 2008-07 | 1977 | | |
| 20 | Ukraine Russia | Sergey Karjakin | 2788 | 2011-07 | 1990 | | Highest-ranked Ukrainian-born player, formerly youngest grandmaster (2002–2021) |
| 22 | Soviet Union Ukraine | Vasyl Ivanchuk | 2787 | 2007-10 | 1969 | | Highest-ranked Ukrainian player (1992–2002, since 2005) |
| 23 | United States | Bobby Fischer | 2785 | 1972-07 | 1943 | 2008 | Former world champion (1972–1975), formerly highest-ranked player (1971–1989), formerly highest-ranked American player (1971–2008), formerly world no. 1 (1971–1975), formerly youngest grandmaster (1958–1991), first player to achieve 2700+ rating |
| 24 | Uzbekistan | Nodirbek Abdusattorov | 2783 | 2024-10 | 2004 | | Highest-ranked Uzbekistani player (since 2023) |
| 25 | Soviet Union Russia | Anatoly Karpov | 2780 | 1994-07 | 1951 | | Former world champion (1975–1985, FIDE 1993–1999), formerly world no. 1 (1976–1983, 1985, 1994), formerly highest-ranked Soviet player (1974–1986) |
| 26 | Soviet Union Belarus Israel | Boris Gelfand | 2777 | 2013-11 | 1968 | | Highest-ranked Israeli player (since 1999), formerly highest-ranked Belarusian player (1993–1998) |
| 27 | Hungary Romania | Richárd Rapport | 2776 | 2022-04 | 1996 | | Highest-ranked Hungarian player (2021–2022, since 2024), formerly highest-ranked Romanian player (2022-2024) |
| 2750–2774 ||||||||
| 28 | India | Pentala Harikrishna | 2770 | 2016-12 | 1986 | | |
| 29 | Soviet Union Russia | Peter Svidler | 2769 | 2013-05 | 1976 | | |
| 30 | Cuba United States | Leinier Domínguez | 2768 | 2014-05 | 1983 | | Highest-ranked Cuban-born player, formerly highest-ranked Cuban player (1998–2001, 2001–2003, 2004–2005, 2007–2018) |
| 31 | Ukraine | Pavel Eljanov | 2765 | 2016-03 | 1983 | | |
| 31 | China | Yu Yangyi | 2765 | 2018-09 | 1994 | | |
| 33 | Ukraine | Ruslan Ponomariov | 2764 | 2011-07 | 1983 | | Former world chess champion (FIDE 2002–2004), formerly youngest grandmaster (1997–1999), formerly highest-ranked Ukrainian player (2002–2005) |
| 34 | Hungary | Peter Leko | 2763 | 2005-04 | 1979 | | Formerly youngest grandmaster (1994–1997), formerly highest-ranked Hungarian player (1999–2021, 2022–2024) |
| 34 | Soviet Union United States | Gata Kamsky | 2763 | 2013-07 | 1974 | | Formerly highest-ranked American player (2008–2010) |
| 34 | China | Wang Hao | 2763 | 2020-04 | 1989 | | |
| 34 | China | Wei Yi | 2763 | 2024-10 | 1999 | | Youngest player to achieve 2700+ rating |
| 38 | Azerbaijan | Vugar Gashimov | 2761 | 2012-01 | 1986 | 2014 | |
| 38 | England | Michael Adams | 2761 | 2013-09 | 1971 | | Highest-ranked English player (since 1998) |
| 38 | Russia | Vladislav Artemiev | 2761 | 2019-06 | 1998 | | |
| 41 | Russia | Dmitry Jakovenko | 2760 | 2009-01 | 1983 | | |
| 41 | Poland | Jan-Krzysztof Duda | 2760 | 2021-12 | 1998 | | Highest-ranked Polish player (since 2019) |
| 43 | Russia | Evgeny Tomashevsky | 2758 | 2015-09 | 1987 | | |
| 43 | China | Li Chao | 2758 | 2016-06 | 1989 | | |
| 43 | India | Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa | 2758 | 2025-03 | 2005 | | |
| 46 | China | Wang Yue | 2756 | 2010-11 | 1987 | | Formerly highest-ranked Chinese player (2007–2008, 2008–2015) |
| 47 | Soviet Union Latvia Spain | Alexei Shirov | 2755 | 2008-01 | 1972 | | Highest-ranked Spanish player (1995–2011, since 2018), formerly highest-ranked Latvian player (1992–1994, 2011–2018) |
| 48 | Georgia Czech Republic Slovakia Armenia | Sergei Movsesian | 2751 | 2009-01 | 1978 | | Formerely highest-ranked Czech player (1999–2002), formerly highest-ranked Slovak player (2002–2010), highest-ranked Armenian player (since 2021) |
| 48 | Czech Republic | David Navara | 2751 | 2015-05 | 1985 | | Highest-ranked Czech player (since 2005) |
| 48 | Russia England | Nikita Vitiugov | 2751 | 2019-11 | 1987 | | |
| 51 | Poland | Radosław Wojtaszek | 2750 | 2017-01 | 1987 | | Formerly highest-ranked Polish player (2010–2019) |
| 2725–2749 ||||||||
| 52 | France | Étienne Bacrot | 2749 | 2013-11 | 1983 | | Formerly highest-ranked French player (2004–2013, 2013–2014), formerly youngest grandmaster (1997) |
| 53 | India | Vidit Gujrathi | 2747 | 2024-02 | 1994 | | |
| 54 | Russia | Dmitry Andreikin | 2743 | 2016-06 | 1990 | | |
| 54 | Germany | Vincent Keymer | 2743 | 2024-01 | 2004 | | Highest-ranked German player (since 2023) |
| 56 | Iran | Parham Maghsoodloo | 2742 | 2023-12 | 2000 | | Highest-ranked Iranian player (2018–2019, since 2019) |
| 57 | Vietnam | Lê Quang Liêm | 2741 | 2024-08 | 1991 | | Highest-ranked Vietnamese player (since 2009) |
| 58 | Soviet Union Russia Canada | Evgeny Bareev | 2739 | 2003-10 | 1966 | | Highest-ranked Canadian player (since 2015) |
| 58 | Russia Slovenia | Vladimir Fedoseev | 2739 | 2025-03 | 1995 | | Highest-ranked Slovenian player (since 2023) |
| 60 | Russia | Maxim Matlakov | 2738 | 2017-11 | 1991 | | |
| 61 | Latvia Germany Azerbaijan Bulgaria | Arkadij Naiditsch | 2737 | 2013-12 | 1985 | | Formerly highest-ranked German player (2006–2008, 2009–2015) |
| 62 | 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, formerly youngest grandmaster (1991–1994), formerly highest-ranked Hungarian player (1996–1998) |
| 63 | Soviet Union Moldova | Viktor Bologan | 2734 | 2012-08 | 1971 | | Highest-ranked Moldovan player |
| 63 | Georgia | Baadur Jobava | 2734 | 2012-09 | 1983 | | Highest-ranked Georgian player (since 2010) |
| 63 | United States | Hans Niemann | 2734 | 2024-11 | 2003 | | |
| 66 | Russia | Vladimir Malakhov | 2732 | 2010-07 | 1980 | | |
| 66 | Kyrgyzstan Russia | Ernesto Inarkiev | 2732 | 2016-09 | 1985 | | |
| 68 | China | Bu Xiangzhi | 2731 | 2019-02 | 1985 | | Formerly youngest grandmaster (1999–2002), formerly highest-ranked Chinese player (2008) |
| 68 | United States | Samuel Shankland | 2731 | 2019-02 | 1991 | | |
| 68 | India | Aravindh Chithambaram | 2731 | 2025-03 | 1999 | | |
| 71 | Hungary | Zoltán Almási | 2726 | 2011-07 | 1976 | | |
| 71 | Ukraine | Alexander Moiseenko | 2726 | 2011-09 | 1980 | | |
| 73 | Russia Israel | Evgeny Alekseev | 2725 | 2009-09 | 1985 | | |
| 73 | Ukraine | Andrei Volokitin | 2725 | 2013-03 | 1986 | | |
| 2700–2724 ||||||||
| 75 | China | Ni Hua | 2724 | 2009-04 | 1983 | | |
| 75 | Spain | Francisco Vallejo Pons | 2724 | 2011-07 | 1982 | | Formerly highest-ranked Spanish player (2012–2018) |
| 77 | Ukraine | Anton Korobov | 2723 | 2014-01 | 1985 | | |
| 77 | Russia | Andrey Esipenko | 2723 | 2022-03 | 2002 | | |
| 79 | India | Krishnan Sasikiran | 2720 | 2012-05 | 1981 | | |
| 79 | Russia | Alexander Riazantsev | 2720 | 2012-07 | 1985 | | |
| 79 | Ukraine | Alexander Areshchenko | 2720 | 2012-12 | 1986 | | |
| 79 | France | Laurent Fressinet | 2720 | 2015-06 | 1981 | | |
| 79 | Russia | Daniil Dubov | 2720 | 2021-12 | 1996 | | |
| 84 | Bulgaria Georgia | Ivan Cheparinov | 2718 | 2018-08 | 1986 | | |
| 84 | Iran | Amin Tabatabaei | 2718 | 2024-07 | 2001 | | |
| 86 | Cuba United States | Lázaro Bruzón | 2717 | 2012-10 | 1982 | | Formerly highest-ranked Cuban player (2001, 2003–2004, 2005–2007, 2018–2020) |
| 86 | Ukraine | Yuriy Kryvoruchko | 2717 | 2015-11 | 1986 | | |
| 86 | Russia Serbia | Alexey Sarana | 2717 | 2024-07 | 2000 | | Highest-ranked Serbian player (since 2023) |
| 89 | Soviet Union Russia | Valery Salov | 2715 | 1995-01 | 1964 | | |
| 89 | Uzbekistan | Rustam Kasimdzhanov | 2715 | 2015-05 | 1979 | | Former world chess champion (FIDE 2004–2005), formerly highest-ranked Uzbekistani player (2000–2023) |
| 89 | Russia Austria | Kirill Alekseenko | 2715 | 2019-11 | 1997 | | Highest-ranked Austrian player (since 2023) |
| 89 | Netherlands | Jorden van Foreest | 2715 | 2022-05 | 1999 | | |
| 93 | Netherlands | Loek van Wely | 2714 | 2001-10 | 1972 | | Formerly highest-ranked Dutch player (2001–2011) |
| 93 | Russia | Denis Khismatullin | 2714 | 2014-03 | 1984 | | |
| 95 | Soviet Union Armenia United States | Vladimir Akopian | 2713 | 2006-07 | 1971 | | Formerly highest-ranked Armenian player (1995–2005) |
| 95 | England | Luke McShane | 2713 | 2012-07 | 1984 | | |
| 97 | England | Nigel Short | 2712 | 2004-04 | 1965 | | Formerly highest-ranked English player (1987–1998) |
| 97 | England | David Howell | 2712 | 2015-08 | 1990 | | |
| 97 | Egypt | Bassem Amin | 2712 | 2019-01 | 1988 | | Highest-ranked Egyptian player (since 2012), highest-ranked African player (since 2012) |
| 97 | United States | Jeffery Xiong | 2712 | 2019-11 | 2000 | | |
| 97 | Russia Hungary | Sanan Sjugirov | 2712 | 2022-11 | 1993 | | |
| 102 | Soviet Union Russia | Alexey Dreev | 2711 | 2011-07 | 1969 | | |
| 102 | Armenia | Gabriel Sargissian | 2711 | 2022-09 | 1983 | | |
| 104 | Soviet Union Ukraine Slovenia | Alexander Beliavsky | 2710 | 1997-07 | 1953 | | Formerly highest-ranked Slovenian player (1996–2023) |
| 104 | Russia Romania | Alexander Motylev | 2710 | 2009-07 | 1979 | | |
| 104 | Israel | Maxim Rodshtein | 2710 | 2016-03 | 1989 | | |
| 104 | Romania | Bogdan-Daniel Deac | 2710 | 2022-09 | 2001 | | Highest-ranked Romanian player (2021–2022, since 2024) |
| 108 | Azerbaijan | Rauf Mamedov | 2709 | 2017-12 | 1988 | | |
| 108 | England | Gawain Jones | 2709 | 2019-06 | 1987 | | |
| 110 | Ukraine | Zahar Efimenko | 2708 | 2011-03 | 1985 | | |
| 110 | Armenia | Haik M. Martirosyan | 2708 | 2023-11 | 2000 | | |
| 112 | Romania Germany | Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu | 2707 | 2005-10 | 1976 | | Formerly highest-ranked Romanian player (1998–2000, 2003–2014), formerly highest-ranked German player (2015–2023) |
| 112 | Russia | Evgeny Najer | 2707 | 2017-08 | 1977 | | |
| 112 | Uzbekistan | Javokhir Sindarov | 2707 | 2025-03 | 2005 | | |
| 115 | Yugoslavia Bosnia and Herzegovina Netherlands | Ivan Sokolov | 2706 | 2004-01 | 1968 | | Formerly highest-ranked Bosnian-Herzegovinian player (1993–1994, 1996–2002, 2009–2010) |
| 115 | Hungary | Ferenc Berkes | 2706 | 2011-09 | 1985 | | |
| 115 | Soviet Union Russia | Sergei Rublevsky | 2706 | 2013-11 | 1974 | | |
| 118 | Soviet Union Latvia | Mikhail Tal | 2705 | 1980-01 | 1936 | 1992 | Former world champion (1960–1961), formerly highest-ranked Latvian player (1992) |
| 118 | Soviet Union Russia Israel Switzerland | Vadim Milov | 2705 | 2008-07 | 1972 | | Highest-ranked Swiss player (since 2008) |
| 118 | Russia | Boris Grachev | 2705 | 2012-03 | 1986 | | |
| 118 | Norway | Jon Ludvig Hammer | 2705 | 2016-02 | 1990 | | |
| 122 | Czech Republic | Viktor Láznička | 2704 | 2012-01 | 1989 | | |
| 122 | United States | Ray Robson | 2704 | 2023-04 | 1994 | | |
| 124 | Soviet Union Israel | Emil Sutovsky | 2703 | 2012-01 | 1977 | | |
| 124 | Austria | Markus Ragger | 2703 | 2017-02 | 1988 | | Formerly highest-ranked Austrian player (2010–2023) |
| 124 | Belarus | Vladislav Kovalev | 2703 | 2019-02 | 1994 | | Highest-ranked Belarusian player (since 2019) |
| 124 | Croatia | Ivan Šarić | 2703 | 2019-03 | 1990 | | Highest-ranked Croatian player (since 2011) |
| 124 | Spain | David Antón Guijarro | 2703 | 2020-03 | 1995 | | |
| 124 | United States | Samuel Sevian | 2703 | 2022-05 | 2000 | | |
| 130 | Soviet Union Russia Poland | Michał Krasenkow | 2702 | 2000-07 | 1963 | | Formerly highest-ranked Polish player (1996–2010) |
| 130 | Soviet Union Israel | Ilya Smirin | 2702 | 2001-07 | 1968 | | |
| 130 | Soviet Union Germany Russia | Alexander Khalifman | 2702 | 2001-10 | 1966 | | Former world chess champion (FIDE 1999–2000), formerly highest-ranked German player (1991–1992) |
| 130 | Soviet Union Bosnia and Herzegovina Georgia | Zurab Azmaiparashvili | 2702 | 2003-07 | 1960 | | Formerly highest-ranked Georgian player (1992–1994, 1996–2009) |
| 130 | France | Romain Edouard | 2702 | 2014-06 | 1990 | | |
| 130 | Ukraine Latvia | Igor Kovalenko | 2702 | 2015-08 | 1988 | | Formerly highest-ranked Latvian player (2018–2021) |
| 136 | Soviet Union Ukraine United States | Alexander Onischuk | 2701 | 2010-07 | 1975 | | |
| 136 | India | Adhiban Baskaran | 2701 | 2019-04 | 1992 | | |
| 138 | Denmark | Peter Heine Nielsen | 2700 | 2010-07 | 1973 | | Highest-ranked Danish player (since 2004) |
| 138 | Russia | Igor Lysyj | 2700 | 2015-01 | 1987 | | |

## Highest-rated female players

FIDE women players ordered by peak Elo rating :
| | Country | Player | Peak rating | Achieved | Birth 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 | 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) |
| 10 | Russia | Nadezhda Kosintseva | 2576 | 2010-11 | 1985 | |
| 11 | China | Xie Jun | 2574 | 2008-01 | 1970 | Former women's world champion (1991–1996, 1999–2001), formerly highest-ranked Chinese female player (1990–2008) |
| 12 | Georgia | Nana Dzagnidze | 2573 | 2015-06 | 1987 | Highest-ranked Georgian female player (since 2011) |
| 13 | Ukraine | Mariya Muzychuk | 2563 | 2016-03 | 1992 | Former women's world champion (2015–2016) |
| 13 | Ukraine Russia | Kateryna Lagno | 2563 | 2022-10 | 1989 | Formerly highest-ranked Ukrainian female player (2003–2014) |
| 15 | Russia Switzerland | Alexandra Kosteniuk | 2561 | 2018-01 | 1984 | Former women's world champion (2008–2010), highest-ranked Swiss female player (since 2023) |
| 15 | China | Tan Zhongyi | 2561 | 2024-12 | 1991 | Former women's world champion (2017–2018) |
| 17 | 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) |
| 17 | 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) |
| 17 | Bulgaria | Antoaneta Stefanova | 2560 | 2003-01 | 1979 | Former women's world champion (2004–2006), highest-ranked Bulgarian female player (1994, since 1995) |
| 20 | China | Lei Tingjie | 2554 | 2023-05 | 1997 | |
| 21 | Sweden | Pia Cramling | 2550 | 2008-10 | 1963 | Formerly female world no. 1 (1983, 1984), highest-ranked Swedish female player (since 1981) |
| 22 | China Qatar | Zhu Chen | 2548 | 2008-01 | 1976 | Former women's world champion (2001–2004), highest-ranked Qatari female player (since 2006) |
| 22 | Russia | Valentina Gunina | 2548 | 2015-06 | 1989 | |
| 24 | India | Harika Dronavalli | 2543 | 2016-11 | 1991 | |
| 25 | Lithuania | Viktorija Čmilytė-Nielsen | 2542 | 2017-06 | 1983 | Highest-ranked Lithuanian female player (since 1999) |
| 26 | Ukraine United States | Anna Zatonskih | 2537 | 2011-05 | 1978 | Highest-ranked American female player (since 2019) |
| 26 | France | Marie Sebag | 2537 | 2013-03 | 1986 | Highest-ranked French female player (since 2007) |
| 28 | Georgia | Bella Khotenashvili | 2531 | 2013-06 | 1988 | |
| 29 | Georgia | Nino Batsiashvili | 2528 | 2018-03 | 1987 | |
| 30 | Armenia | Elina Danielian | 2521 | 2011-07 | 1978 | Highest-ranked Armenian female player (1994–2002, 2004–2005, since 2008) |
| 31 | Soviet Union Georgia | Nana Ioseliani | 2520 | 1997-07 | 1962 | |
| 32 | Kazakhstan | Dinara Saduakassova | 2519 | 2020-01 | 1996 | Highest-ranked Kazakhstani female player (2014–2016, 2017–2018, since 2018) |
| 33 | China | Xu Yuhua | 2517 | 2006-04 | 1976 | Former women's world champion (2006–2008) |
| 34 | Russia | Polina Shuvalova | 2516 | 2021-12 | 2001 | |
| 35 | China | Zhu Jiner | 2514 | 2024-11 | 2002 | |
| 36 | Germany | Elisabeth Pähtz | 2513 | 2018-09 | 1985 | Highest-ranked German female player (since 2008) |
| 37 | China | Wang Lei | 2512 | 2001-10 | 1975 | |
| 38 | Vietnam Hungary | Hoang Thanh Trang | 2511 | 2013-11 | 1980 | Formerly highest-ranked Vietnamese female player (1992–2006) |
| 39 | Russia | Natalia Pogonina | 2508 | 2014-07 | 1985 | |
| 40 | Russia | Ekaterina Kovalevskaya | 2507 | 2001-07 | 1974 | |
| 40 | Kazakhstan | Zhansaya Abdumalik | 2507 | 2021-10 | 2000 | Formerly highest-ranked Kazakhstani female player (2017, 2018) |
| 42 | Soviet Union Georgia Scotland | Ketevan Arakhamia-Grant | 2506 | 2009-07 | 1968 | Highest-ranked Scottish female player (since 2008) |
| 42 | China | Wang Pin | 2506 | 2000-10 | 1974 | |
| 42 | India | Vaishali Rameshbabu | 2506 | 2024-08 | 2001 | |
| 45 | Hungary | Sofia Polgar | 2505 | 1998-07 | 1974 | |
| 45 | Poland | Monika Soćko | 2505 | 2008-04 | 1978 | Highest-ranked Polish female player (1999–2001, since 2005, shared since 2022) |
| 45 | Russia | Olga Girya | 2505 | 2017-09 | 1991 | |
| 45 | Russia Poland | Alina Kashlinskaya | 2505 | 2022-06 | 1993 | Highest-ranked Polish female player (shared since 2022) |
| 49 | Armenia | Lilit Mkrtchian | 2503 | 2010-01 | 1982 | Formerly highest-ranked Armenian female player (2002–2003, 2005–2007) |
| 49 | China | Ruan Lufei | 2503 | 2014-01 | 1987 | |
| 51 | 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) |
| 51 | Ukraine | Anna Ushenina | 2502 | 2007-07 | 1985 | Former women's world champion (2012–2013) |
| 51 | United States | Irina Krush | 2502 | 2013-10 | 1983 | Formerly highest-ranked American female player (2002) |
| 54 | China | Qin Kanying | 2501 | 2000-07 | 1974 | |
| 54 | Moldova France | Almira Skripchenko | 2501 | 2003-01 | 1976 | Formerly highest-ranked Moldovan female player (1995–2001), highest-ranked French female player (2002–2007) |
| 54 | India | Divya Deshmukh | 2501 | 2024-10 | 2005 | |
| 57 | 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

Chess players ordered by peak FIDE rating in 1970s :
| | Player | Peak rating in 1970s | Achieved |
| 1 | Bobby Fischer | 2785 | 1972-07 |
| 2 | Anatoly Karpov | 2725 | 1978-01 |
| 3 | Viktor Korchnoi | 2695 | 1979-01 |
| 4 | Boris Spassky | 2690 | 1971-07 |
| 5 | Bent Larsen | 2660 | 1971-07 |
| 5 | Mikhail Tal | 2660 | 1973-07 |
| 7 | Lajos Portisch | 2650 | 1973-07 |
| 8 | Tigran Petrosian | 2645 | 1972-07 |
| 8 | Lev Polugaevsky | 2645 | 1972-07 |
| 10 | Henrique Mecking | 2635 | 1977-01 |
| 11 | Mikhail Botvinnik | 2630 | 1971-07 |
| 12 | Lubomir Kavalek | 2625 | 1974-05 |
| 12 | Jan Timman | 2625 | 1979-01 |
| 14 | Vassily Smyslov | 2620 | 1971-07 |
| 14 | Leonid Stein | 2620 | 1972-07 |
| 14 | Ljubomir Ljubojević | 2620 | 1976-01 |
| 14 | Efim Geller | 2620 | 1976-01 |
| 14 | Vlastimil Hort | 2620 | 1977-01 |
| 19 | Paul Keres | 2615 | 1971-07 |
| 19 | Robert Hübner | 2615 | 1974-05 |
| 19 | Jan Smejkal | 2615 | 1976-01 |

### 1980s

Chess players ordered by peak FIDE rating in 1980s :
| | Player | Peak rating in 1980s | Achieved |
| 1 | Garry Kasparov | 2775 | 1989-01 |
| 2 | Anatoly Karpov | 2755 | 1989-07 |
| 3 | Mikhail Tal | 2705 | 1980-01 |
| 4 | Viktor Korchnoi | 2695 | 1980-01 |
| 5 | Jan Timman | 2675 | 1988-01 |
| 6 | Nigel Short | 2665 | 1988-07 |
| 7 | Artur Yusupov | 2660 | 1986-07 |
| 7 | Vasyl Ivanchuk | 2660 | 1989-07 |
| 9 | Lajos Portisch | 2655 | 1980-01 |
| 9 | Alexander Beliavsky | 2655 | 1988-07 |
| 11 | Ljubomir Ljubojević | 2645 | 1983-01 |
| 11 | Rafael Vaganian | 2645 | 1986-01 |
| 11 | Andrei Sokolov | 2645 | 1987-01 |
| 11 | Jonathan Speelman | 2645 | 1988-07 |
| 11 | Valery Salov | 2645 | 1989-07 |
| 16 | Robert Hübner | 2640 | 1981-07 |
| 16 | Ulf Andersson | 2640 | 1983-07 |
| 16 | Mikhail Gurevich | 2640 | 1989-07 |
| 19 | Lev Polugaevsky | 2635 | 1980-01 |
| 19 | Boris Spassky | 2635 | 1981-01 |

### 1990s

Chess players ordered by peak FIDE rating in 1990s :
| | 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 |
| 8 | Vasyl Ivanchuk | 2740 | 1995-07 |
| 10 | Michael Adams | 2716 | 1999-01 |
| 11 | Valery Salov | 2715 | 1995-01 |
| 12 | Peter Svidler | 2713 | 1999-01 |
| 12 | 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 |
| 20 | Artur Yusupov | 2680 | 1995-07 |

### 2000s

Chess players ordered by peak FIDE rating in 2000s :
| | 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 |
| 12 | Dmitry Jakovenko | 2760 | 2009-01 |
| 14 | Vugar Gashimov | 2758 | 2009-11 |
| 14 | Boris Gelfand | 2758 | 2009-11 |
| 16 | Alexei Shirov | 2755 | 2008-01 |
| 16 | Michael Adams | 2755 | 2000-07 |
| 18 | Sergei Movsesian | 2751 | 2009-01 |
| 19 | Alexander Grischuk | 2748 | 2009-04 |
| 20 | Ruslan Ponomariov | 2743 | 2002-04 |

### 2010s

Chess players ordered by peak FIDE rating in 2010s :
| | 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 |
| 7 | Vladimir Kramnik | 2817 | 2016-10 |
| 9 | Veselin Topalov | 2816 | 2015-07 |
| 9 | Hikaru Nakamura | 2816 | 2015-10 |
| 9 | 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 |
| 19 | Pentala Harikrishna | 2770 | 2016-12 |

### 2020s

Chess players ordered by peak FIDE rating in 2020s :
| | Player | Peak rating in 2020s | Achieved |
| 1 | Magnus Carlsen | 2872 | 2020-01 |
| 2 | Fabiano Caruana | 2842 | 2020-02 |
| 3 | Ding Liren | 2811 | 2022-10 |
| 4 | Alireza Firouzja | 2804 | 2021-12 |
| 5 | Hikaru Nakamura | 2802 | 2024-07 |
| 6 | Arjun Erigaisi | 2801 | 2024-12 |
| 7 | Ian Nepomniachtchi | 2795 | 2023-03 |
| 8 | Gukesh Dommaraju | 2794 | 2024-10 |
| 9 | Levon Aronian | 2785 | 2022-03 |
| 10 | Maxime Vachier-Lagrave | 2784 | 2020-10 |
| 11 | Nodirbek Abdusattorov | 2783 | 2024-10 |
| 12 | Shakhriyar Mamedyarov | 2782 | 2021-07 |
| 13 | Anish Giri | 2780 | 2021-05 |
| 14 | Alexander Grischuk | 2778 | 2021-07 |
| 14 | Wesley So | 2778 | 2021-09 |
| 16 | Richárd Rapport | 2776 | 2022-04 |
| 17 | Teimour Radjabov | 2765 | 2020-01 |
| 18 | Wang Hao | 2763 | 2020-04 |
| 18 | Wei Yi | 2763 | 2024-10 |
| 20 | Leinier Domínguez | 2760 | 2021-09 |
| 20 | Jan-Krzysztof Duda | 2760 | 2021-12 |

## List of rating peaks throughout history

| Player | Rating | Achieved |
| Bobby Fischer | 2760 | 1971-07 |
| Bobby Fischer | 2785 | 1972-07 |
| Garry Kasparov | 2800 | 1990-01 |
| Garry Kasparov | 2805 | 1993-01 |
| Garry Kasparov | 2815 | 1993-07 |
| Garry Kasparov | 2820 | 1997-07 |
| Garry Kasparov | 2825 | 1998-01 |
| Garry Kasparov | 2851 | 1999-07 |
| Magnus Carlsen | 2861 | 2013-01 |
| Magnus Carlsen | 2872 | 2013-02 |
| Magnus Carlsen | 2881 | 2014-03 |
| Magnus Carlsen | 2882 | 2014-05 |