Praggnanandhaa Soars into Top 4 as Carlsen Dominates Latest FIDE Chess Ratings

Carlsen Holds Top Spot, Praggnanandhaa Achieves Career-High Ranking

The latest FIDE rating list reveals significant shifts in the chess world, particularly for Indian players. While Magnus Carlsen maintains his position as the world's top-rated player, R Praggnanandhaa has achieved a career milestone, breaking into the world's top 4 for the first time.

The 19-year-old Grandmaster from Chennai gained 12 rating points following his victory at the 2025 UzChess Cup. This win also propelled him to the position of India's number one player.

Praggnanandhaa's success follows a resilient performance in Tashkent. Despite losing two consecutive games, including a notable one against GM Richard Rapport, he recovered with 2.5 points in the final three rounds, ultimately securing the title through tiebreaks. He currently leads the FIDE Circuit standings by 36 points, strengthening his chances for the 2026 Candidates Tournament.

Carlsen's continued reign at the top follows his solid performance at Norway Chess 2025. This marked the Norwegian champion's first individual classical event since the previous year's edition of the same tournament. Hikaru Nakamura remains in second place.

D Gukesh, the current World Champion, has slipped to sixth place in the rankings. Fellow Indian player Arjun Erigaisi also dropped to fifth. This places three Indian players within the world's top 10, highlighting the growing strength of Indian chess.

Other notable changes include Fabiano Caruana's rise to third place after gaining seven points. Anish Giri from the Netherlands has also re-entered the top 10 after more than a year. A significant shift is the absence of any Russian player in the top 10, with Ian Nepomniachtchi falling to 14th after a series of winless rounds.

In women's chess, Anna Muzychuk has reclaimed the world number-four spot after six years, while Carissa Yip has surged to 21st after winning the Cairns Cup. Hou Yifan of China continues to be the highest-rated female player.