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Best chess players of all time, ranked

Who is the greatest chess player of all time? A ranked tour of the legends featured on BetterChess — ordered by peak rating (Chessmetrics historical estimates and FIDE peaks), from Morphy and Anderssen to Fischer, Kasparov and Carlsen. Each profile has a full bio, playing style, signature openings, and famous games you can replay and play out yourself.

Best in the world right nowBest female playersChess recordsYoungest grandmaster
  1. 1
    José Raúl Capablanca
    José Raúl Capablanca
    Cuba · 1888–1942
    The Human Chess Machine
    2921peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  2. 2
    Emanuel Lasker
    Emanuel Lasker
    Germany · 1868–1941
    The longest-reigning World Champion
    2886peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  3. 3
    Magnus Carlsen
    Magnus Carlsen
    Norway · 1990–present
    The Mozart of Chess
    2882peakpeak FIDE rating (2014) — highest ever
  4. 4
    Garry Kasparov
    Garry Kasparov
    Soviet Union / Russia (born Baku, Azerbaijan) · 1963–present
    The Beast of Baku
    2851peakpeak FIDE rating (1999)
  5. 5
    Fabiano Caruana
    Fabiano Caruana
    United States / Italy · 1992–present
    America's calculating machine
    2844peakpeak FIDE rating (2014)
  6. 6
    Wilhelm Steinitz
    Wilhelm Steinitz
    Austria-Hungary / United States · 1836–1900
    The father of modern positional chess
    2834peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  7. 7
    Levon Aronian
    Levon Aronian
    Armenia / United States · 1982–present
    The creative Armenian artist
    2830peakpeak FIDE rating (2014)
  8. 8
    Mikhail Botvinnik
    Mikhail Botvinnik
    Soviet Union · 1911–1995
    The Patriarch of the Soviet chess school
    2828peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  9. 9
    Alexander Alekhine
    Alexander Alekhine
    Russia / France · 1892–1946
    Master of the attack
    2827peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  10. 10
    Viswanathan Anand
    Viswanathan Anand
    India · 1969–present
    The Lightning Kid from Madras
    2817peakpeak FIDE rating (2011)
  11. 11
    Vladimir Kramnik
    Vladimir Kramnik
    Russia · 1975–present
    The man who dethroned Kasparov
    2817peakpeak FIDE rating (2016)
  12. 12
    Hikaru Nakamura
    Hikaru Nakamura
    United States · 1987–present
    Speed-chess king and online icon
    2816peakpeak FIDE rating (2015)
  13. 13
    Veselin Topalov
    Veselin Topalov
    Bulgaria · 1975–present
    Bulgaria's fighting World Champion
    2816peakpeak FIDE rating, July 2015
  14. 14
    Vasily Smyslov
    Vasily Smyslov
    Soviet Union / Russia · 1921–2010
    The harmony of a positional artist
    2810peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  15. 15
    David Bronstein
    David Bronstein
    Soviet Union · 1924–2006
    The creative genius who nearly took the crown
    2800peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  16. 16
    Sergey Karjakin
    Sergey Karjakin
    Russia · 1990–present
    The Minister of Defence
    2788peakpeak FIDE rating (2011)
  17. 17
    Aron Nimzowitsch
    Aron Nimzowitsch
    Latvia / Denmark · 1886–1935
    The prophet of the hypermodern revolution
    2785peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  18. 18
    Bobby Fischer
    Bobby Fischer
    United States · 1943–2008
    11th World Chess Champion
    2785peakpeak FIDE rating (1972)
  19. 19
    Siegbert Tarrasch
    Siegbert Tarrasch
    Germany · 1862–1934
    Praeceptor Germaniae — the Teacher of Germany
    2785peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  20. 20
    Anatoly Karpov
    Anatoly Karpov
    Soviet Union / Russia · 1951–present
    The boa constrictor of positional chess
    2780peakpeak FIDE rating (1994)
  21. 21
    Akiba Rubinstein
    Akiba Rubinstein
    Poland · 1880–1961
    The greatest champion who never was
    2778peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  22. 22
    Johannes Zukertort
    Johannes Zukertort
    Poland / Germany / United Kingdom · 1842–1888
    Winner of London 1883 and first World Championship challenger
    2776peakChessmetrics historical estimate (peak, 1884)
  23. 23
    Howard Staunton
    Howard Staunton
    England · 1810–1874
    The world's strongest player of the 1840s — and a Shakespeare scholar
    2770peakChessmetrics historical estimate (peak, 1852)
  24. 24
    Louis Paulsen
    Louis Paulsen
    Germany · 1833–1891
    The pioneer of patient defence and modern openings
    2766peakChessmetrics historical estimate (peak, 1865)
  25. 25
    Carl Schlechter
    Carl Schlechter
    Austria-Hungary · 1874–1918
    The drawing master who nearly dethroned Lasker
    2755peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  26. 26
    Harry Nelson Pillsbury
    Harry Nelson Pillsbury
    United States · 1872–1906
    The American prodigy of Hastings
    2755peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  27. 27
    Max Euwe
    Max Euwe
    Netherlands · 1901–1981
    The scholar who dethroned Alekhine
    2750peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  28. 28
    Joseph Henry Blackburne
    Joseph Henry Blackburne
    England · 1841–1924
    The Black Death — grand old man of British chess
    2748peakChessmetrics historical estimate (peak, 1886)
  29. 29
    Mikhail Chigorin
    Mikhail Chigorin
    Russian Empire · 1850–1908
    The father of Russian chess
    2745peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  30. 30
    Adolf Anderssen
    Adolf Anderssen
    Germany (Prussia) · 1818–1879
    Master of the Romantic attack
    2744peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  31. 31
    Paul Morphy
    Paul Morphy
    United States · 1837–1884
    The Pride and Sorrow of Chess
    2743peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  32. 32
    Lionel Kieseritzky
    Lionel Kieseritzky
    France (born in Tartu, Russian Empire) · 1806–1853
    Of the Café de la Régence
    2738peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  33. 33
    Judit Polgar
    Judit Polgar
    Hungary · 1976–present
    The strongest female player in history
    2735peakpeak FIDE rating (2005)
  34. 34
    Frank Marshall
    Frank Marshall
    United States · 1877–1944
    The great American swashbuckler
    2734peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  35. 35
    Dawid Janowski
    Dawid Janowski
    Poland / France · 1868–1927
    The wizard of the two bishops
    2720peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  36. 36
    Efim Bogoljubov
    Efim Bogoljubov
    Russia / Germany · 1889–1952
    Two-time World Championship challenger
    2720peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  37. 37
    Richard Réti
    Richard Réti
    Austria-Hungary / Czechoslovakia · 1889–1929
    The artist of the hypermodern opening
    2720peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  38. 38
    Mikhail Tal
    Mikhail Tal
    Soviet Union (Latvia) · 1936–1992
    The Magician from Riga
    2705peakpeak FIDE rating (1980)
  39. 39
    Savielly Tartakower
    Savielly Tartakower
    Poland / France · 1887–1956
    The grandmaster of the chess aphorism
    2700peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  40. 40
    Boris Spassky
    Boris Spassky
    Soviet Union / France · 1937–2025
    The universal player and Cold War icon
    2690peakpeak FIDE rating (1971)
  41. 41
    Louis de La Bourdonnais
    Louis de La Bourdonnais
    France · 1795–1840
    The strongest player of the early 19th century
    2666peakEdo historical rating estimate (predates Chessmetrics coverage)
  42. 42
    Bent Larsen
    Bent Larsen
    Denmark · 1935–2010
    The great Danish original
    2660peakpeak FIDE rating; world No. 3 in 1971
  43. 43
    Tigran Petrosian
    Tigran Petrosian
    Soviet Union (Armenia) · 1929–1984
    Iron Tigran, the master of prophylaxis
    2645peakpeak FIDE rating (1972)
  44. 44
    Donald Byrne
    Donald Byrne
    United States · 1930–1976
    American master and teacher
    2633peakChessmetrics historical estimate (peak April 1955)
  45. 45
    Friedrich Sämisch
    Friedrich Sämisch
    Germany · 1896–1975
    Opening innovator and the victim of the Immortal Zugzwang
    2620peakChessmetrics historical estimate
  46. 46
    Sir George Thomas
    Sir George Thomas
    United Kingdom · 1881–1972
    Champion at chess and badminton
    2610peakChessmetrics historical estimate (peak January 1923)
  47. 47
    Henry Bird
    Henry Bird
    England · 1829–1908
    The English accountant who would play anyone, anytime
    2602peakChessmetrics historical estimate (peak, 1879)
  48. 48
    Edward Lasker
    Edward Lasker
    United States (born in Germany) · 1885–1981
    Engineer, chess and Go master
    2583peakChessmetrics historical estimate (peak August 1924)
  49. 49
    Alexander McDonnell
    Alexander McDonnell
    Ireland / United Kingdom · 1798–1835
    England's champion of the 1830s
    2537peakEdo historical rating estimate (predates Chessmetrics coverage)
  50. 50
    Jean Dufresne
    Jean Dufresne
    Germany · 1829–1893
    Player, journalist and chess author
    2470peakChessmetrics historical estimate (peak May 1854)
  51. 51
    Curt von Bardeleben
    Curt von Bardeleben
    Germany · 1861–1924
    The nobleman who walked out of Hastings
    No rating estimate
  52. 52
    Georg Rotlewi
    Georg Rotlewi
    Poland · 1889–1920
    A brilliant career cut tragically short
    No rating estimate
  53. 53
    Stepan Levitsky
    Stepan Levitsky
    Russia · 1876–1924
    Russian master and one-year national champion
    No rating estimate
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Rankings use historical rating estimates and are intended as a guide, not a definitive ordering. BetterChess is a practice tool — we make no guarantee you'll reach 1800 or any rating.

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