Tata Steel Chess Masters 2026 and the Challengers, which started in mid-January and ended at the start of February, were responsible for most of the rating changes for the world’s top players. GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov followed up his 19-point gain at the 2026 London Chess Classic, the previous month, by winning this event and jumping another 20 points. Though it’s not the topic of this article, which reviews February, he is still going strong in the 2026 Prague Chess Festival and has risen to world number-four by live rating.
Other standouts at the top of the list are GMs Javokhir Sindarov and Jorden van Foreest, who respectively finished in second and third, behind Abdusattorov, and are both at their all-time highest ratings. Van Foreest, already number-11 by live rating, leads the Prague Chess Festival at the time of writing and looks to be in the form of his life.
FIDE Classical Ratings Top 100: March 1, 2026
Change
#
Name
Title
Fed
Mar26 (+-)
Feb26
B-Year
–
1 / 1
Carlsen, Magnus
GM
2840
2840
1990
–
2 / 2
Nakamura, Hikaru
GM
2810
2810
1987
–
3 / 3
Caruana, Fabiano
GM
2795
2795
1992
–
4 / 4
Keymer, Vincent
GM
2776
2776
2004
↑
5 / 12
Abdusattorov, Nodirbek
GM
2771 (+20)
2751
2004
↑
6 / 7
Firouzja, Alireza
GM
2759
2759
2003
↑
7 / 9
Wei, Yi
GM
2754
2754
1999
↓
8 / 6
Giri, Anish
GM
2753 (-7)
2760
1994
↑
9 / 11
So, Wesley
GM
2753
2753
1993
–
10 / 10
Gukesh D
GM
2748 (-6)
2754
2006
↑
11 / 20
Sindarov, Javokhir
GM
2745 (+19)
2726
2005
↓
12 / 5
Erigaisi Arjun
GM
2745 (-30)
2775
2003
↓
13 / 8
Praggnanandhaa R
GM
2741 (-17)
2758
2005
–
14 / 14
Duda, Jan-Krzysztof
GM
2739
2739
1998
↑
15 / 16
Rapport, Richard
GM
2738
2738
1996
↓
16 / 15
Dominguez Perez, Leinier
GM
2738
2738
1983
↑
17 / 21
Niemann, Hans Moke
GM
2735 (+10)
2725
2003
↓
18 / 17
Le, Quang Liem
GM
2731
2731
1991
↑
19 / 30
Van Foreest, Jorden
GM
2729 (+24)
2705
1999
↓
20 / 18
Aronian, Levon
GM
2729
2729
1982
↑
21 / 22
Nepomniachtchi, Ian
GM
2723
2723
1990
↑
22 / 23
Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime
GM
2720
2720
1990
↑
23 / 25
Yu, Yangyi
GM
2717
2717
1994
↑
24 / 26
Nihal Sarin
GM
2716
2716
2004
↓
25 / 24
Liang, Awonder
GM
2714 (-5)
2719
2003
↓
26 / 19
Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar
GM
2713 (-14)
2727
1985
–
27 / 27
Andreikin, Dmitry
GM
2710
2710
1990
↑
28 / 31
Fedoseev, Vladimir
GM
2708 (+4)
2704
1995
–
29 / 29
Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi
GM
2708
2708
1994
↓
30 / 28
Maghsoodloo, Parham
GM
2708
2708
2000
↑
31 / 33
Tabatabaei, M. Amin
GM
2700
2700
2001
↑
32 / 39
Bluebaum, Matthias
GM
2698 (+14)
2684
1997
↑
33 / 34
Esipenko, Andrey
GM
2698
2698
2002
↓
34 / 32
Aravindh, Chithambaram VR.
GM
2689 (-11)
2700
1999
–
35 / 35
Radjabov, Teimour
GM
2689 (-3)
2692
1987
↑
36 / 37
Sevian, Samuel
GM
2688
2688
2000
↑
37 / 46
Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan
GM
2687 (+18)
2669
2011
↓
38 / 36
Yakubboev, Nodirbek
GM
2686 (-5)
2691
2002
↓
39 / 38
Wang, Hao
GM
2684
2684
1989
–
40 / 40
Sarana, Alexey
GM
2683
2683
2000
–
41 / 41
Kovalenko, Igor
GM
2682
2682
1988
–
42 / 42
Svidler, Peter
GM
2682
2682
1976
–
43 / 43
Harikrishna, Pentala
GM
2676
2676
1986
–
44 / 44
Leko, Peter
GM
2676
2676
1979
–
45 / 45
Dubov, Daniil
GM
2672
2672
1996
↑
46 / 48
Kasimdzhanov, Rustam
GM
2668
2668
1979
↑
47 / 49
Howell, David W L
GM
2668
2668
1990
↑
48 / 50
Vitiugov, Nikita
GM
2667
2667
1987
↓
49 / 47
Wojtaszek, Radoslaw
GM
2666 (-3)
2669
1987
↑
50 / 53
Grandelius, Nils
GM
2666 (+2)
2664
1993
–
51 / 51
Bu, Xiangzhi
GM
2666
2666
1985
–
52 / 52
Anton Guijarro, David
GM
2666
2666
1995
↑
53 / 62
Saric, Ivan
GM
2661 (+6)
2655
1990
↑
54 / 61
Eljanov, Pavel
GM
2659 (+4)
2655
1983
↑
55 / 56
Oparin, Grigoriy
GM
2658
2658
1997
↓
56 / 55
Sargsyan, Shant
GM
2656 (-3)
2659
2002
↓
57 / 54
Christiansen, Johan-Sebastian
GM
2656 (-3)
2659
1998
–
58 / 58
Xiong, Jeffery
GM
2656
2656
2000
↓
59 / 57
Martinez Alcantara, Jose Eduardo
GM
2656
2656
1999
↑
60 / 66
Deac, Bogdan-Daniel
GM
2655 (+3)
2652
2001
↑
61 / 99
Suleymanli, Aydin
GM
2653 (+25)
2628
2005
↑
62 / 65
Gledura, Benjamin
GM
2653 (+1)
2652
1999
–
63 / 63
Morozevich, Alexander
GM
2653
2653
1977
–
64 / 64
Inarkiev, Ernesto
GM
2653
2653
1985
↑
65 / 70
Alekseenko, Kirill
GM
2652 (+4)
2648
1997
↑
66 / 68
Shankland, Sam
GM
2651
2651
1991
–
67 / 67
Murzin, Volodar
GM
2650 (-2)
2652
2006
↑
68 / 69
Robson, Ray
GM
2650
2650
1994
↑
69 / 77
Safarli, Eltaj
GM
2648 (+4)
2644
1992
↑
70 / 71
Karthikeyan, Murali
GM
2648
2648
1999
↑
71 / 72
Svane, Frederik
GM
2645
2645
2004
↑
72 / 76
Grischuk, Alexander
GM
2645
2645
1983
↑
73 / 79
Vallejo Pons, Francisco
GM
2644
2644
1982
↓
74 / 60
Donchenko, Alexander
GM
2643 (-12)
2655
1998
↑
75 / 81
Lu, Shanglei
GM
2642
2642
1995
↑
76 / 80
Tari, Aryan
GM
2642
2642
1999
↑
77 / 85
Sadhwani, Raunak
GM
2641 (+3)
2638
2005
↑
78 / 82
Artemiev, Vladislav
GM
2641
2641
1998
↑
79 / 83
Pranav, V
GM
2641
2641
2006
↑
80 / 86
Salem, A.R. Saleh
GM
2640 (+5)
2635
1993
↓
81 / 78
Vokhidov, Shamsiddin
GM
2639 (-5)
2644
2002
↑
82 / 84
Theodorou, Nikolas
GM
2639
2639
2000
↑
83 / 87
Chigaev, Maksim
GM
2637 (+3)
2634
1996
↓
84 / 75
Mamedov, Rauf
GM
2636 (-9)
2645
1988
↓
85 / 74
Maroroa Jones, Gawain C B
GM
2635 (-10)
2645
1987
↑
86 / 95
Gelfand, Boris
GM
2635 (+6)
2629
1968
↓
87 / 73
Gurel, Ediz
GM
2635 (-10)
2645
2008
↓
88 / 59
Nguyen, Thai Dai Van
GM
2634 (-22)
2656
2001
↑
89 / 100
Pranesh M
GM
2633 (+6)
2627
2006
↑
90 /
Woodward, Andy
GM
2631
2010
↑
91 / 94
Bacrot, Etienne
GM
2631 (+2)
2629
1983
↓
92 / 89
Aryan Chopra
GM
2631
2631
2001
↓
93 / 90
Ponomariov, Ruslan
GM
2631
2631
1983
↑
94 / 96
Mishra, Abhimanyu
GM
2629
2629
2009
↓
95 / 91
Adams, Michael
GM
2629
2629
1971
↓
96 / 93
Van Wely, Loek
GM
2629
2629
1972
↑
97 /
Hakobyan, Aram
GM
2627
2001
–
98 / 98
Volokitin, Andrei
GM
2627 (-1)
2628
1986
↑
99 /
Cheparinov, Ivan
GM
2627
1986
↓
100 / 97
Navara, David
GM
2626 (-2)
2628
1985
Two months of the year are in the books and Abdusattorov is showing no signs of slowing down. Having gained another 20 points on the March rating list, he is the world number-five by published rating. His victory in Wijk aan Zee was worth much more than 20 rating points, however, as he said, “I was very close every time and I failed year after year. I’m extremely happy to finally be able to win this tournament and win in a very nice style.”
The Uzbek number-one scored an impressive 9/13 to win the super-tournament outright. He leads the 2026-27 FIDE Circuit, which after two years will determine one player in the 2028 FIDE Candidates Tournament.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov was finally able to lift the trophy in Wijk aan Zee. Photo: Jurriaan Hoefsmit/Tata Steel Chess.
Uzbek number-two Sindarov is the other standout at the top of the list, gaining 19 points and moving to number-11 in the world. He finished second in Wijk aan Zee, just a half-point behind his countryman—and a point ahead of everyone else. More than two individual achievements, their progress is also a sign of the phenomenon that will surprise nobody: Uzbekistan is a chess superpower and it’s still growing in strength.
Jorden van Foreest took 3rd place behind the Uzbek stars. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Tata Steel Chess.
Just under world number-17 GM Hans Niemann, who gained 10 rating points in the same tournament, Dutch number-one Van Foreest made the biggest gains of anyone in the top-50. He gained 14 points in Wijk and another 10 by winning his match against Turkish GM Ediz Gurel, scoring 4.5 out of six games (more on his fellow Turkish prodigy, GM Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, later).
Like Abdusattorov, the Dutchman has shown that whether he’s playing in Wijk or in Prague, his form is still the same: fearsome. With four wins out of five games, and one loss, he is at the top of the leaderboard.
Prague Chess Festival Standings After 5 Rounds
The biggest gainer on the top-100 was Azerbaijani GM Aydin Suleymanli, jumping 25 points after performances in the Tata Steel Chess Challengers and Azerbaijan Men’s Chess Championship 2026.
It is also impossible to ignore a trend we rarely see: all Indian players who participated in Wijk aan Zee lost rating, with GM Arjun Erigaisi dropping 30 points—the biggest loss in the top-100 in February. Cumulatively, the four Indian players lost 69 rating points in the Netherlands.
Indian Players In Tata Steel Chess Masters
World Rank
Name
Published Rating
Points Lost
10
Gukesh Dommaraju
2748
-6
12
Arjun Erigaisi
2745
-30
13
Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu
2741
-17
34
Aravindh Chithambaram
2689
-11
On the live rating list, the slide continues for World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju, who is down to number 16 in the world at the time of writing. But nobody will be surprised if (or when) the top Indian players make their comebacks.
Finally, GM Sergey Karjakin briefly re-entered the rating list as world number-10 after playing a privately organized match in Russia against an eight-year-old opponent rated 1549. FIDE made a correction and removed his name from the list, setting his status back to inactive. Karjakin has been inactive from official rated events since 2022.
FIDE March 2026 Rating List – Correction❗️According to Article 0.2.1 of the FIDE Rating Regulations, a tournament and its playing schedule must be registered:0.2.1 Not later than 30 days before the tournament starts, if one of the players in the tournament is rated in excess… pic.twitter.com/HrI5qaoC8A
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) March 2, 2026
FIDE Classical Ratings Top 25 Juniors: March 1, 2026
Change
#
Name
Title
Fed
MAR26 (+-)
FEB26
B-Year
–
1 / 1
Gukesh D
GM
2748 (-6)
2754
2006
–
2 / 2
Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan
GM
2687 (+18)
2669
2011
–
3 / 3
Murzin, Volodar
GM
2650 (-2)
2652
2006
↑
4 / 5
Pranav, V
GM
2641
2641
2006
↓
5 / 4
Gurel, Ediz
GM
2635 (-10)
2645
2008
↑
6 / 7
Pranesh M
GM
2633 (+6)
2627
2006
↑
7 / 12
Woodward, Andy
GM
2631 (+23)
2608
2010
↓
8 / 6
Mishra, Abhimanyu
GM
2629
2629
2009
↓
9 / 8
Grebnev, Aleksey
GM
2621
2621
2006
↑
10 / 11
Aditya Mittal
GM
2617 (+7)
2610
2006
↓
11 / 9
Maurizzi, MarcAndria
GM
2614 (+3)
2611
2007
↓
12 / 10
Mendonca, Leon Luke
GM
2610
2610
2006
–
13 / 13
Yoo, Christopher Woojin
GM
2609 (+2)
2607
2006
↑
14 / 15
Lazavik, Denis
GM
2605
2605
2006
↓
15 / 14
Pranav Anand
GM
2602 (-4)
2606
2006
–
16 / 16
Samunenkov, Ihor
GM
2598 (-6)
2604
2009
–
17 / 17
Daneshvar, Bardiya
GM
2597
2597
2006
–
18 / 18
Movahed, Sina
GM
2596
2596
2010
–
19 / 19
Bharath Subramaniyam H
GM
2595
2595
2007
–
20 / 20
Zemlyanskii, Ivan
GM
2592
2592
2010
–
21 / 21
Vetokhin, Savva
GM
2572
2572
2009
↑
22 / 23
Madaminov, Mukhiddin
GM
2567
2567
2006
↓
23 / 22
Sokolovsky, Yahli
GM
2555 (-12)
2567
2006
–
24 / 24
Xiao, Tong(QD)
GM
2555
2555
2008
–
25 / 25
Xue, Haowen
GM
2553
2553
2008
Fourteen-year-old Erdogmus, who was our featured player last month, continues to surge and approach the 2700 super-grandmaster mark. He is on course to become the youngest 2700 in history, and we have more on that in our Prodigy Watch section.
With a 7/13 score, he gained 18 rating points in his debut at the Tata Steel Chess Masters. He is number 37 in the world, and on the junior list only second to the reigning world champion.
Fifteen-year-old GM Andy Woodward had the biggest rating gain on the junior list, rising 23 points with his tournament win at the Tata Steel Chess Challengers. More importantly than the rating, which can come and go, he has secured his seat in next year’s Tata Steel Chess Masters, which will be an invaluable experience to play with the world’s elite.
Woodward received his trophy from tournament director Jeroen van den Berg. Photo: Lennart Ootes/Tata Steel Chess.
FIDE Classical Ratings Top 100 Women: March 1, 2026
Change
#
Name
Title
Fed
MAR26 (+-)
FEB26
B-Year
–
1 / 1
Hou, Yifan
GM
2596
2596
1994
–
2 / 2
Zhu, Jiner
GM
2578
2578
2002
–
3 / 3
Lei, Tingjie
GM
2566
2566
1997
–
4 / 4
Ju, Wenjun
GM
2559
2559
1991
–
5 / 5
Tan, Zhongyi
GM
2535
2535
1991
–
6 / 6
Koneru, Humpy
GM
2535
2535
1987
–
7 / 7
Goryachkina, Aleksandra
GM
2534
2534
1998
–
8 / 8
Muzychuk, Anna
GM
2522
2522
1990
↑
9 / 12
Assaubayeva, Bibisara
GM
2516 (+19)
2497
2004
↓
10 / 9
Lagno, Kateryna
GM
2508
2508
1989
↓
11 / 10
Shuvalova, Polina
IM
2502
2502
2001
↓
12 / 11
Divya Deshmukh
GM
2497
2497
2005
–
13 / 13
Kosteniuk, Alexandra
GM
2487 (+4)
2483
1984
↑
14 / 18
Yip, Carissa
IM
2486 (+20)
2466
2003
–
15 / 15
Kashlinskaya, Alina
IM
2480 (+5)
2475
1993
↓
16 / 14
Tsolakidou, Stavroula
IM
2479
2479
2000
↑
17 / 21
Batsiashvili, Nino
GM
2472 (+10)
2462
1987
↓
18 / 16
Vaishali, Rameshbabu
GM
2470
2470
2001
↓
19 / 17
Dzagnidze, Nana
GM
2469
2469
1987
↓
20 / 19
Dronavalli, Harika
GM
2466
2466
1991
↓
21 / 20
Muzychuk, Mariya
GM
2463
2463
1992
–
22 / 22
Osmak, Yuliia
IM
2458 (+2)
2456
1998
–
23 / 23
Garifullina, Leya
IM
2454
2454
2004
–
24 / 24
Song, Yuxin
IM
2451
2451
2005
↑
25 / 28
Zhao, Xue
GM
2433
2433
1985
↑
26 / 27
Fataliyeva, Ulviyya
IM
2431 (-3)
2434
1996
↑
27 / 29
Shukhman, Anna
WGM
2431
2431
2009
↓
28 / 26
Javakhishvili, Lela
IM
2430 (-7)
2437
1984
↓
29 / 25
Lu, Miaoyi
IM
2429 (-9)
2438
2010
↑
30 / 31
Sebag, Marie
GM
2425
2425
1986
↑
31 / 32
Injac, Teodora
IM
2417
2417
2000
↑
32 / 33
Wagner, Dinara
IM
2414
2414
1999
↑
33 / 34
Khademalsharieh, Sarasadat
IM
2414
2414
1997
↑
34 / 35
Narva, Mai
IM
2413
2413
1999
↑
35 / 39
Ushenina, Anna
GM
2410 (+4)
2406
1985
↓
36 / 30
Khotenashvili, Bella
GM
2409 (-19)
2428
1988
↓
37 / 36
Arabidze, Meri
IM
2408 (-2)
2410
1994
↑
38 / 40
Khamdamova, Afruza
WGM
2408 (+5)
2403
2009
↓
39 / 38
Badelka, Olga
IM
2408 (-2)
2410
2002
↑
40 / 41
Paehtz, Elisabeth
GM
2403
2403
1985
↑
41 / 48
Kiolbasa, Oliwia
IM
2402 (+5)
2397
2000
–
42 / 42
Krush, Irina
GM
2402
2402
1983
↑
43 / 49
Salimova, Nurgyul
IM
2401 (+5)
2396
2003
↓
44 / 37
Maltsevskaya, Aleksandra
IM
2399 (-11)
2410
2002
↓
45 / 43
Danielian, Elina
GM
2399 (-3)
2402
1978
↓
46 / 44
Lee, Alice
IM
2399
2399
2009
–
47 / 47
Buksa, Nataliya
IM
2397
2397
1996
↑
48 / 50
Ding, Yixin
WGM
2395
2395
1991
↑
49 / 52
Gunina, Valentina
GM
2393
2393
1989
↑
50 / 55
Stefanova, Antoaneta
GM
2392 (+6)
2386
1979
↑
51 / 54
Girya, Olga
GM
2389
2389
1991
↓
52 / 45
Roebers, Eline
IM
2386 (-12)
2398
2006
↑
53 / 60
Daulyte-Cornette, Deimante
IM
2386 (+5)
2381
1989
↓
54 / 46
Efroimski, Marsel
IM
2386 (-11)
2397
1995
↑
55 / 56
Kamalidenova, Meruert
IM
2386
2386
2005
↑
56 / 57
Ambartsumova, Karina
IM
2385
2385
1989
↓
57 / 51
Bulmaga, Irina
IM
2384 (-11)
2395
1993
–
58 / 58
Cramling, Pia
GM
2384
2384
1963
–
59 / 59
Shen, Yang
IM
2383
2383
1989
↑
60 / 69
Sargsyan, Anna M.
IM
2380 (+8)
2372
2001
–
61 / 61
Abrahamyan, Tatev
IM
2379
2379
1988
–
62 / 62
Kairbekova, Amina
WGM
2379
2379
2006
↑
63 / 80
Nurman, Alua
WGM
2378 (+15)
2363
2007
↑
64 / 83
Li, Rachael
WIM
2375 (+17)
2358
2010
↑
65 / 66
Vantika Agrawal
IM
2375
2375
2002
↑
66 / 67
Guo, Qi
IM
2375
2375
1995
↓
67 / 53
Mammadzada, Gunay
IM
2374 (-16)
2390
2000
↓
68 / 64
Gaal, Zsoka
IM
2373 (-4)
2377
2007
↓
69 / 68
Zhai, Mo
WGM
2373
2373
1996
–
70 / 70
Vega Gutierrez, Sabrina
IM
2371
2371
1987
↑
71 / 72
Mkrtchyan, Mariam
WGM
2368
2368
2004
↓
72 / 71
Galliamova, Alisa
IM
2368
2368
1972
–
73 / 73
Skripchenko, Almira
IM
2367
2367
1976
–
74 / 74
Bivol, Alina
IM
2367
2367
1996
↑
75 / 88
Tang, Zoey
FM
2366 (+10)
2356
2008
–
76 / 76
Mkrtchian, Lilit
IM
2366
2366
1982
–
77 / 77
Huang, Qian
WGM
2366
2366
1986
↓
78 / 75
Yan, Tianqi
WIM
2366
2366
2002
↓
79 / 65
Balabayeva, Xeniya
WGM
2365 (-11)
2376
2005
↓
80 / 78
Goltseva, Ekaterina
FM
2364
2364
2002
↑
81 / 86
Socko, Monika
GM
2363 (+7)
2356
1978
–
82 / 82
Xiao, Yiyi
WGM
2361
2361
1996
↑
83 / 84
Rakhmangulova, Anastasiya
WGM
2359 (+1)
2358
1994
↓
84 / 79
Beydullayeva, Govhar
WGM
2358 (-6)
2364
2003
–
85 / 85
Bodnaruk, Anastasia
IM
2357
2357
1992
↑
86 / 90
Aulia, Medina Warda
IM
2355
2355
1997
↑
87 /
Atwell, Rose
FM
2354
2009
↑
88 / 96
Atalik, Ekaterina
IM
2354 (+6)
2348
1982
↑
89 / 92
Padmini, Rout
IM
2354
2354
1994
↓
90 / 89
Melamed, Tatjana
WGM
2352 (-3)
2355
1974
↓
91 / 87
Savitha Shri B
IM
2351 (-5)
2356
2007
↑
92 /
Kulon, Klaudia
IM
2350
1992
–
93 / 93
Balajayeva, Khanim
IM
2350 (-1)
2351
2001
↑
94 /
Savina, Anastasia
IM
2348
1992
↑
95 / 97
Pham, Le Thao Nguyen
IM
2348
2348
1987
↑
96 /
Gunawardhana, Devindya Oshini
WIM
2347
2012
↓
97 / 81
Tokhirjonova, Gulrukhbegim
IM
2347 (-16)
2363
1999
↑
98 / 99
Gara, Ticia
WGM
2347
2347
1984
↓
99 / 98
Mungunzul, Bat-Erdene
WIM
2347
2347
2005
↑
100 /
Omonova, Umida
WIM
2346
2006
While ratings for the world’s top-eight have remained unchanged, world number-nine GM Bibisara Assaaubayeva added 19 points to her rating and jumped into the world top-10. She scored 7.5/13 in the Tata Steel Chess Challengers.
World number-14 IM Carissa Yip had the biggest gain on the women’s list, jumping 20 points by scoring a half-point less than Assaubayeva in the same event. Peeking ahead to her latest events, which were not included in this list, she won the top women’s prize with 4.5/8 ($2,500) at the 2026 Saint Louis Masters (though she lost two rating points) and will play in the 2026 Women’s American Cup starting on Tuesday.
Yip scored a final-round victory against Benjamin Bok. Photo: Austin Fuller/Saint Louis Chess Club.
Other notable gains were made by WIM Rachael Li (+17) and WGM Alua Nurman (+15). The biggest loss in the top-100 was by Bella Khotenashvili, who fell 19 points and six places to world number-36.
Prodigy Watch:
The Prodigy Watch by Chess By The Numbers founder Tai Pruce-Zimmerman tracks the progress of young chess superstars, with his “prodigy rank,” a measure of how a player’s current rating at their current age compares historically. If there are 11 players in chess history who have been rated higher at or before the player’s age, then the player would have a prodigy rank of 12. You can read more about Prodigy Watch here.
Prodigy Watch Top 16: March 1, 2026
Player Name
March 2026 Rating
Age
Prodigy Rank
FED
Change from Last Month
Change from Last Year
Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus
2687
14.74
1
–
–
Faustino Oro
2526
12.38
1
–
+3
Roman Shogdzhiev
2416
11.07
4
–
-2
Andy Woodward
2631
15.83
11
+6
+23
Bram Ten Dam
2357
11.16
14
+31
+32
Aarit Kapil
2271
10.46
15
-4
+53
Ashwath Kaushik
2288
10.57
16
-3
+60
Marc Barcelo Melnyk
2157
9.52
16
+29
+10
Ruben Yanmi Quintans
1846
7.87
18
-9
new
Ivan Zemlyanskii
2592
15.50
20
-3
+1
Sina Movahed
2596
15.76
25
-1
+16
Han Nam Pham
2202
10.16
25
+6
new
Ediz Gurel
2635
17.23
28
-6
-11
Abhimanyu Mishra
2629
17.07
31
-4
-7
Sergey Sklokin
2414
12.72
31
-4
-2
Bodhana Sivanandan
2268
10.98
31
+66
+25
At the top of Prodigy Watch, our number-ones, IM Faustino Oro and Erdogmus, both once again set new personal high rating marks this month. These perennial highlights of our list each are potentially on the cusp of major achievements. Next up for Oro is the Aeroflot Open 2026 where he gets his final chance to chase the record of youngest GM ever. Erdogmus, meanwhile, is now just 13 rating points away from becoming the youngest 2700+ rated player of all time—a mark he still has a year to work on.
Erdogmus may become the youngest 2700 in history. Photo: Frans Peeters/Tata Steel Chess 2026.
CM Bram Ten Dam is a youngster we’ve been watching for years, when he posted a debut rating of 1993 at the age of eight, but he hadn’t quite fully realized that potential and established himself in the top-50 of our Prodigy Watch list… until now! In the last two months, his rating shot up 171 points and all of a sudden he sits at number-14 on our list! And that’s with us not knowing his birthdate. If a reader out there can help us out, his rank might be even higher if he’s younger than we realize!
An even younger player who rejoined the top-20 this month is CM Marc Melnyk, whose rating is back up to 2157 at just nine and a half years old. Amazingly, that still isn’t his career peak, but it’s enough for a number-16 Prodigy Rank.
Prodigy Watch Top 14 Girls: March 1, 2026
Player Name
March 2026 Rating
Age
Prodigy Rank
FED
Change from Last Month
Change from Last Year
Bodhana Sivanandan
2268
10.98
3
+5
+5
Devindya Oshini Gunawardhana
2347
14.08
13
+25
+56
Lu Miaoyi
2429
16.05
14
-7
-8
Stella Xin
2022
9.91
14
-2
+5
Charvi Anilkumar
2207
11.99
18
-2
-1
Anna Shukhman
2431
16.82
19
–
+15
Aimee Yang
2157
12.16
24
+10
+29
Megan Althea Paragua
2239
13.22
29
-2
-8
Alice Lee
2399
16.38
30
–
-10
Sharvaanica A S
2041
11.16
34
-1
-10
Rachael Li
2375
16.08
35
+7
+73
Afruza Khamdamova
2408
17.01
37
+1
+12
Berikkyzy Alanna
2109
12.16
39
-19
+4
Sreekarthika Velmurugan
2244
14.16
50
new
new
WIM Bodhana Sivanandan hit a new personal rating record, gaining over 100 rating points at the Graz Open and jumping to 2268, a Prodigy Rank of number-31, and number-3 rank on the Girls list. But that’s just the beginning because she gained almost 100 more rating points at the Cannes Open, which ended just barely too late to be included on this month’s list. Her live rating of 2386 is now higher than GM Judit Polgar at the same age, and would have been enough for a top-10 Prodigy Rank on the open list if we used live ratings in these calculations. Next up may be her chase of the 2400 rating mark.
Congratulations to 10-year-old Bodhana Sivanandan on earning the FM title after crossing 2300 across the Graz Open (+102) and now the first 4 rounds of the Cannes Open (+51.2)! 🤯 https://t.co/Fwm9QoM37T pic.twitter.com/TCwpHkJpcb
— chess24 (@chess24com) February 25, 2026
We also have a new entry to the top-20 on the girls list in WIM Devindya Gunawardhana, whose rating hit a then-peak mark four months ago and has proceeded to rise another 210 points since! She now sits at 2347 at age 14, for a number-13 Prodigy Rank.
All data courtesy of FIDE.
