Our expert round-up of the 10 best chess players in the world in 2023.
In any sports broadcasts, commentators and pundits alike love to describe cunning manoeuvres of managers and coaches as “playing chess” – but what makes a great chess player anyway?
Chess excellence requires a unique combination of skills including:
- Superior pattern recognition – Studies have shown that chess masters are able to hone in on the best moves in a position more quickly than casuals due to the sheer volume of repetitions they have under their belts.
- An outstanding memory – Since computers now play chess better than humans it is more important than ever to prepare your openings with them, learn from them and then be ready to regurgitate their suggestions at the board.
- Sheer processing power – This is the ability to visualise lengthy potential sequences of moves quickly. Flawlessness in this realm is what differentiates computers from humans, but the best human chess players have astonishingly fluid minds and can play entire games blindfolded without breaking a sweat.
You then need to be able to juggle these and other skills in a timed game and make value judgements about when to think, and when to just react. Sounds easy, right?
RadioTimes.com ranks the 10 best chess players in the world, as well as a few of their distinguishing characteristics.
10. Wesley So
The Filipino/American star is known for a practical rather than dazzling approach to the game, and particularly excels at “Chess960” – a version of chess where the pieces start on randomised squares. This version of chess is becoming more popular because it limits the influence of computer preparation.
9. Richard Rapport
The Hungarian born Rapport is now based in Romania. “Richie” is known for innovative choices in the opening phase of the game and tactical creativity, often sacrificing pieces in order to go for checkmate.
8. Dommaraju Gukesh
One of the many young Indian talents breaking into the chess elite. Gukesh was the third youngest Grandmaster in chess history at age 12, and shows no signs of slowing his ascent. He is known for a well-rounded approach and a cool-headed demeanour.
7. Anish Giri
An amusing social media star known for some of the most nuanced opening knowledge in the world. The Dutch veteran is a perennial top 10 player who still trains hard, hoping to find another gear.
6. Ian Nepomniachtchi
The Russian video game whiz often plays quickly and instinctively. This style leads to some spectacular wins, but also the occasional amateurish oversight. “Nepo” has twice come runner-up in the chess World Championship cycle and will have at least one more shot to attempt to challenge for the crown.
5. Alireza Firouzja
Alireza is razor sharp, boasting a dazzling tactical acumen that especially propels his speed chess skills. The young Iranian-born Paris resident is interested in fashion as well as chess, but in the fashion realm, it would be tough to top the style and panache that his chess moves display.
4. Hikaru Nakamura
This American chess icon is one of the best speed chess players of all time who has become a Twitch superstar in recent years due to his chess, communication, and multi-tasking prowess. At an age when many chess elites start to decline, Hikaru stays at the top of the chess world, all while insisting that Twitch is his job and competitive chess is now just a “hobby.”
3. Ding Liren
The reigning World Champion is the first champ to hail from China. Ding won the title, in part, because the #1 player abdicated his crown, but nonetheless is a dazzling player. All of the chess elites are versatile in how they can play, but Ding is best known for a harmonious chess style and a gentle demeanour.
2. Fabiano Caruana
This American star fell just short of winning the World Championship in 2018 but is a constant threat to retake the crown. Fabiano is known for deep opening preparation, and what is known as a “concrete” style- meaning that he can envision potential sequences with uncanny accuracy, and relies on this skill more than intuition.
1. Magnus Carlsen
The Norwegian legend is the best modern player by far, and many consider him to be the G.O.A.T. Magnus is so far ahead of his peers that he vacated his World Championship title in order to train less rigorously. Nonetheless, Magnus is still comfortably ranked the highest, and plays frequently in non-World Championship events.
You don’t get to be #1 without excelling at all aspects of chess, but Magnus is particularly known for his endgame prowess, and for an intuitive and practical style that enables him to effortlessly spot better moves, faster even than his elite peers. Young upstarts like Gukesh, Firouzja, and Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (another Indian wunderkind) may someday supplant Magnus, but for now he is still the king of the game.
Ben Johnson is the author of new book Perpetual Chess Improvement: Practical Chess Advice from World-Class Players and Dedicated Amateurs. Available from November 2023 on Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.
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