In the last list of the top Chess players we published, we went over the best Vietnamese Chess players. Now in this article, we’re ranking the best Belarusian Chess players from Belarus.
All ten of the top players have the Grandmaster title which requires an Elo rating of over 2500 from FIDE. For more information on ratings, see the guide on how to get a FIDE rating.
10. Vitaly Teterev
Full Name: Vitaly Teterev
Title: Grandmaster
Born: January 7, 1983
Federation: Belarus
Ratings
World ranking: 1465
Rapid: 2420
Blitz: 2374
Classical: 2429
Profiles
Teterev was granted the title of Grandmaster in 2007 and has a FIDE rating of 2429 and a Peak rating of 2539. He has played for his country in the 2010 & 2012 chess olympiad and the 2013 European team chess tournament.
In addition, he is the individual gold medalist at the 2010 chess olympiad. He has been a chess player from 1995 to 2022, playing 406 games. In those games, he won 152, lost 10, and drew 153 hence earning him a winning score of 56.28 percent.
The most recent tournaments he played include; the 20th Orsha Open 2022, Panchenko Mem Open A 2021, Kurnosov Mem Rapid 2021, and Lozovatsky Mem 2021.
9. Viachaslau Zarubitski
Full Name: Viachaslau Zarubitski
Title: International Master
Born: January 1, 2002
Federation: Belarus
Ratings
World ranking: 1200
Rapid: 2366
Blitz: 2325
Classical: 2448
Profiles
In 2018, Zarubitski was accorded the title of International Master and the FIDE Master title in 2014. Between 2014 and 2022, he played 367 games, for which he won 123, lost 109, and drew 135. He equaled a winning score of 51.91 percent.
Zarubitski played in the following tournaments; the 13th Asrian Memorial 2022, Chelyabinskiy Variant A, Lozovatsky Mem A 2022, and 88th ch-BLR 2022.
8. Mihail Nikitenko
Full Name: Mihail Nikitenko
Title: Grandmaster
Born: January 1, 2000
Federation: Belarus
Ratings
World ranking: 1145
Rapid: 2392
Blitz: 2417
Classical: 2453
Profiles
Mihail Nikitenko was accorded the Grandmaster title in 2002 and the International Master title in 2017. He has played a total of 362 games from 2012 to 2022. In those games, he won 148, lost 103, and drew 111, thus equaling a winning score of 56.22 percent.
Among the notable tournaments he played include; 1st Maharashtra GM Open 2022, TCh-RUS Premier 2022, Chelyabinskiy Variant A 2022, and Lozovatsky Mem A 2022.
7. Andrei Kovalev
Full Name: Andrei Kovalev
Title: Grandmaster
Born: November 7, 1961
Federation: Belarus
Ratings
World ranking: 1059
Rapid: 2329
Blitz: 2289
Classical: 2462
Profiles
In 1992, Andrei Kovalev was granted the title of Grandmaster and the International Master title in 1989 and licensed as a FIDE senior trainer in 2010. He has played 1487 games, for which he won 626, lost 257, and drew 604. He equaled a winning score of 62.41 percent.
Among the notable tournaments he has played include; Chelyabinskiy Variant A 2022, Vezerkepzo GM Winter 2022, Vezerkepzo GM Nov 2021, and FSGM November 2021.
6. Kirill Stupak
Full Name: Kirill Stupak
Title: Grandmaster
Born: March 16, 1990
Federation: Belarus
Ratings
World ranking: 1015
Rapid: 2443
Blitz: 2493
Classical: 2464
Profiles
Kirill Stupak was crowned the title of Grandmaster in 2011 and the International Master title in 2007. He has a FIDE rating of 2464 and a Peak rating of 2579. In addition, Stupak played for his country in four chess olympiads including 2016, 2014, 2012, and 2010.
He has played a total of 1055 games between 2000 and 2022. In those particular games, Stupak won 400, drew 441, and lost 214, earning him a percentage score of 58.82 percent.
Some tournaments he participated in include; the 1st Maharashtra GM Open 2022, Chelyabinskiy Variant A 2022, Lozovatsky Mem A 2022, and 88th ch-BLR 2022.
5. Alexei Fedorov
Full Name: Alexei Fedorov
Title: Grandmaster
Born: September 27, 1972
Federation: Belarus
Ratings
World ranking: 793
Rapid: 2571
Blitz: 2521
Classical: 2489
Profiles
Alexei Fedorov was conferred with the title of Grandmaster in 1995 and the International Master title in 1992, while he has a FIDE rating of 2489 and a Peak rating of 2684.
Fedorov was victorious at the Belarusian chess tournament in 2008, 2005, 1995, and 1993. He also competed in the chess olympiads seven times, with 2008, 2006, and 2004 being his last years in the competition. Alexei also participated in the FIDE world tournament in 2002, 2000, and 1999.
4. Denis Lazavik
Full Name: Denis Lazavik
Title: International Master
Born: January 1, 2006
Federation: Belarus
Ratings
World ranking: 672
Rapid: 2393
Blitz: 2437
Classical: 2504
Profiles
Lazavik was granted the International Master title in 2021 and the FIDE Master in 2019, whereas he has a FIDE rating of 2440 and a Peak rating of 2911. He competed in the junior speed chess tournament in 2021.
Between 2018 and 2022, he has played 144 games in which he has won 51, drawn 71, and lost 22, hence giving him a winning score of 60.07 percent. The most recent tournaments he participated in include; Panchenko Mem Open 2021, 88th Ch- BLR 2022, Lozovatsky Mem A 2022, and Chelyabinskiy Variant A.
3. Andrey Zhigalko
Full Name: Andrey Zhigalko
Title: Grandmaster
Born: September 18, 1985
Federation: Belarus
Ratings
World ranking: 638
Rapid: 2449
Blitz: 2452
Classical: 2509
Profiles
Andrey Zhigalko was accorded the title of Grandmaster in 2006. Between 1999 and 2022, he has played a total of 936 games in which he has won 381, drawn 343, and lost 212, giving him a score of 59.03 percent.
The most recent tournaments he participated in include; Lozovatsky Mem A 2022, 43rd Nezehmetdinov Mem 2021, Lozovatsky Mem A 2021 and Pavlodar Open 2019.
2. Aleksej Aleksandrov
Full Name: Aleksej Aleksandrov
Title: Grandmaster
Born: May 11, 1973
Federation: Belarus
Ratings
World ranking: 545
Rapid: 2486
Blitz: 2426
Classical: 2522
Profiles
In 1997, Aleksandrov was accorded the title of Grandmaster and the International Master title in 1993, whereas he has a FIDE rating of 2522 and a Peak rating of 2679.
Aleksej is a victor of the Belarusian championship on five occasions and competed for his country in the chess olympiads, the world team chess tournament, and the European team chess tournament. In addition, he has participated in both the FIDE world cup and FIDE world tournament in different years.
1. Sergei Azaro
Full Names: Sergei Azaro
Title: Grandmaster
Birth: May 19, 1983
Federation: Belarus
Ratings
World ranking: 330
Rapid: 2580
Blitz: 2494
Classical: 2566
Profiles
Sergei Azaro earned the title of Grandmaster in 2003. He is the 2001 and 2002 victor of the Belarusian championship.
At the Hastings chess congress where the challenger’s championship took place, Azaro came first with a few others sharing first place with him. Among other several tournaments he topped include; the 5th Istanbul chess festival 2006, Bethune Open 2009, 3rd Annual continental class tournament, and second place at the 2003 world junior chess tournament.
That concludes the list of the best Belarusian Chess players. If you like list posts like this, you may also be interested in seeing the ten best Norwegian Chess players or the best Spanish Chess players.