In the last list of the top Grandmasters in each country series, we went over the best Chess players of all time. Now in this article, we’re going through the ten best English Chess players from England in the United Kingdom. We’re going in order from the tenth highest FIDE rated player to the number one spot.
10) Nicholas Pert
Full name: Pert, Nicholas
Title: Grandmaster (GM) 2001
Born: 1981
Federation: England
Ratings
World Ranking: 453
Rapid: 2600
Blitz: 2536
Classical (Std): 2548
Profiles
He was born in Ipswich,, England. He attended the prestigious European U-12 and U-14 tournaments, where he finished third and fourth respectively. He went to Ipswich School and Oakham School, both of which were well known for their chess excellence at the time and host some of the world’s strongest international young master events.
After completing his secondary education, he studied Mathematics and Statistics at Warwick University. Pert then became an actuary before resuming full-time chess play and instructing. He has also played poker as a source of additional income, much like many contemporary chess professionals.
9) John D M Nunn
Full name: Nunn, John D M
Title: Grandmaster (GM) 1978
International Master (IM) 1975
Born: 1955
Federation: England
Ratings
World Ranking: 405
Rapid: 2536
Blitz: 2490
Classical (Std): 2568
Profiles
By the age of fifteen, he had become Oxford’s youngest student since the 15th century. He conducted research on finite H-spaces and taught mathematics before becoming one of Great Britain’s top chess grandmasters. John’s brain is still in excellent condition, as he demonstrated by winning the worldwide problem-solving competition against 70 mostly younger solvers. That’s really incredible. Nunn is a former chess master, three-time world champion in chess problem solving, writer and publisher of chess problems, and a mathematician. He is one of England’s best chess players, and was previously ranked in the top ten worldwide.
During the same time that his traditional chess improved, Nunn acquired an interest in astronomy, a pastime he shares with former world chess champion Viswanathan Anand. Nunn considers himself an amateur astronomer, although there are several essays and lectures on the subject. The Horsehead Nebula, which is 1,500 light-years away, is the chess player’s favorite astronomical object. It’s a dark cloud of dust and gas against the background glow of IC 434, which can be plainly seen.
8) Jonathan Hawkins
Full name: Hawkins, Jonathan
Title: Grandmaster (GM) 2014
International Master (IM) 2010
FIDE Master (FM) 2008
Born: 1983
Federation: England
Ratings
World Ranking: 337
Rapid: 2579
Blitz: 2500
Classical (Std): 2570
Profiles
At the British championship this 2014, it was all about rags to riches. Jonathan Hawkins, 31, used to be a minor club player in Durham when he was a teenager but rose through hard work and focused study. Jonathan Hawkins became a master and reached the peak of his career by winning the National Championship and collecting £5,000 in prize money at Aberystwyth. Both Hawkins and defending champion David Howell earned 8.5/11 to put them one point ahead of the competition.
7) Julian M Hodgson
Full name: Hodgson, Julian M
Title: Grandmaster (GM) 1988
International Master (IM) 1983
Born: 1963
Federation: England
Ratings
World Ranking: 227
Rapid: Not rated
Blitz: Not rated
Classical (Std): 2609
Profiles
In 1972, a rather youthful Hammersmith player won the London Chess Congress Novice category. Julian Hodgson also took home the Under 10’s prize – a pocket chess set – at 9 years old. Julian would eventually go on to win the British championship. Julian Hodgson began his illustrious career at Hammersmith in his early years. Julian Hodgson, the twice-British champion, began his remarkable career in 1973 and 1974, Hammersmith fielded a team in division two of the British Correspondence Chess League.
6) Nigel Short
Full name: Short, Nigel D
Title: Grandmaster (GM) 1984
Born: 1965
Federation: England
Ratings
World Ranking: 153
Rapid: 2537
Blitz: 2619
Classical (Std): 2626
Profiles
Short learned chess from his father at the age of five. Short became well-known as a 10-year-old chess prodigy when he defeated Viktor Korchnoi, then ranked second in the world, in a simultaneous exhibition in London over 31 boards, where Short was the only winner.
In 1980, during his first attempt, Short achieved his greatest success when he finished second to Garry Kasparov in Dortmund. Short made his international team play debut at the 1983 European Team Championships in Plovdiv, representing England. He was granted the grandmaster rank in 1984, at the age of 19—making him the world’s youngest grandmaster.
5) David Howell
Full name: Howell, David W L
Title: Grandmaster (GM) 2007
International Master (IM) 2004
FIDE Master (FM) 2001
Born: 1990
Federation: England
Ratings
World Ranking: 83
Rapid: 2624
Blitz: 2643
Classical (Std): 2658
Profiles
In the United Kingdom, a 16-year-old Sussex schoolboy has become the country’s youngest chess grandmaster. David Howell, who goes to Eastbourne College, became the UK’s youngest chess grandmaster at a worldwide tournament in Stockholm. At the age of 11, he was called a prodigy when he scored against a reigning world champion.
4) Luke McShane
Full name: McShane, Luke J
Title: Grandmaster (GM) 2000
International Master (IM) 1997
Born: 1984
Federation: England
Ratings
World Ranking: 59
Rapid: 2698
Blitz: 2591
Classical (Std): 2674
Profiles
At the age of eight, Luke McShane dominated the World Under 10 Championship in Duisburg. In 1995, he played Garry Kasparov in a simultaneous exhibition sponsored by computer firm Psion.
England’s Luke McShane is currently the world’s most powerful amateur, keeping his place among the world’s top 100 grandmasters when he gets rare breaks from work as a city financial trader.
The scarcity of amateurs in today’s top chess is not a coincidence. The rigorous requirements of grueling tournament durations and the mental engagement needed for computer preparation for each game favor those who are young and able to focus exclusively on their games without being distracted.
3) Gawain Jones
Full name: Jones, Gawain C B
Title: Grandmaster (GM) 2007
International Master (IM) 2004
FIDE Master (FM) 2004
Born: 1987
Federation: England
Ratings
World Ranking: 49
Rapid: 2604
Blitz: 2657
Classical (Std): 2684
Profiles
At the age of six, Josh Gawain started competing in chess tournaments. In early 1997, when he was just seven years old, he became the youngest player in history to defeat an International Master in an official game, making him a household name. He has represented England at the World Junior and World Youth Championships on numerous occasions, and since 2008 has been one of England’s best-known athletes.
2) Matthew Sadler
Full name: Sadler, Matthew D
Title: Grandmaster (GM) 1993
International Master (IM) 1988
Born: 1974
Federation: England
Ratings
World Ranking: 42
Rapid: 2673
Blitz: 2646
Classical (Std): 2694
Profiles
Matthew D. Sadler, a British chess grandmaster, chess writer, and two-time British Chess Champion in 1995 and 1997, has studied the computer games of AlphaZero versus Stockfish. Game Changer, co-written by him and Natasha Regan, documents the insights that can be gained from how AlphaZero plays chess. Sadler is the No. 2 ranked English player as of August 2021.
1) Michael Adams
Full name: Adams, Michael
Title: Grandmaster (GM) 1989
International Master (IM) 1987
Born: 1971
Federation: England
Ratings
World Ranking: 28
Rapid: 2670
Blitz: 2742
Classical (Std): 2716
Profiles
Discovering the distinction between stalemate and checkmate was Michael Adams earliest memory of playing chess. His greatest asset was his ability to save time and avoid time trouble. Ironically, according in an interview, his greatest liability was his calculation regarding variations and predicting the next move of his opponent. His pastime was watching his koi carp in an aquarium.
In an interview, he stated that his most memorable game was from 1991 in v. Ivanchuk, Terrassa when Zugzwang occurred on an almost full board. Michael Adams exhibits great sportsmanship when he also said that his worst defeat was in v. Tiviakov, PCA Interzonal, Groningen 1993 where his position was not a pretty sight.
The most irritating opponent Michael Adams has faced was Anand and Shirov. He said that Anand and Shirov both looked like they thought he was a punching bag. Meanwhile, the most courteous person he played with was Ivan Morović. Michael Adams characterize his chess-playing style as “Positional.”
His greatest extravagance was his wine cellar. His favorite band was Guns N’ Roses. According to him, the most significant thing life has taught him was this: “Seek not to know the answers but to understand the questions.”
That concludes the list of the ten best English Chess players. If you like list posts like this, you may also be interested in seeing the ten best British Chess players or the best Australian Chess players.
