In the last list of the top Chess players we published, we ranked the best South Korean Chess players. Now in this article, we’re ranking the best Maltese Chess players from Malta, starting with the number ten spot in FIDE. All of the players in this list are master level players with an Elo rating of at least 2000. For more information on ratings, see the guide on how to get a FIDE rating.
10. Clarence Psaila
Full Name: Clarence Psaila
Title: FIDE Master
Born: January 1, 1984
Federation: Malta
Ratings
World ranking: 29228
Rapid: 2034
Blitz: 1863
Classical: 1956
Profiles
Clarence Psaila was accredited with the title of FIDE Master in 2018 and the title of Candidates Master in 2016. He received recognition as a FIDE arbiter in 2021. From 2012 to 2018, Clarence played 25 games; with 8 wins, 8 draws, and 9 losses accumulating to an average winning score of 48 percent. He has since played in various tournaments, including; 43rd Olympiad 2018, the 42nd Olympiad 2016, and the 40th Olympiad Open 2012.
9. Stefan Beulertz
Full Name: Stefan Beulertz
Title: None
Born: January 1, 1980
Federation: Malta
Ratings
World ranking: 28246
Rapid: 1947
Blitz: N/A
Classical: 1964
Profiles
Stefan Beulertz is yet to be accorded either of the FIDE titles. He received FIDE Trainer recognition in 2016. From 1997 to 2005, Stefan Beulertz played a total of 59 games; with 17 wins, 24 draws, and 18 losses accumulating to an average winning score of 49.15 percent. He has since played in various tournaments, including Nuremberg-ch op 05th 2005 in Germany, Balatonlelle op 2003 Hungary, Nuremberg-ch op 03rd 2003 in Germany, and Bayern-chI Bank Hofmann 6th 2002 in Germany.
8. Alexander Pettersson
Full Name: Alexander Pettersson
Title: None
Born: January 1, 1982
Federation: Malta
Ratings
World ranking: 27856
Rapid: 2002
Blitz: 1862
Classical: 1968
Profiles
Alexander Pettersson hasn’t been accorded with any of the FIDE titles. From 1992 to 2019, Pettersson played 38 games; with 16 wins, 6 draws, and 16 losses accumulating to an average winning score of 50.0 percent. some of the tournaments he played include; Najdorf Mem Open A-2019 in Poland, Rodeby op-2000 in Sweden, Linkoping-B-1998 in Sweden, and SWE-ch U16-1998 in Sweden.
7. Duncan Vella
Full Name: Duncan Vella
Title: Candidate Master
Born: January 1, 1971
Federation: Malta
Ratings
World ranking: 25996
Rapid: 2019
Blitz: 1882
Classical: 1985
Profiles
Duncan Vella was accorded the title of Candidate Master in 2013 and became a FIDE Trainer in 2018 and a FIDE Instructor in 2016. has played a couple of games from 1996 to 2016 totaling 87 games; 28 wins, 16 draws, and 43 losses accounting for a winning score of 41.38 percent. The tournaments he last played include; 42nd Olympiad- 2016 in Azerbaijan, 41st Olympiad Open-2014 in Norway, 39th Olympiad Me-2010 in Russian Federation, and Calvia ol (Men)-2004 in Spain.
6. Leopold Attard
Full Name: Leopold Attard
Title: None
Born: January 1, 2001
Federation: Malta
Ratings
World ranking: 14960
Rapid: 1685
Blitz: 1617
Classical: 2100
Profiles
Leopold Attard hasn’t been accorded any FIDE titles. In the 2 games, he played in 2017, he won 0, 1 draw, and 1 loss, thus earning a winning score of 25.0 percent. Among the last tournaments, he played include; 35th Andorra Open 2017 in Andorra Leopold Attard played with White pieces in the French, Winawer, advance variation-1 game, and with Black pieces in the Sicilian, O’Kelly variation-1 game.
5. Jake Darmanin
Full Name: Jake Darmanin
Title: Candidate Master
Born: January 1, 1994
Federation: Malta
Ratings
World ranking: 14880
Rapid: 2147
Blitz: 2138
Classical: 2101
Profiles
Jake Darmanin was accredited for the Candidate Master title in 2018. He is the champion of the U20 Junior Tournament four times, winning the last in 2014. He competed in the 2017 European Small Nations Tournament and played for his country in the Global chess championship. In addition, he competed and emerged victorious in the National Rapid & Blitz Tournament. he was a participant in the 43rd Chess Olympiad in 2018 and performed exemplarily well but failed to win the trophy.
4. Colin Pace
Full Name: Colin Pace
Title: Candidate Master
Born: January 1, 1979
Federation: Malta
Ratings
World ranking: 10697
Rapid: 2127
Blitz: 2099
Classical: 2159
Profiles
Colin Pace was granted the title of Candidate Master in 2006. From 1996 to 2018 he has played a total of 167 tournaments; with 60 wins, 36 draws, and 71 losses accumulating to an average winning score of 46.71 percent. He has competed in some notable tournaments such as; 43rd Olympiad 2018 in Georgia, the 42nd Olympiad 2016 in Azerbaijan, 41st Olympiad Open 2014 in Norway, and the 40th Olympiad Open-2012 in Turkey.
3. Attila Robert Novak
Full Name: Attila Robert Novak
Title: None
Born: January 1, 1984
Federation: Malta
Ratings
World ranking: 10636
Rapid: 2206
Blitz: 2174
Classical: 2160
Profiles
Attila Robert Novak hasn’t been awarded any title by FIDE. He has played a total of 15 tournaments from 1996 to 2007; for which he achieved 1 win, 5 draws, and 9 losses accumulating an average winning score of 23.33 percent. Notable tournaments he has competed in during that period include; HUN-chT2 Breyer-2006 in Hungary, Balatonalmadi op-A-1996 in Hungary, and Veszprem op-1996 also held in Hungary.
Novak played with White pieces in the following openings; Gruenfeld, exchange, Spassky variation-1 game, King’s Indian, orthodox, Aronin-Taimanov variation-1 game, Queen’s Gambit Declined, Tarrasch defense- 1 game, and King’s Indian defense- 1 game.
2. Robert Zerafa
Full Name: Robert Zerafa
Title: Candidate Master
Born: January 1, 1989
Federation: Malta
Ratings
World ranking: 9548
Rapid: 2068
Blitz: 2169
Classical: 2178
Profiles
Robert Zerafa was accorded the title of Candidate Master title in 2012. He played a total of 45 tournaments from 2008 to 2018, performing averagely by winning 13, drawing 8, and losing 24 in those games thus averaging a winning score of 37.78 percent. Zerafa competed in notable tournaments including; 43rd Olympiad- 2018 in Georgia, the 42nd Olympiad 2016 in Azerbaijan, 41st Olympiad Open 2014 in Norway, and the 40th Olympiad Open in Turkey.
1. Timothy Mifsud
Full Name: Timothy Mifsud
Title: Candidate Master
Born: January 1, 1979
Federation: Malta
Ratings
World ranking: 8366
Rapid: N/A
Blitz: N/A
Classical: 2198
Profiles
Timothy Mifsud was accorded the title of Candidate Master in 2022. He clinched the 86th Malta Chess Championship. He has competed in a total of 159 games from 1992 to 2022. In those tournaments, he emerged victorious in 60 games, drawn 42, and Lost 57 thus equivalent to a winning score of 50.94 percent. Mifsud’s last tournaments he competed in include; FSIM June 2022 in Hungary, Gibraltar Masters 2018 in the United Kingdom, Budapest FS08 IM-1997 in Hungary, and La Valetta op-1996 in Malta.
That concludes the list of the best Maltese Chess players. If you like list posts like this, you might also be interested in other lists of the top players like the best Kazakh Chess players or the best Mongolian Chess players.
Sources
- “Michael Mifsud transfer transfer”. The Horizon. 2008-07-26. Archived from the original on 2008-07-29. Collected 2008-09-13
- Busuttil, Antoine (2011-08-16). “Michael Mifsud hands Valletta the Super Cup” (in English). MaltaFootball.com. Collected 2011-08-25.
- Leitch, Will (February 2018). “Newsletter 144: Robert Novak, and Going Back to the Daily Illini”. Medium. Retrieved June 11, 2022. …from 1948–52, he was a sportswriter for the Daily Illini, and he always came back to see the staff when he was in town.
- “’Crossfire’ host Robert Novak leaving CNN”. Today.com. December 16, 2005. Retrieved August 25, 2009.
- “Novak’s Column on Palestinian Christians”. Churches for Middle East Peace. May 25, 2006. Archived from the original on January 9, 2009. Retrieved August 19, 2009.
- Atli Arason (25 May 2022). “Alexander Petersson leggur skóna á hilluna”. Vísir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 12 June 2022.
- “Alexander Petersson”. Morgunblaðið (in Icelandic). 29 December 2010. Retrieved 12 January 2020.
- a b c “Michael Mifsud is MaltaToday’s Sportsman of the Year” (in English). Malta Today. 2001-12-30. Archived from the original on 2013-11-03. Collected 2008-01-27
- Sky Blues snap up Malta striker” (in English). BBC. 2007-01-10. Collected 2008-01-27.
- Moore, Jesmond. “During a rally by Floriana FC: Said withdraws his resignation” (in English). The Horizon. Collected 2011-02-02.
