In the last list of the top Chess players we published, we went over the best Classical Chess players. Now in this article, we’re going through the best Rapid Chess players, ranked from FIDE.
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10. Maxime Vachier–Lagrave
Full name: Maxime Vachier Lagrave
Title: Grandmaster (2005)
Born: October 21, 1990
Federation: France
Ratings
Std: 2760
Rapid: 2764
Blitz: 2813
Profiles
He is one of the best chess players who earned a grandmaster title in 2005. He has been awarded different world championships for instance in 2009 where he won the French Chess Championship. Due to his outstanding results, he became a grandmaster from 2013 to 2016 after winning the Biel Grandmaster Tournament. Since his childhood; at the stage of six, he has been competing and posting remarkable results in both junior and senior competitions.
9. Fabiano Caruana
Full name: Fabiano Luigi Caruana
Title: Grandmaster (2007)
Born: July 30, 1992
Federation: United States
Ratings
Classical: 2783
Rapid: 2766
Blitz: 2847
Profiles
Guarana was born to Italian parents and had been playing for the United States until 2005 when he transferred his nationality to Italy. He won several championships after earning his grandmaster in 2007. His chess talent was discovered when he was five. This was the time when he played for the first time at Polgar Chess Centre in Queens, New York City. He participated in different tournaments. He was loved due to his aggressive playing style which attracted many people. He is a hardworking player and always determined. He has deep knowledge of the opponents’ strengths and weaknesses.
8. Wesley So
Full name: Wesley Barbossa So
Title: Grandmaster
Born: October 9, 1993
Federation: United State of America
Ratings
Std: 2775
Rapid: 2779
Blitz: 2742
Profiles
The love of chess at a younger age motivated Wesley to start playing it. He did not handle it on his own but the father was ready and willing to help him. During the game, he would beat his father in a chess game and the neighbors too. He is a Filipino-American chess Grandmaster. He attended the Jesus Good Shepherd School and later proceeded to college at Saint Francis of Assisi in Bacoor. He competed in different games and received several awards. This increased his number of invitations to take part in different events. Determination and focus enabled him to achieve the chess game to higher levels.
7. Garry Kasparov
Full name: Garry Kimovich Kasparov
Title: Grandmaster (1980)
Born: April 13, 1963
Federation: Soviet Union (before 1992)
Russia (after 1992)
Ratings
Std: 2812
Rapid: 2783
Blitz: 2644
Profiles
The differences in religious affairs did not hinder Garry from playing chess. It all started when his parents posed a problem with chess and needed a solution from him. When the father passed on as a result of Leukemia, he had to go to a place in Baku where he began his chess training program at the tender age of 10 Coach Vladimir Makogonov. He was trained by different people and in 1976, he has graced the winner of the well-known Soviet Junior Championship. This marked the beginning of his success till 2005 when he retired from the professional chess team.
6. Richard Rapport
Full name: Richard Rapport
Title: Grandmaster (2010)
Born: March 25, 1996
Federation: Hungary
Ratings
Std: 2764
Rapid: 2802
Blitz: 2613
Profiles
Richard was awarded his first Grandmaster at the tender age of thirteen years. He was a chess champion in 2017 and the highest-rated player in 2022. He tied in his game in 2013 with Sigeman and others. In that year as well, he won another championship. He continued playing year after year in different tournaments and received different awards.
5. Jan-Krzysztof Duda
Full name: Jan-Krzysztof Duda
Title: Grandmaster (2013)
Born: April 26, 1998
Federation: Poland
Ratings
World Ranking:
Classical: 2750
Rapid: 2808
Blitz: 2779
Profiles
Duda was branded a FIDE grandmaster at a very young age of fifteen years and twenty-one days. During the chess World Cup in 2021, he announced the winner and was awarded the Golden Cross of merit. Besides his chess game, he loves listening to Queen and Mozart.
4. Ian Nepomniachtchi
Full name: Ian Alexandrovich Nepomniachtchi
Title: Grandmaster
Born: July 14, 1990
Federation: Russia
Ratings
World Rating:
Classical: 2766
Rapid: 2821
Blitz: 2740
Profiles
In the super finals that took place in 2010 and 2020, Nepomniachtchi was ranked the best. In 2013, he played in the world chess championship team and was recognized as a member of the Russian team. He won some silver medals and other awards while playing.
3. Ding Liren
Full name: Ding Liren
Title: Grandmaster
Born: October 24, 1992
Federation: China
Ratings
World Ranking:
Std: 2806
Rapid: 2836
Blitz: 2788
Profiles
Ding Liren is among the highest rapid-rated chess player from China. He won more championships among the Chinese players. During the finals, he bet Maxime Lagrave and won the 2019 Sinquefield cup. He was China’s #1 chess player to play in championships and had remarkable results.
2. Hikaru Nakamura
Full name: Hikaru Nakamura
Title: Grandmaster (2003)
Born: December 9, 1987
Federation: United States of America
Ratings
Std: 2760
Rapid: 2837
Blitz: 2850
Profiles
Hikaru Nakamura is an American chess grandmaster and streamer. He was the youngest to earn a grandmaster at the age of fifteen. He has won different games including the Tata Steel Chess Tournament in 2011, a team medal, and being awarded two bronze medals for the team.
1. Magnus Carlsen
Full name: Sven Magnus Carlsen
Title: Grandmaster (2004)
Born: November 30, 1990
Federation: Norway
Ratings
Std: 2864
Rapid: 2847
Blitz: 2832
Profiles
Carsen was born in Norway – Sigrun. At a younger stage, Carlsen depicted interest in tough challenges whereby he could solve a 50-piece jigsaw puzzle. Also, he enjoyed games at the age of four which were mainly for kids aged 10. He had an exceptional memory whereby he could memories a lot of things. His first game was in 1999 at the age of eight and won. Participated in an international tournament after the completion of primary education. The interest continued till 2022 when he won his eighth Tata Steel Chess Tournament.
That concludes the list of the best Rapid Chess players. If you like list posts like this, you may also be interested in seeing the ten best Indian Chess players or the best Canadian Chess players.
References
- Danielsen, Arne (2010). Mesteren: Magnus Carlsen og sjakkspillet (in Norwegian). Oslo: Cappelen Damm. p. 27. ISBN 978-82-02-33754-4.
- “FIDE Publishes Rapid and Blitz Rating Lists. Nakamura Heads Both”. Chess-News. Retrieved June 14, 2014.
- da Nóbrega, Adaucto Wanderley. “Heraklio 2002 – 17° World Championship u12 (boys)”. BrasilBase. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- 46th Dortmund Sparkassen Chess-Meeting 2018 The Week in Chess
- “Richard Rapport vs. Lajos Seres (2009)”. Chessgames.com. Retrieved 2014-04-02.
- Baldauf, Marco (24 December 2016). “Wei Yi vs Richard Rapport: The Armageddon Decides”. ChessBase Chess News. Retrieved 2016-12-25.
- Kasparov, Garry (26 July 2013). “Kasparov: Why cracks are starting to appear in Putin’s Russia”. CNN. Archived from the original on 7 October 2013. Retrieved 27 November 2013.
- Kasparov, Garry (20 June 2013). “I Will Not Return to the Dark Reality of Putin’s Russia”. The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on 27 November 2013. Retrieved 14 November 2013.
- “Avast Blog | Garry Kasparov”. blog.avast.com. Archived from the original on 25 November 2021. Retrieved 25 November 2021.