In the last list of the top Chess players we published, we ranked the best Chilean Chess players. In this article, we listed the best Scottish Chess players from Scotland from FIDE. All of the players in this list are International Masters and Grandmaster level players with an Elo rating of at least 2300. For more information on ratings, see the guide on how to get a FIDE rating.
10. Angus J Dunnington
Full Name: Angus J Dunnington
Title: International Master (1989)
Born: August 9, 1967
Place of birth: Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Federation: Scotland
Ratings
World ranking: 2739
Rapid: N/A
Blitz: 2387
Classical: 2361
Profiles
Angus J Dunnington was accorded the title of International Master in 1989. He learned chess games at the age of 15 years, thus from 1982 to 2022, he played a total of 741 games; winning 238, drawing 327, and losing 176, thus earning a score of 54.18 percent. In June 2022, Angus played in the Edinburgh Bicentenary IM tournament held in Scotland clinching second place with 3.5 points. In addition, Angus played in the United Kingdom notable tournaments including; BCF-chT2 0405 (4NCL)-2004, BCF-chT2 0203 (4NCL)-2002, and BFC-chT2 0203 (4NCL)-2002.
9. Andrew N Greet
Full Name: Andrew N Greet
Title: International Master (2005)
FIDE Master (2004)
Born: January 1, 1979
Place of birth: Truro, Cornwall
Federation: Scotland
Ratings
World ranking: 2094
Rapid: 2434
Blitz: 2431
Classical: 2392
Profiles
Greet began competing in chess from 1992 to 2021 playing a total of 504 games. In those events, he won 230, drew 133, and lost 141 attaining an average score of 58.83 percent. a few of the last tournaments Greet played were held in the United Kingdom, which includes; Wood Green Inv 2021, 4NCL Div 1a 2019, 4NCL Div 1a 2019, and 4NCL 2018-19. Most played openings with white pieces included; Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky attack, 3…Bd7- 14 games, Sicilian, Canal-Sokolsky (Nimzovich-Rossolimo, Moscow) attack- 7 games, French, Winawer, advance variation-7 games, and Sicilian, closed- 6 games while he played with Black pieces in openings like; Queen’s Indian, 4.g3-10 games, French, Tarrasch, open variation- 8 games, Nimzo-Indian, classical, Pirc variation- 6 games and Reti, King’s Indian attack (Barcza system)- 6 games.
8. Colin A McNab
Full Name: Colin A McNab
Title: Grandmaster (1992)
International Master (1984)
Born: February 3, 1961
Place of birth: Dundee, United Kingdom
Federation: Scotland
Ratings
World ranking: 3002
Rapid: N/A
Blitz: 2486
Classical: 2402
Profiles
Colin A McNab became the 2nd Scottish player to be accorded the Grandmaster title behind Paul Motwana. McNab has been the International Master of Correspondence Chess since 1993 and International Master of Chess problem solving since 2007. Between 1980 and 2016, he represented Scotland in Chess Olympiads 18 times and clinched the Scottish Chess Tournament four times- 1983, 1991, 1993, and 1995. In addition, McNab emerged victorious in the 1992 Commonwealth Tournament.
7. Eddie Dearing
Full Name: Eddie Dearing
Title: International Master
Born: January 1, 1980
Place of birth: Scotland
Federation: Scotland
Ratings
World ranking: 2537
Rapid: N/A
Blitz: 2443
Classical: 2414
Profiles
The Scottish chess player began playing chess in 1994 and has since competed in a total of 390 games with his recent being in 2014. As a competitor in the 390 games, Eddie won 127, drew 145, and lost 118 leading to an average score of 51.15 percent. Eddie’s last tournaments were all played in the United Kingdom such as the 4NCL 2013-14, 4NCL 2012-13, 4NCL 2012-13, and London League 2010-11.
6. Mark L Condie
Full Name: Mark L Condie
Title: International Master (1984)
Born: February 12, 1965
Place of birth: Scotland
Federation: Scottish
Ratings
World ranking: 2451
Rapid: N/A
Blitz: N/A
Classical: 2417
Profiles
Mark L Condie became an International Master in 1984. He played 160 games from 1980 to 1995, winning 46, drawing 75, and losing 38 hence attaining a score of 52.5 percent. Condie competed in the Scottish championship four times (1980,1981, 1985, and 1995), the British Championship four times (1985, 1981, 1986, and 1995), and the commonwealth Championship once (1985). Other events Condie played in include; GLC Masters (1986), Lewisham International (1982), and Edinburgh Open (1988).
5. Paul Motwani
Full name: Paul Motwani
Title: Grandmaster (1992)
International Master (1987)
Born: June 13, 1962
Place of birth: Glasgow, United Kingdom
Federation: Scotland
Ratings
World ranking: 1586
Rapid: N/A
Blitz: N/A
Classical: 2420
Profiles
Paul Motwani became the 1st player from Scotland to earn the Grandmaster title. Motwani clinched his first ever Scottish championship in 1978 and went on to win six others. He has represented his country in 18 Chess Olympiads while keeping his performance rating above 2500. Notable tournaments Motwani competed in include; Irish New Year GM 2022 in Ireland, TCh-BEL 2017-18 in Belgium, and Dutch League 2018-19 in the Netherlands.
4. John Shaw
Full Name: John Shaw
Title: Grandmaster (2006)
International Master (1980)
FIDE Master (1994)
Born: October 16, 1968
Place of birth: Irvine, United Kingdom
Federation: Scotland
Ratings
World ranking: 2245
Rapid: N/A
Blitz: 2428
Classical: 2425
Profiles
John Shaw is a three times winner of the Scottish Championship- 1995, 1998, and 2000. In addition, Shaw competed for his Scotland in the Chess Olympiad ten times- 1994, 1996, 2000, 2002,2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012, and 2014. He is the author of chess books and also the Publishing House Quality Chess Chief Editor.
3. Jacob Aargaard
Full Name: Jacob Aargaard
Title: Grandmaster (2007)
International Master (1997)
Born: July 31, 1973
Place of birth: Denmark
Federation: Scotland
Ratings
World ranking: 1141
Rapid: 2502
Blitz: 2509
Classical: 2455
Profiles
Jacob Aargaard clinched the British Chess Championship in 2007 and became Scotland’s 3rd highest-rated player (July 2021) having an ELO rating of 2477. Jacob came second in the 2004 Scottish Chess Championship and topped in the 2005 Scottish Chess Championship but failed to receive the title as he was a non-British. The title was therefore awarded to Craig Pritchett. Some last tournaments Jacob participated in include; Charlotte Summer GMA 2022 in the United States, Charlotte May GMB 2022 in the United States, Semana Santa Alicante in Spain, and 59th TCh-DEN Ex 2021-22 in Denmark.
2. Matthew J Turner
Full Name: Matthew J Turner
Title: Grandmaster (2002)
International Master (1994)
Born: December 12, 1975
Place of birth: United Kingdom
Federation: Scotland
Ratings
World ranking: 1077
Rapid: 2500
Blitz: 2430
Classical: 2461
Profiles
Turner has competed in a total of 345 games from 1989 to 2021. In those games, Turner won 125, drew 135, and lost 54 earning an average score of 61.3 percent. In addition, he competed in the British Championship eight times (1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, and 2012. Other tournaments he participated in include; the Hastings tournament in 2000, Christmas Open Masters in 2009, Artic Chess Challenge in 2009, and 18th Lloyds Bank Masters Open in 1994.
1. Jonathan Rowson
Full Name: Jonathan Rowson
Title: Grandmaster (2017)
International Master (2013)
FIDE Master (2012)
Born: August 7, 1996
Place of birth: Aberdeen, United Kingdom
Federation: Chile
Ratings
World ranking: 156
Rapid: 2570
Blitz: 2542
Classical: 2620
Profiles
Rowson proved his professionalism in chess when he became a silver medalist in the 1995 Under-18 European Championship behind Polish player Robert Kempinski. 1n 1997, Rowson finished second in the Under-20 European Championship, emerging victorious in the tournament again in 2001 and 2004. Furthermore, Rowson added to his trophies by winning the British Championship in 2004, 2005, and 2006. In 2000, Rowson triumphed at the Canadian Open Chess Tournament and shared first place with Vasilios Kotronias in the 2003-2004 Hastings International Chess Congress.
That concludes the list of the best Scottish Chess players. If you like list posts like this, you may also be interested in seeing the ten best Maltese Chess players or the best Irish Chess players.
Sources
- http://www.bcmchess.co.uk/news/dunningtonpoker200602.html
- https://archive.today/20120911081119/http://www.newinchess.com/Angus_Dunnington-pa-924.html
- http://www.olimpbase.org/players/ciqemgul.html
- http://en.chessbase.com/post/nunn-wins-british-problem-solving-championship
- https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0213159/
- http://www.chessscotland.com/archiveresults/scocham.htm
- http://www.chessscotland.com/
- http://www.olimpbase.org/players/pfv5v3vd.html
- https://paulmotwani.com/