FIDE ratings January 2011: Carlsen regains the number one slot

FIDE January 2011 Rating List

In November 2010 Magnus Carlsen had relinquished the number one spot in the world – which he had held for all of the year – to World Champion Viswanathan Anand. In the two months that have elapsed Anand gained six extra points to reach an all-time personal record of 2810. But – in the same period the astonishing Norwegian GM had gained twelve points and climbed to 2814, overtaking Anand to regain his top ranking. This is in fact short or Magnus highest-ever rating: 2826 in the July and September rankings.

Armenian GM Levon Aronian has maintained his third ranking after gaining four points, staying in that hallowed 2800+ slot. His main rival, Vladimir Kramnik, lost seven points and is now 21 points behind Aronian. On place five we are startled to see another great young talent, ten months older than Magnus Carlsen (and his natural-born rival): Sergey Karjakin, who gained 16 points to make top-five. You probably know that back in 2002 he smashed all records by making his full GM title at the age of twelve years and seven months.

In place six we see the formerly dominant Bulgarian Veselin Topalov, who in November had lost 17 points and dropped from place two to five. In this list he has lost a further 11 points and one ranking place. Nigel Short lost 22 points and allowed Luke McShane to overtake him and become England's second in command, a place Nigel held for decades.

We are pleased to see Hikaru Nakamura on place ten, after the US grandmaster gained ten points in the past two months. His games, like those of Shirov, Morozevich and a few others, are dashing and innovative, and it is always an advantage to have a player like that in the top ten.

GM Wang Yue lost an astounding 22 points in the past two months, but still remains China's top-ranked player. However, just three places and three Elo points behind him is Wang Hao, challenging him for the number one spot in his country.

FIDE January 1st 2011 – Top 100 Players

Top gains by players

Top losses by players

FIDE Top 100 Women January 2011

Nothing really new in the top rankings here. The first eight places remain unchanged, with three players now rated above 2600. Pia Cramling has dropped from place nine to 12, allowing Viktorija Cmilyte to climb to her slot from place 13. Harika remains the top Indian after the second highest ranked female player of all time, Koneru Humpy.

FIDE Top 20 Juniors January 2011

Magnus Carlsen and Sergey Karjakin are bout out of this list – both turned 20, Sergey in January and Magnus a month ago. This left the number one place open for US-Italian GM Fabiano Caruana, who is being hounded by Anish Giri and Wesley So. These are the three to watch once you have recovered from Carlsen and Karjakin.

FIDE Top 20 Girls January 2011

Sixteen-year-old Hou Yifan, who has just won the Women's World Championship, dominates this list by over eighty points. Harika and Ju Wenjun are making rapid progress and can be expected to mount a plausible challenge. Anna Muzychuk has disappeared from the list since the very talented Ukrainian/Slovenian has turned twenty.

Lists and data by courtesy of FIDE