India Has 46726 Players In Elo List

India Has 46726 Players In Elo List
By Arvind Aron

There are 3960 more Indians than Russians in the latest February 2015 FIDE Rating List announced by FIDE at its site www.fide.com

Former world champion Viswanathan Anand continues to be the only Asian in the World Top 10. Philippine born Wesley So moved closer to Anand but now represents United States of America. Anand is sixth in the rank list with 2797.

World champion Magnus Carlsen of Norway has reached 2865 and is pulling ahead of the elite pack and is 54 Elo ahead of Caruana of Italy. There are two Russians and two Americans in the top ten and rest of the nations have a single person among the elite list.

The Women’s list is interesting at the top with world champion Hou Yifan of China just three Elo behind Judit Polgar. Since Polgar has retired, Hou Yifan can overtake with a single good showing. In their only mutual game a few years before, Hou Yifan beat Judit Polgar at Gibraltar.

Among nations (average of top 10 players), India is ranked sixth in Open or Men and fifth in women.

There are 21 Indians in the 2500 and above rating list. It includes Aravindh Chithambaram and Karthikeyan Murali. Athough these Chennai boys are listed as IM they will soon be listed as Grand Master once the FIDE Presidential Board meets every quarter. India would then have 38 Grand Masters if we include them.

The top 10 players of China average 2703 to India’s 2655. India has 36 GMs, 82 IMs and 258 titled players to China’s 35 GMs, 33 IMs and 140 titled players.

Players in the FIDE rating list
India 46726
Russia 42766
France 39769
Spain 34616
Germany 29501

World Top 10:
01. Carlsen (Nor) 2865
02. Caruana (Ita) 2811
03. Grischuk (Rus) 2810
04. Topalov (Bul) 2800
05. Anish Giri (Ned) 2797
06. Anand (Ind) 2797
07. Wesley So (USA) 2788
08. Kramnik (Rus) 2783
09. Aronian (Arm) 2777
10. Nakamura (USA) 2776

Women Top 10:
01. J Polgar (Hun) 2675
02. Hou Yifan (Chn) 2672
03. Humpy (Ind) 2581
04. Dzagnidze (Geo) 2570
05. Ju Wenjun (Chn) 2547
06. A Muzychuk (Ukr) 2543
07. Cmilyte (Ltu) 2530
08. Lagno (Rus) 2530
09. Kosteniuk (Rus) 2529
10. Gunina (Rus) 2528.