India’s Teen Chess Wave: 105 Players Aged 20 or Under Now Rated 2300 or More

National Rating List Reveals Expanding Youth Base

India’s chess boom is no longer confined to a handful of elite players. The October 2026 FIDE standard rating list, analyzed by Chess Second, reveals a nation with strength at the top and growing depth across its younger generation. A total of 105 active players aged 20 or under are now rated 2300 or above, a significant increase from 75 a year ago.

Established Elite Maintain Strong Hold

R Praggnanandhaa continues to lead India’s chess rankings, holding the top spot with a rating of 2763 after gaining two points. Arjun Erigaisi remains in second place at 2746, despite a 13-point drop, while Viswanathan Anand holds third position at 2739.

Gukesh D made the largest upward movement within the top five, climbing to 2710 with a seven-point gain following his 8.5/11 performance at the Chess Olympiad. He now sits one point ahead of Nihal Sarin (2709) in fourth place. Vidit Gujrathi (2693), Aravindh Chithambaram and V Pranav (both 2677), Pranesh M (2674), and Pentala Harikrishna (2648) round out the top 10.

With an average rating of 2703.6 across the top 10, India maintains its position as the second-ranked federation globally.

Women’s Chess Sees Consistent Growth

Koneru Humpy continues to dominate the women’s rankings, adding nine points to reach 2518 and widen her lead. Divya Deshmukh (2488), Harika Dronavalli (2453), Vaishali Rameshbabu (2452, down 17 points), and Deekshitha Modipalli (2436) follow closely behind.

Nineteen-year-old Savitha Shri emerged as a standout performer, gaining 23 points after scoring 9/10 at the Women’s Olympiad. Her performance lifted her from ninth to sixth in the national rankings.

Young Talent Signals Promising Future

The most compelling aspect of the October list is the emergence of India’s next generation. Fourteen-year-old Sanjay Narayanan P S achieved a remarkable 230-point gain to reach 2356. Peers Shaurya Chaudhary and Aarav Saish Amonkar, also 14, both crossed the 2400 threshold for the first time.

Thirteen-year-old Pratitee Bordoloi, rated 2393, now holds the highest rating of any Indian girl in the year she turned 13, according to FIDE records dating back to 2001.

Broader Participation Drives Momentum

The October rating list reflects broader participation, with India recording 19,882 active rated players—189 more than in September. Additionally, 583 players received their first FIDE standard rating this month.

The list also awarded 30 new titles: 8 FIDE Masters, 13 Candidate Masters, 1 Woman International Master, 3 Woman FIDE Masters, and 5 Woman Candidate Masters.

Historical Context Highlights Longevity

Only four players have led Indian chess since 2001, with Anand holding the top spot for the longest duration—23 years and one month in total. Humpy Koneru has led the women’s list since September 2022, and her total reign of 23 years and six months represents the longest tenure among the three women to hold the No. 1 position.

Source

This report is based on information published by The Bridge — Chess.

Official source: https://thebridge.in/chess/india-teen-chess-wave-105-players-now-rated-2300-57917