FIDE January 2024 rating list: Firouzja and Koneru qualify for Candidates

December was mainly about the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships and the qualification spots for the Candidates, so there have been slight but no significant changes at the top.

Fabiano Caruana, who had a great run in 2023, returned to 2800+ following his strong showing at the 2023 GCT Sinquefield Cup.

Leinier Dominguez Perez, who also did an excellent job in Saint Louis, made his way into the top 10.

Alireza Firouzja lost quite a few rating points in this competition but partly compensated for them by winning the 15eme Open International d’Echecs de Rouen. It allowed Alireza to preserve his sixth position in the rating list and qualify for the Candidates 2024.

Humpy Koneru also made her way into the Candidates grabbing the rating spot as Hou Yifan did not play enough games in 2023.

Biggest rating gains in top 100 Open and Women

Hans Moke Niemann won this nomination thanks to his stellar performance in the Tournament of Piece 2023, translating into 27.5 rating points. 

Sunilduth Lyna Narayanan (pictured below) emerged as the winner of a very strong open tournament, Sant Boi de Llobregat (Barcelona), and came close to the 2700 mark. The native of Kerala debuted in the top 50 open. 

His compatriot Chithambaram Aravindh achieved good results at the above-mentioned Sant Boi de Llobregat and X Chessable Sunway Sitges International Festival and earned 16 points. 

Arjun Erigaisi tied for first place in the Chennai Masters with Gukesh D and picked 11 points, but in terms of rating, Pavel Eljanov did even better, collecting 13 points and returning to the 2700+ elite group. 

Monica Socko delivered two good performances in the Poland vs Rest of the World match and Bundesliga that brought her 13 rating points. 

Ageless Michael Adams shone on his home turf in the London Chess Classic 2023. The English GM won the title and increased his rating by 13 points. 

The recently concluded World Rapid and Blitz Championship brought about substantial shifts in the Rapid and Blitz rating lists. 

Vladimir Fedoseev (+13 points), Yu Yangyi (+19), Arjun Erigaisi (+17), Daniel Dardha (+24), Pouya Idani (+29), Ivan Cheparinov (+20), Dmitry Andreikin (+15), Volodar Murzin (+39) and Bharath Subramaniyam (+52) significantly improved their positions in the Rapid Open. 

Daniil Dubov (+30), Aleksandar Indjic (+38), Daneshvar Bardiya (+44), Aravindh Chithambaram (+37), Volodar Murzin (+50), Alexander Rakhmanov (+55), Denis Makhnev (+54), Alexey Grebnev (+47) and Artem Uskov (+68) became the primary rating beneficiaries of the World Blitz Championship.

Anastasia Bodnaruk created a major sensation at the WRB 2023. Being outside of the top 100 Women Rapid before the start, she won the women’s rapid event and earned 45 rating points. 

The biggest gains in the entire competition belong to young Sahithi Varshini (pictured below; +191 – Women Rapid) and Velpula Sarayu (+264 – Women Blitz).

The laurels of the best overperformers by the sum of rapid and blitz tournaments go to Ediz Gurel (rapid +108; blitz +106), Mukhammadali Abdurakhmonov (rapid +94; blitz +142), Timur Yonal (rapid +162; blitz +53), Sergey Sklokin (rapid +176; blitz +58), Xeniya Balabayeva (rapid +139; blitz +108), Leya Garifullina (rapid + 48; blitz +106) Alua Nurmanova (rapid +47; blitz +113) and Rakshitta Ravi (rapid +158; blitz +40). 

Photos: Anna Shtourman, Anastasia Korolkova, Lennart Ootes, londonchessclassic.com, elllobregat.com/openchess