Here's a rundown of the best of the best Chess Grandmasters in the world. All of this year's top 10 have a rating above 2750 and three of them have a rating of over 2800! You may have just came here to find a quality chess set, but hopefully these bios will give you a little extra background into the world of competitive chess and what it takes to vie for the title of World Champion.
10. Hikaru Nakamura
Hikaru was the winner of the 2011 Tata Steel Chess Tournament. In that tournament he lost only a single game, to the number-one player in the world. Garry Kasparov, the former world champion, was so impressed that he said Nakamura's result was perhaps even better than any tournament performance by the legendary Bobby Fischer, who never won a tournament ahead of the world champion. Aside from being known as America's best Chess player, Hikaru is famous for his regular internet play on several websites in which he is the strongest blitz, bullet, and standard player on the server.
9. Vassily Ivanchuk
Remember what an honor it was for Hikaru to be complemented by Garry Kasparov? Well, Vassily Ivanchuk defeated Kasparov in the 1991 Linares tournament! Ivanchuk has always been a formidable opponent in speed chess and even won the 2007-2008 Blitz Chess Tournament, but when it comes to traditional chess, Ivanchuk is an erratic figure. He dropped to 30th in the FIDE Elo rating in 2009 and then skyrocketed back up to eighth in the world in 2010. Ivanchuk is still one of the most formidable and respected players, but it's doubtful he will reach the coveted number-one spot in traditional chess. The closest he ever came was second place in 1988.
8. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov
Shakhriyar, also known as Shakh (meaning King in Azeri), is playing at his peak right now, with a rating of 2772. Shakhriyar learned the game of chess from his father, who was actually a professional boxer. Today, Shakhriyar's old man is better known as a chess coach; Shakhriyar's sisters Zeinab and Turkan are both Grandmasters as well, making the Mamedyarov family the only one in Azerbaijan with three Grandmasters. Shakhriyar is also the only chess player in the world who became World Junior Chess Champion twice, and he brought home gold for Azerbaijan in the 2009 European Team Chess Championship.
7. Alexander Grischuk
A noticeable presence in professional chess for the past decade, Grischuk always seems to be a bridesmaid, but is yet to approach the altar of total dominance. Perhaps that's why of the three Russians on this year's list, Grischuk is the only one to take up professional poker as well. But even though Grischuk consistently stops short at the semi- or quarterfinals, he has a rating of 2773. Don't underestimate him.
6. Veselin Topalov
Of all the Grandmasters on this year's list, Topalov has fallen the farthest. Last year he was number two in the world and set to challenge the world champion. After his loss to Viswanathan Anand and subsequent drop to sixth place on the FIDE list, the Bulgarian hero is down, but definitely not out. Topalov has held the number-one position for a total of 27 months in his career, the fourth all-time record. A title which he held prior to Carlsen's current reign. A title which many believe will be his again very soon.
5. Sergey Karjakin
Sergey didn't make the top ten list last year, but it appears that this young player is definitely one to watch. Well-known as the record holder for both youngest International Master (11 years and 11 months) and youngest Grandmaster (12 years and seven months), Karjakin - now 21 - is aiming beyond his reputation as a young prodigy and wants to be viewed as a serious contender. Last year, Karjakin won the ACP World Rapid Cup and his current rating is 2776. Long story short: keep your eye on this player.
4. Vladimir Kramnik
Falling from number 3 in the world, Kramnik was Classical World Chess Champion from 2000-2006, and the undisputed World Chess Champion from 2006-2007. Kramnik has also won the two strongest tournaments in chess history: the 2009 Mikhail Tal Memorial and the 2010 Grand Slam Masters Final. Kramnik has yet to shake off recognition as the man who lost twice to "Deep Fritz" a computer program in Bonn, Germany in 2006. Despite the loss, he did win 500,000 Euros, so we doubt he's that ashamed. After all, Kramnik is very much one of the most feared players in chess.
3. Levon Aronian
The reigning World Blitz Chess Champion and last year's number five ranked player. His rating of 2805 makes him this year's number-three world master and, once again, Armenia's number one. In both 2006 and 2008, Aronian led the Armenian national team to gold in the Chess Olympics, feats that lead him to be awarded the title of, "Honoured Master of Sport of the Republic of Armenia" in 2009. Many fans and analysts of the game agree that it's only a matter of time before we see Aronian as the world's number one ranked player.
2. Viswanathan Anand
Making the jump from the number four slot to number two this year is India's Viswanathan Anand. After winning the World Chess Championship in 2007, Anand has defended it against former world champion Vladimir Kramnik in 2008 and against challenger Veselin Topalov in the 2010. Anand is known for being one of the game's most versatile players, having defended his title in many formats including Blitz, Rapid, Tournament, Match, and Knockout. Basically, it doesn't look like the man who began his career with television contests and lessons from mom isn't going to give up his title anytime soon.
1. Magnus Carlsen
Like many on this list, Carlsen began his chess career at a young age, playing in his first tournament at the age of eight. At age 13, he became the third-youngest Grandmaster in the history of the game, in 2009 he was the World Blitz Champion, and last year, at the age of 19, Carlsen became the youngest player to ever to be ranked number one on the world scale. Also, in the past year he has boosted his Elo Rating to 2826, the second highest peak rating. Ever.
Now, for the second year in a row, Carlsen is number one. In January, he competed in the Tata Steel Chess Tournament only to finish with 8.0/13. However, even in defeat Carlsen achieved victories against Kramnik, the former world champion, and even the tournament's winner, Hikaru Nakamura.
