Chess - statistics & facts
As one of the oldest recorded board games, it is often said that chess is easy to learn, but hard to master - appealing to both complete beginners and grandmasters alike. That said, an enduring debate persists: Is chess a game or sport? For some, the answer is both. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognizes chess as a sport, although it is not played at the Olympics, as do more than 100 countries worldwide. However, some nations do not share this sentiment. One of these is Great Britain, where, when surveyed in 2023, half of British respondents said that chess should not be recognized as a sport. This lack of recognition can cause issues such as reduced funding, lower participation, and slower development of professional chess. It is therefore unsurprising that nations like the United States, India, and China, which consider chess a sport, have some of the leading chess federations worldwide.
Magnus Carlsen stands out as one of the leading classical chess players globally, boasting the highest FIDE rating as of April 2024. Meanwhile, in the female category, Hou Yifan, a four-time World Chess Champion, held the highest FIDE rating as of the same date, establishing herself as the leading global female classical chess player. Beyond the pursuit of glory, the prospect of earning prize funds also incentivizes elite chess players to win matches. In 2023, reigning World Chess Champion Ding Liren emerged as the chess player with the highest winnings globally, earning over one million U.S. dollars.
Who are the leading chess players worldwide?
At the pinnacle of the chess world stand the revered grandmasters, the most elite of which consistently feature at the top of the chess rankings. One of the most well-respected ranking systems is published by the International Chess Federation, or La Fédération Internationale des Echecs (FIDE) - employing a variation of the Elo rating system to rank chess players worldwide.Magnus Carlsen stands out as one of the leading classical chess players globally, boasting the highest FIDE rating as of April 2024. Meanwhile, in the female category, Hou Yifan, a four-time World Chess Champion, held the highest FIDE rating as of the same date, establishing herself as the leading global female classical chess player. Beyond the pursuit of glory, the prospect of earning prize funds also incentivizes elite chess players to win matches. In 2023, reigning World Chess Champion Ding Liren emerged as the chess player with the highest winnings globally, earning over one million U.S. dollars.
