Overtook long-time top-ranked Indian player Arjun Erigyasi
New Delhi, January 23
Continuing his rapid rise, world champion D Gukesh has become the top-ranked Indian chess player by securing the fourth position in the latest FIDE rankings released on Thursday. He has surpassed compatriot Arjun Erigiasi from this rank by attaining the top rank in India.
Gukesh (18) achieved this feat when he defeated Germany’s Vincent Keimer during the Tata Steel tournament in Wijk on Zee (Netherlands) for his second win. Gukesh was recently awarded the Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna.
He has added 2784 rating points, while the long-time highest-rated Indian C-Hilha Arigaisi has slipped to fifth place with 2779.5 rating points.
In the International Chess Federation (Federation Internationale des Echecs – FIDE) rankings, Norway’s Magnus Carlsen remains the undisputed world number one player with 2832.5 points. After that, American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura is on the second number with 2802 points, while on the third number is his compatriot Fabiano Caruana, who has 2798 ranking points.
Gukesh has been in superb form ever since he won the world title by defeating China’s Ding Liren in Singapore in December last year. He then took a few days off from the game to attend functions and festivities on his return home and therefore missed the World Rapid and Blitz Championships in New York.
Since then he has not lost a single game returning to the board in Wijk on Zee. He has two wins and three draws so far in the tournament, with eight rounds still remaining.
Ariagiasi became India’s top-ranked player in September last year and achieved his highest rating of 2801 points in December. This ranking made him the 15th highest ranked player in history and the second Indian to cross the 2800 threshold after five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand. -News-Patiala
