Talk:List of FIDE chess world number ones

Initial thoughts
Some things to add: The reliability of the sources needs to be discussed as well, as it seems FIDE lists prior to 2000 are not from FIDE, but aggregated secondhand from sources that published the original FIDE lists. The stuff from the 1970s onwards was apparently published on a CD in 1991 with a chess magazine (can't remember the name, but can look it up). Also, FIDE have reportedly said that there is some data missing and it is gone forever. But I think the fact of who was top of each list is not in dispute. Carcharoth (talk) 05:46, 5 January 2010 (UTC)
 * Table of ages each became FIDE number one
 * Context on how significant being number one is (e.g. compared to being World Champion)
 * Table or graph showing periods each was number one
 * Montage of all seven chess players as a picture for the lead section

Shared First Place
Did Kasparov share first place with Karpov on January 1984? The discrepancy when Kasparov became number one maybe because of the shared first place. Some may think shared first place as being ranked number one others may not. Mschribr (talk) 17:34, 6 January 2010 (UTC)
 * This source doesn't show it as shared. Do you have a different source? Carcharoth (talk) 06:32, 7 January 2010 (UTC)
 * You source seems to be more accurate as it comes from a fide rating list. I don’t have a source for shared. I was only guessing how the Kasparov web page had it as summer of 1984. I will change the Kasparov date in the table to January 1984. Mschribr (talk) 16:48, 7 January 2010 (UTC)

noted?
Should it be noted that Karpov became #1 because Fisher's rating was no longer listed because of inactivity? Karpov never reached Fischer's rating, IIRC. Bubba73 (Who's attacking me now?), 04:29, 15 January 2010 (UTC)


 * I'd say yes. We should make sure that we have a good cite for it when that clarification is added to the article. Quale (talk) 10:19, 28 March 2010 (UTC)

Change Tables
I want to change the table "months at fide number 1" to "years at number 1". Then combine the two tables into one table. I think 21.25 years at number 1 is easier to grasp than 255 months at number 1. One table makes it easier to compare player’s years at number 1 and players age at number 1. I would add another column for each player’s peak rating.

Mschribr (talk) 07:49, 20 January 2010 (UTC)

A different format for the long list
The list in List of FIDE chess world number ones is long and is going to grow by six lines per year. I also find it hard to read. I experimented with putting the data into a table, and while I'm not fully satisfied with the results, this is what I came up with:


 * {| class="wikitable" width=800

! Year !! colspan=12 | July ! Year !! colspan=12 | May ! Year !! colspan=12 | January ! Year !! colspan=6 | January !! colspan=6 | July ! Year !! colspan=6 | January !! colspan=3 | July !! colspan=3 | October ! Year !! colspan=3 | January !! colspan=3 | April !! colspan=3 | July !! colspan=3 | October ! Year !! colspan=3 | January !! colspan=3 | April !! colspan=2 | July!! colspan=2 | September !! colspan=2 | November ! Year !! colspan=2 width=15% | January !! colspan=2 width=15% | March !! colspan=2 width=15% | May !! colspan=2 width=15% | July !! colspan=2 width=15% | September !! colspan=2 width=15% | November
 * + FIDE Rating List Leaders
 * 1971 || colspan=12 | Fischer - 2760
 * 1972 || colspan=12 | Fischer - 2785
 * 1973 || colspan=12 | Fischer - 2780
 * 1972 || colspan=12 | Fischer - 2785
 * 1973 || colspan=12 | Fischer - 2780
 * 1973 || colspan=12 | Fischer - 2780
 * 1974 || colspan=12 | Fischer - 2780
 * 1974 || colspan=12 | Fischer - 2780
 * 1975 || colspan=12 | Fischer - 2780
 * 1976 || colspan=12 | Karpov - 2695
 * 1977 || colspan=12 | Karpov - 2690
 * 1976 || colspan=12 | Karpov - 2695
 * 1977 || colspan=12 | Karpov - 2690
 * 1977 || colspan=12 | Karpov - 2690
 * 1978 || colspan=6 | Karpov - 2725 || colspan=6 | supplementary list
 * 1979 || colspan=6 | Karpov - 2705 || colspan=6 | supplementary list
 * 1980 || colspan=6 | Karpov - 2725 || colspan=6 | supplementary list
 * 1981 || colspan=6 | Karpov - 2690 || colspan=6 | Karpov - 2690
 * 1982 || colspan=6 | Karpov - 2700 || colspan=6 | Karpov - 2700
 * 1983 || colspan=6 | Karpov - 2710 || colspan=6 | Karpov - 2710
 * 1984 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2710 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2715
 * 1985 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2715 || colspan=6 | Karpov - 2720
 * 1986 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2720 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2740
 * 1987 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2735 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2740
 * 1988 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2750 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2760
 * 1989 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2775 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2775
 * 1990 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2800 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2800
 * 1991 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2800 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2770
 * 1992 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2780 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2790
 * 1993 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2805 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2815
 * 1994 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2815 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2815
 * 1995 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2805 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2795
 * 1996 || colspan=6 | Kramnik - 2775 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2785
 * 1997 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2795 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2820
 * 1998 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2825 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2815
 * 1999 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2812 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2851
 * 1989 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2775 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2775
 * 1990 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2800 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2800
 * 1991 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2800 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2770
 * 1992 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2780 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2790
 * 1993 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2805 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2815
 * 1994 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2815 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2815
 * 1995 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2805 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2795
 * 1996 || colspan=6 | Kramnik - 2775 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2785
 * 1997 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2795 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2820
 * 1998 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2825 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2815
 * 1999 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2812 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2851
 * 1994 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2815 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2815
 * 1995 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2805 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2795
 * 1996 || colspan=6 | Kramnik - 2775 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2785
 * 1997 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2795 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2820
 * 1998 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2825 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2815
 * 1999 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2812 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2851
 * 1997 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2795 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2820
 * 1998 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2825 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2815
 * 1999 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2812 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2851
 * 1999 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2812 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2851
 * 1999 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2812 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2851
 * 2000 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2851 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2849 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2849
 * 2000 || colspan=6 | Kasparov - 2851 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2849 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2849
 * 2001 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2849 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2827 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2838 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2838
 * 2002 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2838 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2838 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2838 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2836
 * 2003 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2847 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2830 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2830 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2830
 * 2004 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2831 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2817 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2817 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2813
 * 2005 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2804 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2812 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2812 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2812
 * 2006 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2812 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2804 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2813 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2813
 * 2007 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2783 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2786 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2792 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2801
 * 2008 || colspan=3 | Kramnik - 2799 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2803 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2798 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2791
 * 2005 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2804 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2812 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2812 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2812
 * 2006 || colspan=3 | Kasparov - 2812 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2804 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2813 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2813
 * 2007 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2783 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2786 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2792 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2801
 * 2008 || colspan=3 | Kramnik - 2799 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2803 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2798 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2791
 * 2007 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2783 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2786 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2792 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2801
 * 2008 || colspan=3 | Kramnik - 2799 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2803 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2798 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2791
 * 2008 || colspan=3 | Kramnik - 2799 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2803 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2798 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2791
 * 2008 || colspan=3 | Kramnik - 2799 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2803 || colspan=3 | Anand - 2798 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2791
 * 2009 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2796 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2812 || colspan=2 | Topalov - 2813 || colspan=2 | Topalov - 2813 || colspan=2 | Topalov - 2810
 * 2009 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2796 || colspan=3 | Topalov - 2812 || colspan=2 | Topalov - 2813 || colspan=2 | Topalov - 2813 || colspan=2 | Topalov - 2810
 * 2010 || colspan=2 | Carlsen - 2810 || colspan=2 | Carlsen - 2813 || colspan=2 | || colspan=2  | || colspan=2 |  || colspan=2 |
 * }
 * }

Any thoughts? Quale (talk) 10:17, 28 March 2010 (UTC)

changed timetable to show USSR
i have changed the timetable graphic to show the USSR. while the players during the pre-1991 time may have been ethnically russian, ethnic identity is NOT the criteria used on this table. Rather, it is nationality and, specifically, the flag they played and competed under. This was NOT 'Russia' nor the 'Russian SFSR' during the pre dec-8-1991 period: it was the USSR and only the USSR, and to claim that it was 'Russia' is an insult to the others, especially non-ethnic-Russians that were in the USSR chess hierarchy that a 'Russia' classification sleights. I trust this move is uncontroversial and pretty darn obvious. Otherwise, Putin thanks you for your jingoistic obstinance. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.44.115.119 (talk) 07:07, 11 April 2012 (UTC)

Nationalities
This article may need cleanup, per MOS:FLAG. Toccata quarta (talk) 05:52, 4 March 2013 (UTC)
 * I think it's OK. See MOS:FLAG.  The primary issue I see is that the table will grow very quickly now, with twelve new entries a year.  Technically this isn't really an issue, but it's pretty dull to look at such a table with hundreds of entries.  Quale (talk) 06:16, 4 March 2013 (UTC)

External links modified
Hello fellow Wikipedians,

I have just modified one external link on List of FIDE chess world number ones. Please take a moment to review my edit. If you have any questions, or need the bot to ignore the links, or the page altogether, please visit this simple FaQ for additional information. I made the following changes:
 * Added archive https://web.archive.org/web/20091126000035/http://chess.eusa.ed.ac.uk/Chess/Trivia/AlltimeList.html to http://chess.eusa.ed.ac.uk/Chess/Trivia/AlltimeList.html

When you have finished reviewing my changes, you may follow the instructions on the template below to fix any issues with the URLs.

Cheers.— InternetArchiveBot  (Report bug) 22:09, 17 May 2017 (UTC)

#1 Rating Inconsistency
Kasparov is listed as having a 255 month streak with the #1 rating, but both the previous table and visual graph in the article contradict this. Because Karpov and Kramnik briefly took the number one spot, the longest streak I can see is roughly 1996-2006, or about 10 years/120 months. I'm not sure if the current value of 255 or the smaller number I'm suggesting is correct, but either way there is a contradiction the way the article is currently presented. Poemisaglock (talk) 21:01, 2 September 2019 (UTC)

I think Kasparov was removed from the FIDE list entirely for a time period when he broke off to create the PCA and split the title from FIDE in the Short 1993 championship. --AshFR (talk) 00:10, 18 October 2019 (UTC)

Susan Polgar 2005
The current table shows that Susan Polgar was #1 for two months in 2005, but this was a time when Judit was much stronger than her. Can someone fact check this please?Ordinary Person (talk) 19:07, 30 September 2019 (UTC)

I'm assuming it's inactivity. Not listed in the top 50 women of January 2005 or top 100 players of January 2005. The next rating period in April 2005 she's listed as number one for the top 50 women and Susan number two, she's in the top 100 at 8th. AshFR (talk) 00:04, 18 October 2019 (UTC)
 * Yes, that was when Judit Polgár took a break for the birth of her son. Double sharp (talk) 08:55, 10 March 2024 (UTC)

Question for administrator


Exxcalibur808 (talk) 07:58, 11 December 2020 (UTC)

Thank you for reporting this IP. Would you say that this IP should be banned for disruptive editing? Do you think that this IP is sockpuppeting? If so, I can certainly contact a CheckUser. If not, and you think it would be beneficial to block this "user", also please let me know. I'll keep an eye on this page. Please not that I'm extended confirmed and not an admin, but I can certainly help. Dswitz10734 (talk) 19:45, 12 December 2020 (UTC)

Hi. Dswitz10734. Despite numerous warnings, even by admins, IP continues to engage in edit wars and also not engage in the talk page. I think at this point it might be beneficial to block the "user" Exxcalibur808 (talk) 10:53, 13 December 2020 (UTC)

Thank you again for reporting this IP. I have contacted Bradv, an administrator here. Hopefully he'll be able to do something about the IP. Dswitz10734 (talk) 12:25, 13 December 2020 (UTC)

Table formatting inconsistent
Each table switches to a different format somewhere between 2009 and 2011. This needs to be changed, and in my opinion the earlier formatting is far easier to look at. 69.113.166.178 (talk) 16:25, 21 January 2021 (UTC)

Kasparov and Fide rating in 1994
Kasparov was removed from FIDE ratings in 1994 (see https://2700chess.com/ajax/chart?date=1994-01-01 ), thus technically he should be Karpov listed in 1994, not Kasparov. --Pier4r (talk) 08:43, 10 April 2021 (UTC)
 * Hi I have modified the Top players list for the year 1994.--Cbigorgne (talk) 09:39, 18 April 2021 (UTC)
 * User:KageNoSenshi also adapted the graph accordingly. I've now adapted the rest of the article (particularly in the player statistics section).
 * I also added some sources. These two sources seem to suggest that Kasparov was already excluded on the July 1993 list:
 * "Once again Gary Kasparov and Nigel Short have been omitted from the semiannual international rating published by the World Chess Federation (FIDE) in January."
 * May 16, 1993: "FIDE announces that Kasparov and Short will be dropped from the FIDE rating list."
 * This is consistent with the fact that on the January 1995 list Kasparov re-appears with 0 games played and a rating of 2805, which is his rating from January 1993, not from July 1993 (which is listed as 2815). (Note that while the OlimpBase list annotates the January 1995 rating with "–10", that seems to be original research; the Chess Informant file it's based on registers the change in January 1995 as "0" – despite the Chess Informant file for July 1993 also containing the 2815 rating for Kasparov).
 * The most plausible explanation seems to be that FIDE decided to exclude Kasparov and Short in May 1993; for some reason the Chess Informant still published their ratings for July 1993 (perhaps they didn't learn of the decision before they went to press, or it wasn't officially in effect yet; perhaps an appeal was pending); but when Kasparov and Short were reinstated in January 1995 their last official rating was taken to be the one from January 1993 before the exclusion in May 1993.
 * However, unless someone can find further reliable sources that throw more light on this issue, I don't see a sufficient basis for excluding Kasparov's July 1993 rating, so I just adapted everything to the exclusion of the two 1994 ratings that had already been reflected in the table and the graph. Joriki (talk) 10:11, 3 September 2023 (UTC)
 * The most plausible explanation seems to be that FIDE decided to exclude Kasparov and Short in May 1993; for some reason the Chess Informant still published their ratings for July 1993 (perhaps they didn't learn of the decision before they went to press, or it wasn't officially in effect yet; perhaps an appeal was pending); but when Kasparov and Short were reinstated in January 1995 their last official rating was taken to be the one from January 1993 before the exclusion in May 1993.
 * However, unless someone can find further reliable sources that throw more light on this issue, I don't see a sufficient basis for excluding Kasparov's July 1993 rating, so I just adapted everything to the exclusion of the two 1994 ratings that had already been reflected in the table and the graph. Joriki (talk) 10:11, 3 September 2023 (UTC)

wesley so top 1 9LX? hmmm...
Thewriter006 (talk) 16:53, 3 October 2021 (UTC)