The FIDE December 2025 rating list was primarily shaped by the recently concluded World Cup in Goa, India and the Women’s World Team Championship in Linares, Spain.
While the top 10 Open saw no distinct shifts, the top 10 Women witnessed a significant breakthrough. IM Polina Shuvalova broke into the women’s top 10 for the first time in her career following her stellar performance (a TPR of 2827) in Linares, where she scored 9.5/10.
Biggest rating gains in the top 100 Open and Women
Shuvalova became the biggest rating gainer in November, closely followed by Amina Kairbekova (pictured below) who earned an impressive 29 rating points in the SixDays Budapest GM-B, climbing to her career-high 89th place in the top 100 Women.
Several grandmasters made strides at the FIDE World Cup 2025, significantly increasing their rating. Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara and Alexander Donchenko, who both reached the quarterfinals in Goa, earned 23 and 20 points respectively. The bronze winner Andrey Esipenko, who qualified for the Candidates 2026, collected 17 rating points, bringing him within just two points of the 2700 mark.
Peter Leko proved that he still has what it takes by advancing to Round 4 in Goa and gaining 16 rating points. The former World Championship challenger, Hungarian GM returned to the top 50 Open after an almost eight-year absence.
Alexey Grebnev continues his rapid ascent. The 2024 World Youth Champion made it to Round 5 at the FIDE World Cup, netting 15 rating points and making his debut in the top 100 Open and while also entering the top 10 Juniors.
Amin Tabatabaei did not participate in the World Cup, but picked up valuable points in the 23emes Rencontres Nationales et Internationales d’Echecs (France) Offene Internationale Bayerische Schachmeisterschaft (Germany) – enough to return to the 2700-club.
Notably, Alua Nurman from Kazakhstan delivered a very strong performance in the latter tournament, adding 23 rating points to her tally.
Her countrywoman Meruert Kamalidenova and India’s Padmini Rout (pictured above) distinguished themselves at the FIDE World Women’s Team Championship, earned 23 and 17 points respectively while playing for their national teams.