The final month of 2025 was dominated by fast-paced events such as the Tech Mahindra Global Chess League and the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships, leaving little room for classical tournaments. Consequently, the top of the January 2026 standard rating lists saw minimal movement.
The Women’s top 10 remained unchanged, while the Open top 10 experienced a minor shift as Anish Giri climbed two spots.
Biggest rating gains in top 100 Open and Women
Despite the focus on faster time controls, several players posted significant gains in the standard list thanks to strong classical performances in December.
Anastasiya Rakhmangulova (pictured above) had a standout month, overperforming in four European events to gain 28 rating points and reach a career-high No. 80 in the Women’s top 100.
Savitha Shri B returned to the Women’s top 100 after a 14-month absence, courtesy of strong results at the VI Ellobregat Open in Barcelona and the XII International Sunway Chess Festival in Sitges (+22 points).
Meruert Kamalidenova (pictured below) lso excelled in Barcelona, collecting +20 points and achieving a personal best of No. 57 among women.
Nodirbek Abdusattorov delivered a stellar performance at the 2025 XTX Markets London Chess Classic, gaining 19 points and moving closer to the Open top 10.
David Antón Guijarro dominated the Spanish Championship to claim both the national title and +16 rating points.
The 21-year-old Nihal Sarin continued his steady rise: victory at the President’s Cup “Masters” in Uzbekistan (+15) propelled him into the Open top 30.
Velimir Ivić returned to the Open top 100 after a three-month absence following his triumph in the XTX Markets London Chess Classic Open (+13 points, though noted elsewhere as part of broader gains).
Olga Badelka posted a solid result at the FE 6 Roma Città Aperta (+15), while Mariam Mkrtchyan tied for first at the Kazakhstan Women’s Cup 2025, also gaining +15.
Alexey Sarana reclaimed a spot in the Open top 40 after winning the KazChess Masters.
As expected, the year’s premier rapid and blitz event – the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Championships – triggered the major shifts in those rating lists.
Magnus Carlsen, despite a 12-point drop in blitz, continues to dominate both the rapid and blitz lists after his double victory in Doha.
Arjun Erigaisi made his debut in the top 10 of both Open Rapid (No. 3) and Open Blitz (No. 7) following excellent performances in Qatar. Joining him in the Open Rapid top 10 is FIDE World Cup winner Javokhir Sindarov, who gained 23 rating points in Doha.
Other notable movers in Open Rapid include Alexey Sarana (+19 points) and Hans Moke Niemann, climbing to 34th and 50th, respectively.
World Blitz finalist Nodirbek Abdusattorov reached the Open Blitz top 5 (+17 points), while Fabiano Caruana (+18 points), who reached the knockout stage, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (+16 points), who narrowly missed it due to tiebreaks, both entered the top 10.
Additional rapid overperformers in Doha include Nihal Sarin (+24), Jorden van Foreest (+31), Lu Shanglei (+31), Teimour Radjabov (+30), Javokhir Sindarov (+30), Rauf Mamedov (+35), Narayanan S L (+24), and Denis Lazavik (+24).
Women’s Rapid Champion Aleksandra Goryachkina collected 7 points in Doha to move to second on the list, closing the gap on No. 1 Hou Yifan, who dropped a few points in the Global Chess League.
Women’s Rapid runner-up Zhu Jiner leapt into the Women’s Rapid top 10.
Among the top Women’s Rapid gainers were Nino Batsiashvili (+50), Vaishali R (+32), Polina Shuvalova (+22), Meri Arabidze (+28), and Bat-Erdene Mungunzul (+46).
The most impressive rise came from young FM Chen Yining who earned staggering 186 points in Doha and catapulted straight into top 50 Rapid Women.
Savitha Shri B also shone in the rapid event, gaining +79 points to reach No. 53 in Women’s Rapid.
In Blitz, Women’s World Blitz Champion Bibisara Assaubayeva entered the top 3, while Eline Roebers (+36), who reached the knockout stage, made her top 10 debut.
Two other youngsters, Zarina Nurgaliyeva and Anna Shukhman, made a splash. Zarina scored 9/15 for +144 points and broke into the Women’s Blitz top 30; Anna scored 10/15 for +105 points and rocketed to 53rd.
Other notable blitz overperformers include Diana Wagner (+40), Carissa Yip (+34), Umida Omonova (+68), Teodora Injac (+21), Elvira Berend (+29), and Irina Bulmaga (+32).
Finally, several women entered the Blitz top 100 thanks to strong Doha performances: Nataliya Buksa (+20), Jiang Tianyu (+113), Yana Zhapova (+123), Gulnar Mammadova (+74), Bozhena Piddubna (+92), Elnaz Kaliakhmet (+114), Marta García Martín (+28), and 11-year-old Charvi A (+187).