The FIDE rating list for March 2022 is out. The traditional Tata Steel festival, the first leg of the FIDE Grand Prix, Battle of Sexes in Gibraltar, Iberoamericano Championship in Mexico-city became the main rating-changers in February (the Tata Steel ended in January, but its results were incorporated in the March rating-list).

Levon Aronian gained 13 points in the first leg of the FIDE Grand Prix in Berlin; combined with an 11-point loss by Caruana in Tata Steel Masters, this enabled him to rise to #4, the position he occupied back in November 2021.

Photo: Official Photo FIDE Grand Prix Berlin Press Kit

Wesley So and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov also picked up some rating points in Berlin to overtake Ian Nepomniachtchi.

Magnus Carlsen, who recently voiced an ambitious goal of clearing the 2900 mark, earned 3 points in Tata Steel Masters, but all this gain was wiped out in a single draw against much lower-rated Geir Sune Tallaksen Osmoe, played in the Norwegian Premier League. Still, the World Champion's top position in the rating list is indisputable.

Women's #1 Hou Yifan returned to action but lost 8 points in her match vs Bu Xiangzhi. Humpy Koneru (previously #3) no longer appears in the list due to inactivity; thus, all players below her rose one place, with Harika Dronavalli entering the top 10.

Biggest gains (in both Open and Women top-100):

Arjun Erigaisi, who was considered one of the main favourites before the start of Tata Steel Challengers, did not disappoint. The Indian youngster won the event with an excellent score of 10½/13, earned 27 rating points and made a roaring debut in the top-100 Open.

Photo by © Lennart Ootes – Tata Steel Chess Tournament 2022

Anna Sargsyan turned in a solid performance in the Lozovatsky Memorial (the open won by Nikita Afanasiev), netted 15 rating points and deservedly became second in this category.  

Hikaru Nakamura returned to OTB chess with a bang by winning the first leg of the FIDE Grand Prix in Berlin and picking up impressive 14 points along the way.  

Photo: Official Photo FIDE Grand Prix Berlin Press Kit

Jorden Van Foreest and Andrey Esipenko got their well-deserved rating points earned in Tata Steel Masters and continue to climb the ladder.

Again, junior players outside of open and women top-100 can boast of more significant rating progress. Alice Lee (+111), Elif Mehmed (+61), Miaoyi Lu (+37), Roxangel Obregon Garcia (+37), Lara Schulze (+36), Christopher Yoo (+20), Balaji Daggupati (+20), to name just a few, considerably increased their rating.