April 2014 FIDE rating list

[LawrenceCooper]

England (Active players)

# Name Title Fed Rating G B-Year
1 Adams, Michael g ENG 2753 2 1971
2 McShane, Luke J g ENG 2674 2 1984
3 Short, Nigel D g ENG 2661 10 1965
4 Howell, David W L g ENG 2654 4 1990
5 Jones, Gawain C B g ENG 2650 16 1987
6 Sadler, Matthew D g ENG 2649 2 1974
7 Pert, Nicholas g ENG 2552 2 1981
8 Hebden, Mark L g ENG 2545 7 1958
9 Haslinger, Stewart G g ENG 2544 2 1981
10 Parker, Jonathan F g ENG 2519 2 1976
11 Hawkins, Jonathan m ENG 2518 2 1983
12 Plaskett, H James g ENG 2496 0 1960
13 Speelman, Jon S g ENG 2495 2 1956
14 Conquest, Stuart C g ENG 2494 2 1967
15 Gordon, Stephen J g ENG 2493 4 1986
16 Gormally, Daniel W g ENG 2492 2 1976
17 Flear, Glenn C g ENG 2488 2 1959
18 Zhou, Yang-Fan m ENG 2478 2 1994
19 Trent, Lawrence m ENG 2468 18 1986
20 Ghasi, Ameet K m ENG 2465 2 1987
21 Wells, Peter K g ENG 2464 4 1965
22 Williams, Simon K g ENG 2463 11 1979
23 Arkell, Keith C g ENG 2461 19 1961
24 Emms, John M g ENG 2456 0 1967
25 Palliser, Richard J D m ENG 2448 2 1981
26 Hunt, Harriet V m ENG 2438 0 1978
27 Hanley, Craig A m ENG 2437 0 1984
28 Hunt, Adam C m ENG 2434 2 1980
28 Pert, Richard G m ENG 2434 2 1981
30 McDonald, Neil g ENG 2431 2 1967
31 Adair, James R f ENG 2424 2 1992
32 Ward, Chris G g ENG 2422 0 1968
33 D`Costa, Lorin A R m ENG 2418 2 1984
34 Summerscale, Aaron P g ENG 2416 0 1969
35 Ferguson, Mark m ENG 2411 2 1977
36 Houska, Jovanka m ENG 2410 2 1980
37 Mah, Karl C C m ENG 2403 2 1980
38 Eggleston, David J m ENG 2402 11 1987
39 Rendle, Thomas E m ENG 2398 2 1986
40 Cox, John J m ENG 2396 2 1962
41 Roberson, Peter T f ENG 2395 2 1989
41 Ashton, Adam G f ENG 2395 0 1980
43 Ledger, Andrew J m ENG 2392 2 1969
44 Martin, Andrew D m ENG 2386 2 1957
45 Collinson, Adam R f ENG 2383 0 1972
46 Quillan, Gary m ENG 2367 0 1970
47 Ansell, Simon T m ENG 2366 2 1975
48 Pein, Malcolm m ENG 2363 2 1960
49 Kilpatrick, Callum f ENG 2350 2 1992
50 Buckley, Simon T ENG 2345 0 1985
51 Bates, Richard A m ENG 2342 2 1979
52 Basman, Michael J m ENG 2340 0 1946
53 Ciuksyte, Dagne m ENG 2338 2 1977
53 Bellin, Robert m ENG 2338 0 1952
55 Longson, Alexander f ENG 2337 2 1982
56 Buckley, Graeme N m ENG 2336 2 1971
57 Richardson, John R f ENG 2335 2 1964
57 Wu, Li ENG 2335 0 1989
59 Dorrington, Chris J ENG 2333 2 1987
60 Sowray, Peter J f ENG 2331 7 1959
61 Taylor, Martin R f ENG 2328 0 1981
62 Knott, Simon J B m ENG 2325 1 1958
62 Bigg, Andrew J f ENG 2325 0 1982
62 Crouch, Colin S m ENG 2325 0 1956
62 Dishman, Stephen ENG 2325 0 1970
66 Moskovic, David M f ENG 2324 0 1979
67 Cooper, Lawrence H m ENG 2322 1 1970
68 Berry, Stephen H f ENG 2321 0 1951
69 Duncan, Chris R f ENG 2319 2 1970
70 Rose, Matthew ENG 2315 2 1962
71 Bisby, Daniel L f ENG 2310 12 1978
72 Kirk, Ezra f ENG 2308 0 1996
73 Dickenson, Neil F f ENG 2306 0 1964
74 Rogers, Jonathan W f ENG 2305 2 1972
75 Stebbings, Anthony J f ENG 2302 0 1951
76 Povah, Nigel E m ENG 2297 2 1952
77 Merry, Alan B f ENG 2296 11 1996
77 Chapman, Terry P D f ENG 2296 2 1956
77 Thomas, Nicholas f ENG 2296 2 1966
80 Constantinou, Peter f ENG 2295 19 1988
81 Beaumont, Chris R m ENG 2294 2 1952
81 Franklin, Samuel G A f ENG 2294 2 1994
83 Cooksey, Paul S f ENG 2292 0 1971
84 Harvey, Marcus R ENG 2287 2 1996
85 Jackson, James P ENG 2283 7 1991
85 Haydon, David L f ENG 2283 0 1988
87 Ivell, Nicholas W ENG 2279 2 1961
88 Carr, Neil L f ENG 2277 0 1968
89 Sanders, Isaac B ENG 2276 2 1998
90 Eckersley-Waites, Adam ENG 2275 2 1987
90 Eckersley-Waites, Tom ENG 2275 0 1987
92 Wiley, Tom E f ENG 2274 10 1963
92 Buckley, David E ENG 2274 2 1979
94 Walker, David J f ENG 2271 0 1964
95 Allicock, Rawle A f ENG 2270 0 1970
96 Twyble, Michael S ENG 2268 0 1964
97 Lund, D Brett ENG 2266 2 1962
98 Savage, Ben D M f ENG 2265 0 1977
99 Webb, Richard M f ENG 2263 1 1962
100 Osborne, Marcus E ENG 2262 2 1975

England (Active players) Only Women

# Name Title Fed Rating G B-Year
1 Hunt, Harriet V m ENG 2438 0 1978
2 Houska, Jovanka m ENG 2410 2 1980
3 Ciuksyte, Dagne m ENG 2338 2 1977
4 Lalic, Susan K m ENG 2260 0 1965
5 Corke, Anya S wg ENG 2255 0 1990
6 Sarakauskiene, Zivile wm ENG 2176 1 1978
7 Chevannes, Sabrina L wm ENG 2158 0 1986
8 Jackson, Sheila wg ENG 2144 2 1957
9 Atkins, Rita wm ENG 2141 5 1969
10 Maroroa, Sue wm ENG 2131 2 1991
11 Lauterbach, Ingrid wm ENG 2101 0 1960
12 Hegarty, Sarah N wf ENG 2094 2 1988
13 Bellin, Jana M wg ENG 2086 0 1947
14 James, Ann-Marie wf ENG 2084 2 1974
15 Kueh, Audrey ENG 2071 1 1987
16 Regan, Natasha K wm ENG 2057 1 1971
16 Bhatia, Kanwal K wf ENG 2057 0 1981
18 Yurenok, Maria S wf ENG 2017 0 1976
19 Grigoryan, Meri wf ENG 2007 0 1977
20 Pass, Deborah J wf ENG 2006 2 1967
21 Kalaiyalahan, Akshaya ENG 1959 5 2001
22 Hoare, Amy B ENG 1950 0 1996
23 Summerscale, Claire E ENG 1941 0 1975
24 Green, Fiona ENG 1934 0 1976
25 Martin, Katie A ENG 1889 1 1989
26 Foster, Chantelle L ENG 1870 1 1996
27 Giles, Yasmin ENG 1865 0 1999
28 Norman, Dinah M wc ENG 1839 0 1946
29 Moore, Gillian A ENG 1835 0 1944
30 Wang, Maria ENG 1831 0 1996
31 Wang, Xingliang Anna ENG 1809 0 1999
32 Head, Louise ENG 1801 0 1997
33 Shepherd, Katherine M ENG 1787 0 1997
34 Kourtseva, Julie ENG 1782 0 1987
35 Wei, Naomi ENG 1775 0 1999
36 Needham, Sabrina ENG 1754 0 1972
37 Keen, Cosima ENG 1729 2 1999
38 Sit, Victoria ENG 1689 0 1998
39 Sainbayar, Anuurai ENG 1681 2 1989
40 Sheremetyeva, Elizaveta ENG 1672 4 2001
41 Evans, Helen I ENG 1621 0 1953
42 Ehr, Jennifer ENG 1615 0 1996
43 Wen, Jessica ENG 1598 0 1998
44 Ivanov, Elizabeth ENG 1592 1 2001
45 Gardner, Joan ENG 1586 9 1942
46 Robson, Caroline J ENG 1580 1 1963
47 Hale, Katie L W ENG 1566 0 1991
48 Neil, Jennifer ENG 1565 1 1997
49 Vann, Monica S ENG 1534 0 1954
50 Jina, Asha ENG 1528 0 2001
51 Ressel, Eva ENG 1527 1 2000
52 Mihajlova, Diana ENG 1501 0 1958
53 Weaver, Lauren ENG 1498 0 1999
54 Hapeshi, Eleanor ENG 1496 0 1999
55 Purvis, Anna ENG 1469 3 2000
56 Somton, Anita ENG 1468 1 2004
57 Boztas, Lana ENG 1459 0 1947
58 Raghavendra, Mahima ENG 1406 1 2003
59 Daniel, Sharon ENG 1375 0 2002
60 Strong, Zoe ENG 1347 0 1998
61 Davidson, Laura ENG 1337 0 2003
62 Chadwick, Susan E ENG 1334 3 1950

[Jonathan Rogers]

I hadn't really anticipated this, but after a rare win in the 4NCL, it is quite nice to see the rating gain a week later - better than having it swallowed up in the overall loss at the end of the season, as in the past!

Here's a debate for you. In 1989, a rating of 2335 would leave you 63rd = in the list (rather, it left me 63rd = in the list). Now it leaves you 57th. So, are there fewer good active English chess players now or is this a sign of rating deflation (below a certain level)? *

* Even though I'm starting it, I don't much care: but I'm sure others on this Forum will have fully worked out answers

[IM Jack Rudd]

I'd be wary of reading too much into a difference of that size.

(I'd also want to know what standard a rating of 2335 represented in 1989 and what standard it represents now - that could well have a bearing on the answer.)

[Jonathan Rogers]

Quite possibly so many changes have taken place since 1989 that meaningful comparison is indeed impossible. In 1989, 2335 was my first ever rating, based on my first good international tournament. One could do that in those days, and several others did, and perhaps that is itself the explanation why there are fewer players over 2300/2330 nowadays.

Well, that was very sensible, Jack. Now you see, I haven't provoked anyone

[Martin Crichton]

Yes its obvious that there is rating inflation! Also of note the decline of players over the age of 40! My peak was at 32 in line with the norm.

Interesting bit of trivia I noticed.... Baburin peaked around the age of 34 with a peaking rating of 2601 (from memory) putting him in the worlds top 100 players circa the year 1999.

today in 2014 in his mid forties his rating has dropped to 2501 and he would not even make the top 150 on the Russian list!

Today Russia has more than 100 active players above 2600! incredible!

[Roger de Coverly]

I'd be wary of reading too much into a difference of that size.

(I'd also want to know what standard a rating of 2335 represented in 1989 and what standard it represents now - that could well have a bearing on the answer.)

One way of measuring it to compare how far that is below the top players.

So in January 1989, the top player was Kasparov at 2775, with Nunn in tenth at 2620. Also anyone at 2335 was exactly 300 points below Ivanchuk. Looking at the most recent April ratings, these have Carlsen at 2881 and Mamedyerov in tenth at 2760. Ivanchuk himself is 2753, so the gaps have widened by more than 100 points.

So in relation to where you stand relative to the elite, 2335 today is at least 100 points lower than it was in 1989.

Other points are that in 1989, games against players rated below 2200 wouldn't have counted. It's a style issue as to whether that increases or decreases a rating. Also all the female players except Susan Polgar had been gifted 100 points for political reasons, which were in the process of being removed from them by male players.

[Roger de Coverly]

I've just noticed that David Howell has made it to the top 100 for the first time ever.

http://ratings.fide.com/top_files.phtml?id=410608

He replaces Gawain, so that's still only four ENG players in the world top 100.

[Stewart Reuben]

Roger >Also all the female players except Susan Polgar had been gifted 100 points for political reasons, which were in the process of being removed from them by male players.<

That is wrong.

It was done because the women, most of whom played solely among themselves at that time, were underrated. What should have been done was
the percentage of games against males determined.
Add 0 if 100% (as with Susan Polgar which was indeed political. It was intended initially to give Sheila Jackson just 25 points. But Robert Bellin managed to get it changed.)
Add 100 if 0% against males.
It would have taken about two hours to do that work by hand in 1989.

Following the addition of 100 points, the average rating of women active in chess went up in the next list. I simply did the statistics and was quite surprised by the result. That was even true excluding the rapid advance by Judit Polgar of 200 points and also excluding Mrs Gulko's advance after leaving the USSR.

It is not at all obvious that there has been rating inflation this century. It is easier to become a stronger player.

It is an interesting matter that there are fewer English players today rated 2300-2400 than years ago. There are far fewer title norms gained as well. Why this is so is very unclear, rather interesting and also important. We run tournaments with one of the objective being for people to gain norms.

There is no doubt, having the minimum rating at 2200, distorted the ratings of players just above that level. If your first performance was below 2200 it was ignored. Now the minimum is 1000, that is a much smaller effect. Currently the rating of juniors lags behind their playing strength as the k factor is too low. That is being changed.

[Jonathan Rogers]

....
There is no doubt, having the minimum rating at 2200, distorted the ratings of players just above that level. If your first performance was below 2200 it was ignored. Now the minimum is 1000, that is a much smaller effect. Currently the rating of juniors lags behind their playing strength as the k factor is too low. That is being changed.

Good; but what are the details of the change?

[Stewart Reuben]

The k factor of juniors has been increased. This was at the suggestion of Sean Hewitt. The suggestion the late Mikko Markkula and I made of a similar nature was agreed by the QC, but rejected by the PB - against the statutes of course.
You'll find the actual k factors in the FIDE Handbook on their website. It only comes in for games played after 1 July.

[Stewart Reuben]

I entered the FIDE Rating List for the first time in 1977 with a Rating of 2270. This put me in the top 1500 in the world.
Now 2270 puts a player in the top 11,218 in the world and 6162 of active players.

Does this mean there has been rampant inflation in the last 37 years? Of course not. There are far more players rated. The easiest example is that more than half of the strong players in the world were from the Soviet Union and only a tiny fraction of them were rated. The opportunities to play internationally rated chess have spiralled since 1977. China and India were nowhere at that time. FIDE and the ECF, in its own way, have succeeded in popularising international chess.

Of course that paragraph does not prove there has not been inflation as well. I was convinced some existed in the 1980s.