The table below show the highest Elo ratings achieved by players who have been active in the last decade.
I have also added in former World Champions Anatoly Karpov and Bobby Fischer, as well as any other players who have already achieved 2770+.
| All-time ELO rank | Name | Country | Age | Career highest ELO | When first achieved | Present ELO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garry Kasparov | RUS | 48 | 2851 | October 1999 | (2812 inactive) |
| 2 | Magnus Carlsen | NOR | 20 | 2826 | July 2010 | 2823 |
| 3 | Viswanathan Anand | IND | 41 | 2817 | March 2011 | 2817 |
| 4 | Veselin Topalov | BUL | 36 | 2813 | July 2006 | 2768 |
| 5 | Vladimir Kramnik | RUS | 36 | 2811 | January 2002 | 2791 |
| 6 | Levon Aronian | ARM | 28 | 2808 | March 2011 | 2807 |
| 7 | Alexander Morozevich | RUS | 34 | 2788 | July 2008 | 2737 |
| 8 | Sergey Karjakin | UKR/RUS | 21 | 2788 | July 2011 | 2772 |
| 9 | Vassily Ivanchuk | UKR | 42 | 2787 | October 2007 | 2765 |
| 10 | Hikaru Nakamura | USA | 23 | 2774 | March 2011 | 2753 |
| 11 | Alexander Grischuk | RUS | 27 | 2773 | January 2011 | 2757 |
| 12 | Shakhiryar Mamedyarov | AZE | 26 | 2772 | March 2011 | 2746 |
| Anatoly Karpov | RUS | 60 | 2780 | July 1994 | (2617 largely inactive) | |
| Robert Fischer | USA | - | 2780 | FIDE approximation | Deceased |
Many would argue that 2780 achieved by Fischer or Karpov in earlier decades was worth more than an equivalent elo-rating now.
It's certainly true that Bobby Fischer, Anatoly Karpov and Garry Kasparov all dominated when at their respective peaks, and yes I agree that comparing different eras is asking for trouble, so I won't do it!
So treat the table above as a bit of fun rather than a scientific examination of Elo ratings.
These days it could be argued that there are more 'relatively competitive opponents' for anyone aspiring to be No.1. There is little difference between the members of the leading group, although we could possibly be on the eve of a Carlsen-dominated period. Time will tell!
Compare this with the present top ten:
