Who would have thought that Europe and America's dominance in the chess world is now starting to be shaken by Asia, especially India? In the ranking update on May 18, 2025, the list of the world's 10 best chess players presents a new dynamic that must be watched, both by chess fans and strategy lovers!

Magnus Carlsen, the Norwegian grandmaster, has once again defended his throne as the world's number one player. Although he had previously withdrawn from the world title race, his charm in the world rankings remains unmatched.

However, the spotlight this time comes from India, a country that is now producing a "golden generation" of world chess. No less, three of the top ten chess players come from the Land of Bollywood: Gukesh Dommaraju (ranked 3), Arjun Erigaisi (4), and Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (8). This trend not only shows consistency, but also signals the rise of Asian power in the international chess world.

Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana remain the mainstays of the United States at positions 2 and 5. Meanwhile, Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan) and Wei Yi (China) strengthen the other Asian dominance in this elite list.

Interestingly, Alireza Firouzja, who was once touted as "The Next Magnus", is now only ranked 10th. Meanwhile, Ian Nepomniachtchi, a 2023 world championship finalist, has dropped to 9th place, indicating the tight competition at the top level.

Complete List of the World's 10 Best Chess Players as of May 18, 2025:

1. Magnus Carlsen (Norway)
2. Hikaru Nakamura (United States)
3. Gukesh Dommaraju (India)
4. Arjun Erigaisi (India)
5. Fabiano Caruana (United States)
6. Nodirbek Abdusattarov (Uzbekistan)
7. Wei Yi (Tiongkok)
8. Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa (India)