R Praggnanandhaa and D Gukesh Shine at Tata Steel Chess Tournament: FIDE Ratings Update March 2025

In a thrilling turn of events at the Tata Steel Chess Masters 2025, GM Gukesh Dommaraju and GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu have made waves in the chess world with their outstanding performances.

GM Gukesh’s impressive runner-up finish at the tournament has propelled him to a career-high world number-three ranking, surpassing top players like Fabiano Caruana and Arjun Erigaisi. Despite narrowly missing out on the Tata Steel trophy due to a final-round loss, Gukesh’s stellar play has solidified his position as one of the top players globally, with his sights set on becoming world number-one.

On the other hand, GM Praggnanandhaa’s victory at the Tata Steel Masters has seen him make a stunning return to the top-10, climbing to world number-eight. His triumph at the prestigious event also made him the first Indian player to win since GM Viswanathan Anand in 2006. Praggnanandhaa further strengthened his position by securing another win at the Prague International Chess Festival, pushing him to world number-seven in live rankings.

The latest FIDE ratings for March 2025 have also seen GM Magnus Carlsen maintain his dominance as world number-one, while GM Hikaru Nakamura has climbed to second place. However, GMs Caruana and Arjun have faced rating losses following their struggles at Tata Steel.

In the women’s category, GM Koneru Humpy remains the sole Indian player in the top 10, holding the sixth spot. GM Tan Zhongyi, initially tied with Women’s World Champion GM Ju Wenjun, experienced a mixed performance at the Monaco FIDE Women’s Grand Prix, resulting in a drop of six points. IM Bibisara Assaubayeva and IM Divya Deshmukh also faced tough tournaments, leading to significant rating losses.

The chess world is abuzz with excitement as these talented players continue to make their mark on the global stage, showcasing their skills and determination to climb the rankings and achieve their ultimate goals.