Ivanchuk Returns to the Elite: May 2025 FIDE Ratings

The 56-year-old Ukrainian grandmaster Vasyl Ivanchuk proved that age is no obstacle in top-level chess. Throughout April, he played three classical tournaments across Europe — in Reykjavik, Alicante, and Menorca — remaining undefeated in 27 games and gaining 40 Elo points. As a result, Ivanchuk climbed to 82nd place on the May FIDE rating list with a rating of 2644.

Ivanchuk finished second at the Reykjavik Open and the Semana Santa Open in Alicante, before securing victory at the Menorca Open. His impressive performance also lifted him to fourth place in the FIDE Circuit 2025 standings, a key series for qualification to the next Candidates Tournament.

At the top of the global rankings, there were no major changes in May. Magnus Carlsen remains world number one with a rating of 2837, followed by Hikaru Nakamura (2804) and India's Gukesh D (2787). The only significant move among the elite was made by Wesley So, who rose to 11th place after defeating Shakhriyar Mamedyarov in the final round of the German Bundesliga.

ranian grandmaster Parham Maghsoodloo also made a strong return. His victory at the Reykjavik Open earned him 22 Elo points and saw him rejoin the prestigious 2700 club, now ranking 30th in the world.

In the women’s rankings, Ju Wenjun surged ahead after winning her fifth Women’s World Championship title, gaining 19 Elo points and widening her lead over Tan Zhongyi by 44 points. Koneru Humpy and Zhu Jiner also made significant gains following their strong performances in the FIDE Women’s Grand Prix.

Among juniors, 18-year-old Iranian Bardiya Daneshvar broke into the Top 10, while 16-year-old Indian IM Aswath S. impressed by winning the Grenke Open with a 2779 performance, gaining 48 Elo points.

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FIDE Circuit 2025: Praggnanandhaa Takes the Lead, Ivanchuk Climbs to Fourth

The FIDE Circuit is a new series of elite international tournaments serving as a qualification pathway for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. Players accumulate points based on their performance and the strength of the events. Each player's final score will be based on their best seven results during the year, and the overall winner will secure a spot in the Candidates Tournament.

April brought significant shifts in the standings. Indian prodigy Praggnanandhaa took the lead after finishing third at the Superbet Rapid & Blitz Poland, adding 8.44 points to his tally and reaching 44.5 circuit points overall.

Tournament winner Vladimir Fedoseev moved up to third place with 13.26 points. Vasyl Ivanchuk’s Menorca triumph earned him 12.67 points, lifting him to fourth position. Parham Maghsoodloo, after winning the Reykjavik Open, rounds out the top ten.

FIDE Circuit 2025 Standings (as of May 1, 2025):

1. Praggnanandhaa R. – 44.5 points (3 tournaments)

2. Ding Liren – 40.64 points (1 tournament)

3. Vladimir Fedoseev – 29.05 points (2 tournaments)

4. Vasyl Ivanchuk – 24.39 points (3 tournaments)

5. Aravindh Chithambaram – 24.34 points (1 tournament)

6. Gukesh D – 22.37 points (1 tournament)

7. Marc'Andria Maurizzi – 22.02 points (2 tournaments)

8. Lu Shanglei – 19.03 points (3 tournaments)

9. Bardiya Daneshvar – 18.9 points (3 tournaments)

10. Parham Maghsoodloo – 18.86 points (2 tournaments)

The fight for a coveted Candidates spot is intensifying, with more major events on the horizon in 2025.