Milestone ALERT! Gukesh becomes World No. 4, displacing Arjun Erigaisi as highest-ranked Indian chess player

Continuing his meteoric rise in the world of chess, reigning world champion D Gukesh has overtaken compatriot Arjun Erigaisi to become the highest-ranked Indian player in the latest FIDE rankings, securing the fourth spot globally. The updated rankings were released on Thursday.

The 18-year-old prodigy achieved the milestone following his impressive victory over Germany's Vincent Keymer in the ongoing Tata Steel Tournament in Wijk Aan Zee, Netherlands. Gukesh now boasts a rating of 2784, surpassing Erigaisi, who has slipped to fifth with 2779.5 rating points.

Norwegian chess maestro Magnus Carlsen continues to dominate the FIDE rankings as the world No. 1 with 2832.5 points, followed by American grandmasters Hikaru Nakamura (2802) and Fabiano Caruana (2798).

Gukesh's stellar form comes on the heels of his world championship triumph in Singapore last December, where he defeated China's Ding Liren to claim the title. His remarkable achievements in 2024 also earned him the prestigious Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award.

After a brief hiatus from the game to attend celebratory events back home, Gukesh returned to competitive chess in style at the Tata Steel Tournament. He remains undefeated with two victories and three draws in the first five rounds, with eight rounds still to play.

In contrast, Arjun Erigaisi, who became India's top-rated player in September 2024 and achieved a peak rating of 2801 in December, has struggled to maintain his form. The 21-year-old, who was part of India's victorious campaign at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest last year, has managed just one point so far in Wijk Aan Zee. His recent performance follows a disappointing outing at the World Rapid and Blitz Championship in New York, where he failed to secure a Candidates berth.