Top 7 countries with the most chess Grandmasters

Chess, the game of strategy and intellect, has been a cornerstone of human competition for centuries.

The apex of achievement in chess is the title of Grandmaster, awarded to players who demonstrate exceptional skill and dedication to the game.

According to the World Chess Federation (FIDE), here are the top 10 countries with the most Chess Grandmasters:

Russia - 255 Grandmasters

Russia has a long and storied history of producing exceptional chess players. Russia's chess tradition is unparalleled from legends like Mikhail Botvinnik and Vasily Smyslov to modern-day stars like Sergey Karjakin and Vladimir Kramnik.

United States - 101 Grandmasters

The United States has a thriving chess community, with a strong presence of top players like Fabiano Caruana, Hikaru Nakamura, and Wesley So.

Germany - 96 Grandmasters

Germany has a rich chess heritage, with legendary players like Emanuel Lasker and Siegbert Tarrasch. Today, German players like Arkadij Naiditsch and Liviu-Dieter Nisipeanu continue to make waves in the game.

Ukraine - 93 Grandmasters

Ukraine has produced a remarkable number of talented chess players, including former World Champion Ruslan Ponomariov and current stars like Vassily Ivanchuk and Sergey Karjakin (who defected from Ukraine to Russia).

India - 64 Grandmasters

India's chess growth has been remarkable, with players like Viswanathan Anand, Pentala Harikrishna, and Vidit Gujrathi leading the charge. The most recent champion Gukesh Dommaraju is not left out.

Hungary - 58 Grandmasters

Hungary has a rich chess tradition, with legendary players like Judit Polgar, Lajos Steiner, and Gyula Breyer.

Serbia - 58 Grandmasters

Serbia has more than 50 grandmasters and about 2.500 players on the international rating list. Interestingly, Velimir Ivić has been a Serbian chess grandmaster since 2020, an International Master since 2018 and a FIDE Master since 2016.