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      Home  >  Chess Improvement • Chess Puzzles  >  Chess Trivia

      Chess Trivia

      chess trivia


      Can you name all (living) players (male and female) who have been ranked #1 (currently active or inactive) in the world in chess?

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      21 Comments

      1. Anonymous Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 8:40 pm

        Spassky, Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov, Topalov, Anand all were #1s.

        Kramnik twice tied for the top spot, but was never #1 by himself.

      2. Bionic Lime Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 8:44 pm

        Did you forget former world champion Vasily Smyslov?

      3. Anonymous Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 8:47 pm

        The question specified ‘living’ so Fischer no longer qualifies. But Smyslov does.

        Among the women, Gaprindashvili, Chiburdanidze and Judit Polgar.

      4. Anonymous Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 8:49 pm

        Whoops, I think I should have added another Polgar to that list!

      5. Anonymous Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 8:58 pm

        Martha Stewart!!!

      6. Anonymous Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 9:00 pm

        Renate Wallroth!

      7. Anonymous Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 9:12 pm

        Arthur Bisguier

      8. Anonymous Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 9:15 pm

        Arthur Bisguier?

        Really?

      9. Anonymous Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 9:23 pm

        The question is a little silly as I am not sure as to what is referred to with “ranked numbers 1 in the world”. Number 1 according to whom? FIDE? Contemporary players? How far back would this list go?!

      10. Anonymous Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 9:24 pm

        The question is a little silly as I am not sure as to what is referred to with “ranked numbers 1 in the world”. Number 1 according to whom? FIDE? Contemporary players? How far back would this list go?!

        I guess anytime during their live, they were on Fide #1 list (men or women)

      11. Anonymous Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 9:42 pm

        The question is very clear, but your question is silly. Who lives (as we speak, here and now, on this planet, planet earth) and has been no 1 on the Fide-list? During his or her live yes, you can’t be dead if you live can you?

      12. Anonymous Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 10:37 pm

        If I remember well, when Karpov was champion, he hasn’t been first (Fischer was). And after, Kasparov was.

      13. Anonymous Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 10:41 pm

        Well….you don’t remember well.

        Inactive players don’t count, otherwise kasparov never left the number 1 spot.

      14. Anonymous Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 10:52 pm

        kasparov left at 2812, topalov was 2813 after that.

      15. Anonymous Reply
        August 25, 2008 at 10:59 pm

        Ok, but still – inactive players don’t count.

      16. Anonymous Reply
        August 26, 2008 at 1:39 am

        Kung Fu Panda, i am sure of that.

      17. Anonymous Reply
        August 26, 2008 at 6:23 am

        Kasparov, Karpov, Kramnik, Topalov, Spassky, Smyslov, Anand, & Ivanchuk (on live rating). Only 9living players in the world today have ever made it to #1 on the FIDE rating (including live rating) list!!!

      18. Anonymous Reply
        August 26, 2008 at 7:13 am

        Actually, I take that back! Kasparov, Karpov, Kramnik, Topalov, Spassky, Smyslov, & Anand. Only 7 living players in the world today have ever made it to #1 on the FIDE rating list !!!
        Apologies for player miscount on my previous post !

      19. gabor Reply
        August 26, 2008 at 9:29 am

        Can you name all (living) players (male and female) who have been ranked #1 (currently active or inactive) in the world in chess?

      20. Anonymous Reply
        August 26, 2008 at 9:48 am

        Smyslov?
        When was Smyslov the highest rated player in the world? Right at the beginning in 1971 or in early 80’s when he had a good run in the candidates? It’s hard to imagine he was number one in any of these two periods.

        I think it is Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov, Kramnik, Topalov and Anand, in that order.

      21. Anonymous Reply
        August 26, 2008 at 1:49 pm

        Folks, it never says “FIDE list” but only “first in the world of chess”. Though FIDE list is most likely meant…

      Leave a Reply to Anonymous Cancel reply

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