Russia still remains as the top chess nation in the world, followed by Ukraine. However, China has moved into 3rd place with 3 players over 2700 and one more right at 2700. The U.S. has dropped to #6.

Country rank by average rating of top 10 players
Average GMs IMs Total Titled
1 Russia 2723 186 451 1857
2 Ukraine 2691 69 179 396
3 China 2645 22 13 85
4 Israel 2643 34 42 137
5 Azerbaijan 2638 17 12 55
6 United States of America 2632 65 109 506
7 Hungary 2627 41 105 374
8 India 2625 18 58 159
9 Germany 2624 73 197 1074
10 Armenia 2624 23 23 65
# Name – Russia
 Title Fed Rating G B-Year
1 Morozevich, Alexander g RUS 2771 20 1977
2 Jakovenko, Dmitry g RUS 2760 40 1983
3 Kramnik, Vladimir g RUS 2759 20 1975
4 Grischuk, Alexander g RUS 2733 28 1983
5 Svidler, Peter g RUS 2723 27 1976
6 Alekseev, Evgeny g RUS 2718 33 1985
7 Rublevsky, Sergei g RUS 2702 0 1974
8 Malakhov, Vladimir g RUS 2692 18 1980
9 Dreev, Alexey g RUS 2688 24 1969
10 Vitiugov, Nikita g RUS 2687 28 1987
# Name – Ukraine
 Title Fed Rating G B-Year
1 Ivanchuk, Vassily g UKR 2779 19 1969
2 Ponomariov, Ruslan g UKR 2726 9 1983
3 Karjakin, Sergey g UKR 2706 17 1990
4 Eljanov, Pavel g UKR 2693 29 1983
5 Efimenko, Zahar g UKR 2688 15 1985
6 Moiseenko, Alexander g UKR 2676 9 1980
7 Areshchenko, Alexander g UKR 2673 5 1986
8 Volokitin, Andrei g UKR 2671 21 1986
9 Miroshnichenko, Evgenij g UKR 2667 23 1978
10 Fedorchuk, Sergey A. g UKR 2633 22 1981
# Name – China
 Title Fed Rating G B-Year
1 Wang, Yue g CHN 2739 28 1987
2 Ni, Hua g CHN 2709 15 1983
3 Bu, Xiangzhi g CHN 2702 9 1985
4 Wang, Hao g CHN 2691 7 1989
5 Zhang, Pengxiang g CHN 2644 7 1980
6 Li, Chao b g CHN 2628 8 1989
7 Zhou, Jianchao g CHN 2612 0 1988
8 Peng, Xiaomin g CHN 2590 0 1973
9 Hou, Yifan wg CHN 2571 15 1994
10 Li, Shilong g CHN 2559 19 1977
# Name – Israel
 Title Fed Rating G B-Year
1 Gelfand, Boris g ISR 2733 17 1968
2 Sutovsky, Emil g ISR 2660 7 1977
3 Postny, Evgeny g ISR 2652 28 1981
4 Rodshtein, Maxim g ISR 2650 25 1989
5 Roiz, Michael g ISR 2647 24 1983
5 Smirin, Ilia g ISR 2647 14 1968
7 Avrukh, Boris g ISR 2645 23 1978
8 Mikhalevski, Victor g ISR 2608 18 1972
9 Huzman, Alexander g ISR 2602 16 1962
10 Erenburg, Sergey g ISR 2587 5 1983
# Name – Azerbaijan
 Title Fed Rating G B-Year
1 Radjabov, Teimour g AZE 2761 27 1987
2 Mamedyarov, Shakhriyar g AZE 2724 29 1985
3 Gashimov, Vugar g AZE 2723 28 1986
4 Guseinov, Gadir g AZE 2661 17 1986
5 Mamedov, Rauf g AZE 2638 16 1988
6 Mamedov, Nidjat g AZE 2607 11 1985
7 Ibrahimov, Rasul g AZE 2568 0 1981
8 Abbasov, Farid g AZE 2565 8 1979
9 Mirzoev, Azer g AZE 2564 36 1978
9 Safarli, Eltaj g AZE 2564 9 1992
# Name – USA
 Title Fed Rating G B-Year
1 Kamsky, Gata g USA 2725 16 1974
2 Nakamura, Hikaru g USA 2699 19 1987
3 Onischuk, Alexander g USA 2659 25 1975
4 Shulman, Yuri g USA 2639 20 1975
5 Akobian, Varuzhan g USA 2619 24 1983
6 Becerra Rivero, Julio g USA 2614 31 1973
7 Ehlvest, Jaan g USA 2595 24 1962
7 Kaidanov, Gregory S g USA 2595 9 1959
9 Christiansen, Larry M g USA 2588 0 1956
10 Ibragimov, Ildar g USA 2586 0 1967
# Name – Hungary
 Title Fed Rating G B-Year
1 Leko, Peter g HUN 2751 23 1979
2 Polgar, Judit g HUN 2693 8 1976
3 Almasi, Zoltan g HUN 2680 27 1976
4 Berkes, Ferenc g HUN 2651 9 1985
5 Balogh, Csaba g HUN 2605 22 1987
6 Chernin, Alexander g HUN 2593 0 1960
7 Gyimesi, Zoltan g HUN 2582 20 1977
7 Erdos, Viktor g HUN 2582 18 1987
9 Ribli, Zoltan g HUN 2577 18 1951
10 Ruck, Robert g HUN 2558 36 1977
# Name – India
 Title Fed Rating G B-Year
1 Anand, Viswanathan g IND 2791 11 1969
2 Sasikiran, Krishnan g IND 2711 24 1981
3 Harikrishna, P. g IND 2673 26 1986
4 Koneru, Humpy g IND 2621 6 1987
5 Ganguly, Surya Shekhar g IND 2614 22 1983
6 Negi, Parimarjan g IND 2600 35 1993
7 Gupta, Abhijeet g IND 2569 23 1989
8 Sandipan, Chanda g IND 2568 6 1983
9 Geetha Narayanan Gopal g IND 2555 18 1989
10 Arun Prasad, S. g IND 2552 14 1988
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Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Susan Polgar January 7, 2009 Daily News, General News 3 Comments
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