What is the FIDE Rating List?
The official rating and results database of FIDE, the international chess federation. FIDE adopted Arpad Elo's rating system in 1970 and published its first official list in July 1971 — the ancestor of every ranking system in sport that converts results into a single number.[1] [2]
What does it cover?
Separate ratings for Standard, Rapid and Blitz play, each with its own list and history; per-player rating histories, FIDE IDs, federations and titles; rated tournament records; title applications and federation transfers; and Top 100 lists for Open, Women, Juniors and Girls in each time control.[1] [2]
Why does it matter?
Because in chess the rating is the credential — titles such as Grandmaster are awarded against rating thresholds and norms recorded in this system. One caution worth carrying: the list has moved from annual to twice-yearly to quarterly to monthly publication, becoming monthly only in July 2012, so "peak rating" comparisons across eras are not like for like.[1] [2]
References
- FIDE — ratings. Accessed August 2026.
- FIDE — International Chess Federation. Accessed August 2026.