Erigaisi Arjun tops Indian Chess ratings, Gukesh trails behind

Indian chess player Erigaisi Arjun has claimed the top spot in the June 2025 FIDE (Federation International des Echecs) India chess ratings with a rating of 2782, edging ahead of D Gukesh, who follows closely with a rating of 2776. R Praggnanandhaa is next in line with a strong 2767 rating.

In the global rankings, Erigaisi stands at World No 3, while Norway’s Magnus Carlsen continues to dominate the chart at No 1 with a rating of 2837. Gukesh is ranked World No 5.

Magnus Carlsen added another milestone to his storied career by clinching the Norway Chess 2025 title in his hometown of Stavanger on Friday. The five-time World Champion secured the title after a nail-biting final round, in which his closest rival, reigning World Champion D Gukesh, missed a crucial opportunity to overtake him.

Carlsen, playing with white pieces, drew his final classical game against India’s rising star Arjun Erigaisi. The draw left a slim window open for Gukesh to catch up – provided he could beat American grandmaster Fabiano Caruana in his final game.

However, under immense time pressure, Gukesh made a critical blunder in a balanced position. With just two seconds left on the clock, he mishandled a queen promotion move and was forced to resign on the spot.

The costly error ended Gukesh’s hopes of winning the tournament and handed the 2025 title to Carlsen, who had already secured a draw earlier in the day.

But Erigaisi’s performance in June 2025, both in ratings and on the board, reinforces his status as a top-tier contender in international chess and a significant force within the Indian chess circuit and made him to the top of chess ratings in India beating Gukesh.

(With inputs from syndicated feed)