Arjun Erigaisi’s rating history is one of the steepest climbs in modern chess: from a late-starting kid in Warangal to a 2800+ grandmaster and world No. 2 in the live ratings, almost all of it before his 22nd birthday. Because live ratings change every event, this page focuses on the stable milestones — the title, the age, the verified career peak — rather than a volatile “current” number that would be out of date by next month. Here’s the arc.
From a late start to grandmaster (to 2018)
Arjun’s story is unusual for an elite player: he didn’t touch chess until age 8 and only started training seriously around 10 — a “late” start by prodigy standards. But he improved at a ferocious rate. As a 13-year-old he finished runner-up at the World Under-14 Championship, and in the summer of 2018 he collected all three grandmaster norms in a matter of months, earning the GM title at 14 years, 11 months, and 13 days.
Getting the GM title as a young teen is one thing; turning it into an elite rating is another, and plenty of prodigies stall right here. Arjun didn’t.
Into the elite (2022–2023)
The early 2020s are when Arjun’s rating caught fire. His dominant win at the 2022 Tata Steel Challengers (by a two-point margin) and the Indian National Championship the same year confirmed he belonged in the professional top tier, and he kept stacking strong results — including the Sharjah Masters in 2023 — that pushed his classical rating up through the 2600s and into the 2700s, the traditional gateway to the world elite. All the while, his prolific playing schedule kept feeding the climb.
The breakthrough year: 2024
If one year defines the rating story, it’s 2024. Everything peaked at once:
- In September 2024 he became India’s top-rated player — a landmark in a country stacked with young talent and headed by a reigning World Champion.
- In October 2024 he reached an official world ranking of No. 3, and crossed 2800 in the live ratings — only around the sixteenth player in history to be rated 2800+ live.
- In November 2024, a win at the Chennai Grand Masters lifted his live rating high enough to reach world No. 2, behind only Magnus Carlsen.
- In December 2024, his published classical FIDE rating peaked at 2801 — making him only the second Indian ever, after Viswanathan Anand, to cross the 2800 barrier.
Reaching 2800 puts a player in an exclusive club that only about fifteen people in the history of the game have ever entered. Doing it at 21, from a standing start at age eight, is extraordinary.
The career peak: 2801 (December 2024)
That 2801 figure is the high-water mark of the story so far. It’s more than a number — it’s the statistical stamp of a genuine World Championship contender, and it came alongside the Olympiad double gold (team and individual board three) that made 2024 the year Arjun arrived at the very top of world chess.
Where he stands now
As of July 2026, Arjun remains firmly among the world’s top-ranked players. Like every elite competitor he’s had ups and downs since the 2024 peak — a rough classical event here, a strong speed-chess result there (including double bronze at the 2025 World Rapid & Blitz Championships) — which is exactly why we don’t quote a precise “current” number that would go stale within weeks. The stable takeaways are clear:
- Peak classical rating: 2801 (December 2024) — 2nd Indian ever past 2800.
- Best world ranking: No. 2 in the live ratings (November 2024); No. 3 official (October 2024).
- Room to grow: at his age, most of his career — and possibly his peak — is still ahead of him.
For the live figure, his FIDE profile is always the source of truth.
What the numbers really tell us
Ratings are a lagging indicator of talent, and Arjun’s have spent his whole career sprinting to catch up to his ability. The pattern — late starter, GM at 14, 2800 and world No. 2 before 22 — is the profile of a fighter still on the rise, not one who’s peaked and plateaued. Whether he adds a World Championship to the résumé is the open question that makes following his rating so much fun.
Curious how he earned those points? See his best games and his playing style, or browse the records and trivia on his facts page.
FAQ
What is Arjun Erigaisi’s highest rating? His classical FIDE peak is 2801, reached in December 2024 — which made him only the second Indian ever, after Viswanathan Anand, to cross 2800.
When did Arjun Erigaisi reach world No. 2? In November 2024, during the Chennai Grand Masters, his live classical rating climbed to world No. 2, behind only Magnus Carlsen. His best official ranking was No. 3 (October 2024).
When did Arjun Erigaisi become a grandmaster? In 2018, at 14 years, 11 months, and 13 days — after earning all three GM norms in a single summer.
What is Arjun Erigaisi’s current rating? Live ratings change constantly, so we don’t quote a precise “current” figure here. As of July 2026 he sits among the world’s top players; his stable career peak is 2801 (December 2024). For the live number, check his FIDE profile.
Keep exploring
Back to the Arjun Erigaisi profile · his best games · his playing style · his facts & records · or browse all chess players.
Written and fact-checked by the Chess Lab Academy Editorial Team · Facts verified against Wikipedia, his FIDE profile, and Chess.com, as of July 2026 · Last verified 2026-07-10 · How we verify content.