Richard Rapport is the Hungarian grandmaster most chess fans reach for when they want to describe creativity at the modern top level. Where much of elite chess has become a battle of who memorized the most computer preparation, Rapport is a proud throwback — an original who plays weird first moves, unusual setups, and imaginative attacks that look like nothing else on the circuit. His peak rating of 2776 (April 2022) carried him all the way to world No. 5, and in 2022 he qualified for and played the Candidates Tournament, the event that decides who challenges for the World Championship.
Quick facts
- Full name: Richárd Rapport · Born: 25 March 1996, Szombathely, Hungary
- Title: Grandmaster (earned in 2010, at age 13 — Hungary’s youngest-ever GM at the time)
- Peak rating: 2776 (April 2022) — reached world No. 5
- Career highlights: 2022 Candidates player, Hungarian Champion (2017), one of Ding Liren’s seconds at the 2023 World Championship
- Style: creative, unorthodox, unpredictable — the great original of the modern elite
- Federation: Hungary — represented Romania from 2022 to 2024, then returned home
Who is Richard Rapport?
Born in Szombathely in 1996, Rapport learned chess at age four from his father and turned into one of the great prodigies of his generation. In 2010 he earned the grandmaster title at 13 years, 11 months — becoming the youngest grandmaster in Hungary’s history at the time, a country whose chess tradition includes legends like Judit Polgár and Péter Lékó. That’s elite company to leapfrog before you’ve finished school.
From there he grew into a genuine top-tier player, but never a conventional one. For most of the 2010s he was known as chess’s ultimate wild card — brilliant, streaky, and utterly unpredictable, capable of beating anyone on his day (he famously defeated World Champion Magnus Carlsen at Tata Steel in 2017). Around 2021–2022 he put it all together for a sustained run at the very top, climbing to world No. 5 and breaking into the World Championship cycle.
In a move that raised eyebrows, Rapport switched federations from Hungary to Romania in 2022, tied to a sponsorship arrangement, and represented Romania through his peak years — before returning to play for Hungary in 2024. So if you’ve ever wondered whether he’s Hungarian or Romanian, the honest answer is: Hungarian-born, briefly Romanian by federation, and Hungarian again today (as of July 2026).
What is Rapport’s playing style?
In one word: original. Rapport is famous for offbeat openings and creative, unorthodox middlegame play. Early in his career he was described as a “rock-and-roll” player who seemed to pick opening moves almost at random; over time he matured into a subtler, more positional version of the same creative spirit — but the trademark surprise factor never left. He’ll happily start a game with a move most grandmasters wouldn’t dream of playing, purely to reach a fresh position where understanding beats memorization.
We break it all down, with examples, in Rapport’s playing style.
What openings does Richard Rapport play?
True to his reputation, Rapport’s repertoire is a tour of the road less traveled. As White he’s a devotee of the Nimzowitsch-Larsen Attack (1.b3) and the Trompowsky Attack, and he’ll mix in the English and Réti with unusual double-fianchetto setups. As Black he favors rich, combative systems like the King’s Indian Defense, the Pirc and Modern defenses, and the sharp French Winawer.
See the full tour in Rapport’s openings.
Career highlights
- 2010: earns the grandmaster title at age 13 — Hungary’s youngest-ever GM at the time.
- 2017: wins the Hungarian Chess Championship; also beats Magnus Carlsen at Tata Steel.
- 2020: wins the Danzhou super-tournament undefeated.
- April 2022: reaches his peak rating of 2776 and climbs to world No. 5.
- 2022: wins the Belgrade leg of the FIDE Grand Prix, qualifying for the Candidates Tournament — and plays it.
- 2023: serves as one of Ding Liren’s seconds during Ding’s successful World Championship match.
The best games
Rapport’s finest games are a highlight reel of imagination — surprise openings, sacrifices, and the occasional scalp of a world champion. We’ve gathered the standouts in Richard Rapport’s best games.
Fun facts
- He learned chess at age four from his father, and became Hungary’s youngest-ever grandmaster at the time.
- He’s one of the few elite players who genuinely plays 1.b3 and the Trompowsky as main weapons, not just for shock value.
- He beat Magnus Carlsen as White at Tata Steel 2017 — with a hypermodern double-fianchetto setup, of all things.
- He worked behind the scenes as one of Ding Liren’s seconds when Ding won the 2023 World Championship, helping prepare the eventual champion.
FAQ
Is Richard Rapport Hungarian or Romanian? He was born in Hungary and is Hungarian. He represented the Romanian federation from 2022 to 2024 under a sponsorship arrangement, then switched back to Hungary in 2024. As of July 2026 he plays for Hungary.
What is Richard Rapport’s highest rating? 2776, reached on the April 2022 FIDE list, when he climbed to world No. 5.
Did Rapport play in the Candidates Tournament? Yes. He qualified for the 2022 Candidates by winning the Belgrade leg of the FIDE Grand Prix, and played in the event.
Why is Rapport famous? For his creativity — he’s one of the most original, unorthodox players in modern chess, known for offbeat openings and imaginative play, plus a stint helping prepare Ding Liren for the 2023 World Championship.
When did Rapport become a grandmaster? In 2010, at age 13 — the youngest grandmaster in Hungarian history at the time.
Keep exploring
Dig deeper into the great original: his best games · his playing style · his opening repertoire · his rating history · fun 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 · Current status stamped “as of July 2026” · Last verified 2026-07-10 · How we verify content.