| 1 | Capablanca, Jose RaulCapablanca, Jose Raul | Cuba 1 | 2725 | 3rd World Champion (1921–27) | 1888 |  |
| 2 | Botvinnik, MikhailBotvinnik, Mikhail | Soviet Union 2 | 2720 | 6th World Champion (1948–57; 1958–60; 1961–63) | 1911 |  |
| 3 | Lasker, EmanuelLasker, Emanuel | Germany 3 | 2720 | 2nd World Champion (1894–1921) | 1868 |  |
| 4 | Tal, MikhailTal, Mikhail | Soviet Union 4 | 2700 | 8th World Champion (1960–61) | 1936 |  |
| 5 | Alekhine, AlexanderAlekhine, Alexander | Russian Federation 5 | 2690 | 4th World Champion (1927–35; 1937–46) | 1892 |  |
| 6 | Morphy, PaulMorphy, Paul | United States 6 | 2690 | World Champion 1858–62 (unofficial) | 1837 |  |
| 7 | Smyslov, VassilySmyslov, Vassily | Soviet Union 7 | 2690 | 7th World Champion (1957–58) | 1921 |  |
| 8 | Petrosian, TigranPetrosian, Tigran | Soviet Union 8 | 2680 | 9th World Champion (1963–69) | 1929 |  |
| 9 | Reshevsky, Samuel HermanReshevsky, Samuel Herman | Poland 9 | 2680 | 7-time US Champion; =1st Buenos Aires 1960 | 1911 |  |
| 10 | Spassky, BorisSpassky, Boris | Soviet Union 10 | 2680 | 10th World Champion (1969–72) | 1937 |  |
| 11 | Bronstein, David IBronstein, David I | Soviet Union 11 | 2670 | World Championship Challenger 1951 | 1924 |  |
| 12 | Keres, PaulKeres, Paul | Soviet Union 12 | 2670 | Soviet Champion 147, 1950, 1951; 2nd at 5 Candidates | 1916 |  |
| 13 | Korchnoi, ViktorKorchnoi, Viktor | Soviet Union 13 | 2665 | World Championship Challenger 1978, 1981; 4 time Soviet Champion; 8 time Candidate | 1931 |  |
| 14 | Fine, ReubenFine, Reuben | United States 14 | 2660 | =1st AVRO 1938 | 1914 |  |
| 15 | Geller, Efim PGeller, Efim P | Soviet Union 15 | 2655 | 6 time Candidate; twice Soviet champion | 1925 |  |
| 16 | Boleslavsky, IsaakBoleslavsky, Isaak | Soviet Union 16 | 2650 | =1st Budapest Candidates 1950 | 1919 |  |
| 17 | Euwe, MaxEuwe, Max | Netherlands 17 | 2650 | 5th World Champion (1935–37) | 1901 |  |
| 18 | Steinitz, WilhelmSteinitz, Wilhelm | Austrian Empire 18 | 2650 | 1st World Champion (1886–94) | 1836 |  |
| 19 | Rubinstein, AkibaRubinstein, Akiba | Poland 19 | 2640 | Bad Pistyan 1912 or =1st St Petersburgh 1909 | 1882 |  |
| 20 | Najdorf, MiguelNajdorf, Miguel | Poland 20 | 2635 | 2-time Candidate 1950 & 1953; Amsterdam 1950 | 1910 |  |
| 21 | Pillsbury, HarryPillsbury, Harry | United States 21 | 2630 | Hastings 1895 | 1872 |  |
| 22 | Portisch, LajosPortisch, Lajos | Hungary 22 | 2630 | 8-time Candidate | 1937 |  |
| 23 | Timman, JanTimman, Jan | Netherlands 23 | 2630 | FIDE World Championship Challenger 1993; Linares 1988 | 1951 |  |
| 24 | Flohr, SaloFlohr, Salo | Poland 24 | 2620 | Leningrad-Moscow 1939 | 1908 |  |
| 25 | Gligoric, SvetozarGligoric, Svetozar | Yugoslavia 25 | 2620 | 3-time Candidate (1953, 1958, 1968) | 1923 |  |
| 26 | Kholmov, Ratmir DKholmov, Ratmir D | Soviet Union 26 | 2620 | =1st Soviet Championship 1963 | 1925 |  |
| 27 | Kotov, AlexanderKotov, Alexander | Soviet Union 27 | 2620 | Twice-Candidate: Budapest 1950 & Zurich 1953 | 1913 |  |
| 28 | Larsen, BentLarsen, Bent | Denmark 28 | 2620 | 4-time Candidate: 1965, 1968, 1971 & 1978 | 1935 |  |
| 29 | Maroczy, GezaMaroczy, Geza | Hungary 29 | 2620 | Ostend 1905 | 1870 |  |
| 30 | Stein, LeonidStein, Leonid | Soviet Union 30 | 2620 | 3-time Soviet Champion 1963, 1965, and 1966-7 | 1934 |  |
| 31 | Averbakh, YuriAverbakh, Yuri | Soviet Union 31 | 2615 | Candidate (Zurich1953) | 1922 |  |
| 32 | Nimzowitsch, AronNimzowitsch, Aron | Russian Federation 32 | 2615 | Carlsbad 1929 | 1886 |  |
| 33 | Andersson, UlfAndersson, Ulf | Sweden 33 | 2610 | Wijk aan Zee 1983 | 1951 |  |
| 34 | Bogoljubow, EfimBogoljubow, Efim | Russian Federation 34 | 2610 | Moscow 1925; twice World Championship Challenger vs Alekhine | 1889 |  |
| 35 | Furman, Semen AbramovichFurman, Semen Abramovich | Soviet Union 35 | 2610 | Harrachov 1966 | 1920 |  |
| 36 | Ljubojevic, LjubomirLjubojevic, Ljubomir | Yugoslavia 36 | 2610 | Linares 1985 | 1950 |  |
| 37 | Szabo, LaszloSzabo, Laszlo | Hungary 37 | 2610 | 3-time Candidate | 1917 |  |
| 38 | Tarrasch, SiegbertTarrasch, Siegbert | Germany 38 | 2610 | World Championship Challenger (1908); Monte Carlo 1903 | 1862 |  |
| 39 | Mecking, HenriqueMecking, Henrique | Brazil 39 | 2608 | 2-time Candidate; Augusta 1984 & Lucerne 1977 | 1952 |  |
| 40 | Polugaevsky, LevPolugaevsky, Lev | Soviet Union 40 | 2605 | 3-time Candidate Moscow 1974; Lucerne 1977; semi-final Buenos Aires 1980 | 1934 |  |
| 41 | Anderssen, AdolfAnderssen, Adolf | Germany 41 | 2600 | London 1851 | 1818 |  |
| 42 | Chigorin, MikhailChigorin, Mikhail | Russian Federation 42 | 2600 | World Championship Challenger 1889 & 1892; =1st New York 1889 | 1850 |  |
| 43 | Schlechter, CarlSchlechter, Carl | Austrian Empire 43 | 2600 | World Championship Challenger 1911 | 1874 |  |
| 44 | Taimanov, MarkTaimanov, Mark | Soviet Union 44 | 2600 | Two-time Candidate 1953 and 1971 | 1926 |  |
| 45 | Vidmar MilanVidmar Milan | Austrian-Hungarian Empire 45 | 2600 | =1st Hasting 1925-26 | 1885 |  |
| 46 | von der Lasa, Tassilovon der Lasa, Tassilo | Germany 46 | 2600 | (no tournaments or formal matches) Beat Staunton, Anderssen and Loewenthal in offhand games | 1818 |  |
| 47 | Zukertort, JohannesZukertort, Johannes | Poland 47 | 2600 | World Championship Match 1886; tournament – London 1883 | 1842 |  |