Gukesh Dommaraju, the current world chess champion, has returned to the top 10 in the March 2026 FIDE rankings after the International Chess Federation (FIDE) fixed a mistake in their calculations last Monday.
The correction also affected Russian grandmaster Sergey Karjakin. His status was changed to inactive, and his name was removed from the list of active players in the FIDE rating system.
FIDE explained that the error happened because of an oversight during the approval process. A recent Russian Chess Crown match, which did not follow official rules, was mistakenly included in the March 2026 rating list. When the mistake was noticed, FIDE’s Qualification Commission (QC) removed the event from the rating system according to the rules.
Because of this correction, Gukesh Dommaraju’s ranking improved, allowing him to return to the top 10 among active players. Chess experts said this change was important because it restored the correct ranking positions and showed how important accurate record-keeping is in international chess.
FIDE also said that steps are being taken to prevent similar errors in the future. They reassured players and fans that official rankings will now better reflect players’ actual performances.
This correction has been welcomed by chess enthusiasts worldwide, as Gukesh’s return to the top 10 reinforces his standing as one of the best players in the world. It also highlights how competitive the top levels of chess have become, with small errors potentially affecting rankings and players’ international recognition.
Experts also noted that ranking corrections like this can impact invitations to major tournaments and sponsorships, making accurate FIDE ratings crucial for professional chess players. The chess community hopes that FIDE continues to maintain transparency and reliability in its rating system.