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FIDE May 2025 Chess Rankings: Ju Wenjun Shines, Ivanchuk Returns

The International Chess Federation (FIDE) dropped its May 2025 rating list, and it’s packed with action from the Women’s World Championship, the Women’s Grand Prix in Pune, the European Women’s Championship, and a slew of fierce open tournaments across Europe. Here’s the breakdown of who’s climbing, who’s back, and who’s making waves.

Women’s World Championship: Ju Wenjun Reigns Supreme

World Champion Ju Wenjun (China, 2580, +19) defended her title with flair, pocketing 19 rating points and solidifying her spot as world #2 on the women’s list. Her performance was a masterclass in precision.

Pune Grand Prix: Indian Stars Rise

The fifth leg of the Women’s Grand Prix in Pune saw Humpy Koneru (+15) and Zhu Jiner (+16) dominate, vaulting to #5 and #6 on the women’s list. India’s chess depth continues to impress on the global stage.

Biggest Rating Jumps

The May list is buzzing with breakout performances and epic comebacks:

  • Yelyzaveta Hrebenshchykova (WIM, Ukraine, 2353, +57) stole the show at the Grenke Chess Open, soaring 57 points and crashing into the women’s top 100.
  • Vasyl Ivanchuk (GM, Ukraine, 2644, +40) turned back the clock, winning or sharing first in the Reykjavik Open, IX Open Semana Santa, and IV Open Chess Menorca. The legend is back in the open top 100!
  • Lu Shanglei (GM, China, 2647, +29) racked up 29 points across the same trio of opens.
  • Parham Maghsoodloo (GM, Iran, 2706, +22) won Reykjavik and added points in the Bundesliga, rejoining the 2700+ elite.
  • Song Yuxin (IM, China, 2397, +26) and Lu Miaoyi (IM, China, 2450, +21) shone in European opens, with 15-year-old Miaoyi hitting a career-high #23 on the women’s list.
  • Teodora Injac (IM, Serbia, 2474, +19), the 2025 European Women’s Champion, broke into the women’s top 20 with a career-best rating.

European Women’s Championship Highlights

Teodora Injac led the charge, while podium finishers Mai Narva (IM, Estonia, 2391, +20) and Alexandra Matsevskaya (+15) also posted big gains, cementing their spots among the women’s elite.

Top 10 Open List: Steady as She Goes

The open top 10 remains largely unchanged, with the usual titans holding their ground. All eyes are on the next big events to shake things up.

Global Chess Landscape

  • Ukraine: Ivanchuk’s resurgence and Hrebenshchykova’s breakout show the nation’s enduring chess spirit.
  • China: Young stars like Song Yuxin and Lu Miaoyi join veterans like Ju Wenjun to keep China in the spotlight.
  • India: Koneru and Zhu Jiner’s Grand Prix success underscores India’s growing dominance.
  • Europe: Open tournaments in Iceland, Spain, and Menorca remain hotbeds for rating gains.

What’s Next?

With the Candidates Tournaments, World Cup, and online chess thriving on platforms like CHECKMAT.NET, the battle for the top spots is heating up. Who’ll make the next big move?

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