The December 2025 FIDE rating lists offer a clear snapshot of where American chess stands on the global stage. Every month, these lists track the world’s strongest players across different categories, but this month’s update highlights an especially deep and well-balanced American presence. From veteran superstars to fast-rising prodigies, the United States continues to position itself as one of the top chess nations in the world.
This report breaks down how American players appear in four major FIDE categories:
Top 100 Open, Top 100 Women, Top 100 Juniors, and Top 100 Girls.
Together, these lists reveal not just who is leading today, but also which young talents are poised to shape the country’s future in international chess.
1. The Elite Core: US Players in the World Top 100 (Open)
The FIDE Top 100 Open list is the most watched ranking in competitive chess. It reflects not only individual brilliance but also a nation’s depth at the very highest level. In December 2025, the United States claims 13 spots in this elite group, one of the largest delegations of any nation.
US Players in the FIDE Top 100 (Open)
- #2 Hikaru Nakamura — 2810 (b. 1987)
- #3 Fabiano Caruana — 2795 (b. 1992)
- #11 Wesley So — 2753 (b. 1993)
- #14 Leinier Dominguez Perez — 2738 (b. 1983)
- #20 Levon Aronian — 2729 (b. 1982)
- #23 Hans Moke Niemann — 2725 (b. 2003)
- #27 Awonder Liang — 2708 (b. 2003)
- #39 Samuel Sevian — 2688 (b. 2000)
- #54 Sam Shankland — 2664 (b. 1991)
- #60 Grigoriy Oparin — 2658 (b. 1997)
- #70 Jeffery Xiong — 2652 (b. 2000)
- #73 Ray Robson — 2650 (b. 1994)
- #89 Abhimanyu Mishra — 2636 (b. 2009)
One of the most striking details is the number of Americans in the 2700+ “super-elite” club. The U.S. has seven such players, a number matched only by the very strongest chess nations.
The front line consists of familiar stars:
- Hikaru Nakamura, still one of the best in the world and a constant presence in elite tournaments.
- Fabiano Caruana, a former World Championship challenger and one of the most consistent top-five performers of the last decade.
- Wesley So, known for stability and world-class rapid and blitz play.
- Leinier Dominguez Perez and Levon Aronian, both long-time elite competitors with decades of experience.
What makes the U.S. even more dangerous is the rise of its new generation of elite-level players:
- Hans Moke Niemann and Awonder Liang, both born in 2003, have crossed the 2700 threshold.
- Abhimanyu Mishra, born in 2009, is already in the world’s Top 100—an achievement only a handful of players in history have matched at such a young age.
This blend of seasoned champions and fast-developing prodigies is a competitive advantage few countries can match. And the same balance appears in the women’s rankings as well.
2. US Women in the World Top 100: A Strong, Balanced Lineup
The Top 100 Women list is another important measure of a country’s chess ecosystem. For the United States, the December 2025 list shows both stability and promise.
US Players in the FIDE Top 100 Women
- #21 Carissa Yip — 2459 (b. 2003)
- #38 Alice Lee — 2408 (b. 2009)
- #42 Irina Krush — 2402 (b. 1983)
- #53 Tatev Abrahamyan — 2390 (b. 1988)
- #63 Anna M. Sargsyan — 2379 (b. 2001)
- #84 Zoey Tang — 2356 (b. 2008)
Carissa Yip leads the American lineup, approaching the world’s top 20. She has already established herself as the strongest U.S. woman and one of the most exciting players of her generation.
Behind her, the stars of two different eras appear:
- Irina Krush, the backbone of American women’s chess for more than two decades.
- Tatev Abrahamyan, another long-time national team member known for aggressive, tactical play.
The big breakthrough belongs to Alice Lee, born in 2009, who now ranks #38 in the world. Her rapid rise is one of the major stories in the women’s circuit. She competes not only in youth events but also in high-level adult tournaments with remarkable success.
Zoey Tang, ranked #84, is another indicator of how strong the U.S. youth system has become for girls. The junior pipeline behind these talents is one of the strongest in the world—and the junior rankings make that clear.
3. The Future of American Chess: US Players in the Top 100 Juniors
The Junior Top 100 list (players under 20) offers a preview of tomorrow’s superstars. The U.S. has 11 players in this group, showcasing one of the world’s deepest development pipelines.
US Players in the FIDE Top 100 Juniors
- #9 Abhimanyu Mishra — 2636 (b. 2009)
- #16 Andy Woodward — 2608 (b. 2010)
- #17 Christopher Woojin Yoo — 2607 (b. 2006)
- #32 Brewington Hardaway — 2544 (b. 2009)
- #35 Kirk Ghazarian — 2533 (b. 2006)
- #39 Arthur Guo — 2525 (b. 2006)
- #40 Justin Wang — 2524 (b. 2005)
- #43 Nico Chasin — 2517 (b. 2006)
- #55 Dimitar Mardov — 2504 (b. 2008)
- #59 Liam Putnam — 2498 (b. 2008)
- #89 Harshid Kunka — 2472 (b. 2009)
This list shows a surge of talent born between 2005 and 2010. Many of these players already compete in strong open tournaments, gaining experience against grandmasters at an early age.
Abhimanyu Mishra, the world’s youngest-ever grandmaster, continues to lead the group, now ranking #9 in the world among juniors. He is a rare case of someone who appears in both the junior rankings and the senior Top 100.
Andy Woodward and Christopher Yoo are also developing quickly and trending upward. Meanwhile, a cluster of players in the 2500–2550 range—Hardaway, Ghazarian, Guo, Wang, and Chasin—shows how wide the American junior talent pool has become.
This depth carries directly into the Girls ranking, where the U.S. also shines.
4. Rising Queens: US Players in the Top 100 Girls
The Top 100 Girls list captures the players who may dominate women’s chess in the coming decade. The United States has eight representatives, including several genuine world-class prodigies.
US Players in the FIDE Top 100 Girls
- #5 Alice Lee — 2408 (b. 2009)
- #14 Zoey Tang — 2356 (b. 2008)
- #21 Rose Atwell — 2330 (b. 2009)
- #24 Rachael Li — 2325 (b. 2010)
- #30 Jasmine Zhixin Su — 2299 (b. 2010)
- #64 Ruiyang Yan — 2231 (b. 2007)
- #71 Megan Althea Paragua — 2219 (b. 2012)
- #84 Rochelle Wu — 2199 (b. 2006)
The standout here is again Alice Lee, who ranks #5 worldwide among girls while simultaneously appearing in the senior women’s Top 40. Her simultaneous success across two categories marks her as one of the most impressive young talents in global chess.
Zoey Tang also appears on both the Girls and Women lists, reinforcing her upward trajectory. The cluster of young players born between 2008 and 2012—Atwell, Li, Su, Paragua—suggests a long-lasting pipeline that will continue delivering top-level female competitors for years to come.
5. Key Dual-Category Stars
Looking across all four lists reveals three American players whose performances stand out for crossing categories:
Abhimanyu Mishra
- #89 Open, #9 Junior
- Competing at elite adult level while still a teen.
Alice Lee
- #38 Women, #5 Girls
- Dominant in her age group while already competitive among the world’s best adult women.
Zoey Tang
- #84 Women, #14 Girls
- Showing rapid progress and a clear path toward senior-level success.
These players illustrate the seamless transition between America’s youth and adult talent pools—something that not all federations manage successfully.
I’m the senior editor of Attacking Chess, a keen chess player, rated above 2300 in chess.com. You can challenge me or asking questions at Chess.com.