Highest classical chess ratings ever: England
The best rating of every player who represents England today, on FIDE's classical rating lists since July 1971.
GM Michael Adams's 2761 on the September 2013 list is the highest classical rating held by a player who represents England today.
| # | Player | Peak | First reached | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | ENG · Sep 2013 · Latest 2597 | 2761 | Sep 2013 | 2597 |
| 2 | ENG · Nov 2019 · Latest 2663 | 2751 | Nov 2019 | 2663 |
| 3 | ENG · Jul 2012 · Latest 2607 | 2713 | Jul 2012 | 2607 |
| 4 | ENG · Apr 2004 · Latest 2594 | 2712 | Apr 2004 | 2594 |
| 4 | ENG · Aug 2015 · Latest 2665 | 2712 | Aug 2015 | 2665 |
| 6 | ENG · Jun 2019 · Latest 2630 | 2709 | Jun 2019 | 2630 |
| 7 | ENG · Mar 2020 · Latest 2694 | 2694 | Mar 2020 | 2694 |
| 8 | ENG · Jul 1988† · Latest 2495 | 2645 | Jul 1988† | 2495 |
| 9 | ENG · Jul 2000† · Latest 2609 | 2640 | Jul 2000† | 2609 |
| 10 | ENG · Jan 1995† · Latest 2513 | 2630 | Jan 1995† | 2513 |
| 11 | ENG · Oct 2001 · Latest 2495 | 2601 | Oct 2001 | 2495 |
| 12 | ENG · Feb 2018 · Latest 2570 | 2592 | Feb 2018 | 2570 |
| 13 | ENG · Jul 1998† · Latest 2343 | 2590 | Jul 1998† | 2343 |
| 14 | ENG · Jul 1999† · Latest 2428 | 2586 | Jul 1999† | 2428 |
| 15 | ENG · Jan 2016 · Latest 2493 | 2574 | Jan 2016 | 2493 |
| 16 | ENG · Jan 2006 · Latest 2382 | 2573 | Jan 2006 | 2382 |
| 17 | ENG · Jul 2002 · Latest 2498 | 2570 | Jul 2002 | 2498 |
| 18 | ENG · Jul 1990† · Latest 2466 | 2560 | Jul 1990† | 2466 |
| 18 | ENG · Jul 1992† · Latest 2468 | 2560 | Jul 1992† | 2468 |
| 20 | ENG · Jan 2010 · Latest 2515 | 2559 | Jan 2010 | 2515 |
| 21 | ENG · Sep 2012 · Latest 2406 | 2556 | Sep 2012 | 2406 |
| 22 | ENG · Jul 1999† · Latest 2319 | 2555 | Jul 1999† | 2319 |
| 23 | ENG · Jul 2002 · Latest 2372 | 2551 | Jul 2002 | 2372 |
| 24 | ENG · Nov 2009 · Latest 2449 | 2550 | Nov 2009 | 2449 |
| 25 | ENG · Jul 1984† · Latest 2417 | 2545 | Jul 1984† | 2417 |
| 25 | ENG · Jul 1995† · Latest 2293 | 2545 | Jul 1995† | 2293 |
| 25 | ENG · Jul 1996† · Latest 2389 | 2545 | Jul 1996† | 2389 |
| 28 | ENG · Sep 2026 · Latest 2530 | 2542 | Sep 2026 | 2530 |
| 29 | ENG · Jan 1979† · Latest 2500 | 2540 | Jan 1979† | 2500 |
| 30 | ENG · Sep 2026 · Latest 2533 | 2533 | Sep 2026 | 2533 |
| 31 | ENG · Apr 2026 · Latest 2516 | 2532 | Apr 2026 | 2516 |
| 32 | ENG · Jul 2003 · Latest 2379 | 2531 | Jul 2003 | 2379 |
| 33 | ENG · Jan 1995† · Latest 2257 | 2530 | Jan 1995† | 2257 |
| 34 | ENG · Oct 2000† · Latest 2308 | 2526 | Oct 2000† | 2308 |
| 34 | ENG · Aug 2022 · Latest 2490 | 2526 | Aug 2022 | 2490 |
| 36 | ENG · Jul 1995† · Latest 2495 | 2525 | Jul 1995† | 2495 |
| 37 | ENG · Jan 2026 · Latest 2490 | 2515 | Jan 2026 | 2490 |
| 38 | ENG · Oct 2000† · Latest 2395 | 2513 | Oct 2000† | 2395 |
| 39 | ENG · By Jul 1971† · Latest 2390 | 2510 | By Jul 1971† | 2390 |
| 39 | ENG · Jan 1977† · Latest 2455 | 2510 | Jan 1977† | 2455 |
| 41 | ENG · Jul 2002 · Latest 2280 | 2509 | Jul 2002 | 2280 |
| 42 | ENG · Aug 2026 · Latest 2505 | 2508 | Aug 2026 | 2505 |
| 43 | ENG · Jan 1995† · Latest 2505 | 2505 | Jan 1995† | 2505 |
| 44 | ENG · Jul 1996† · Latest 2388 | 2500 | Jul 1996† | 2388 |
| 44 | ENG · May 2024 · Latest 2480 | 2500 | May 2024 | 2480 |
| 46 | ENG · Feb 2025 · Latest 2468 | 2499 | Feb 2025 | 2468 |
| 47 | ENG · Jan 1989† · Latest 2404 | 2495 | Jan 1989† | 2404 |
| 48 | ENG · Jul 2018 · Latest 2440 | 2492 | Jul 2018 | 2440 |
| 49 | ENG · Jan 2009 · Latest 2409 | 2487 | Jan 2009 | 2409 |
| 50 | ENG · Oct 2013 · Latest 2390 | 2486 | Oct 2013 | 2390 |
| 51 | ENG · Jan 1979† · Latest 2430 | 2485 | Jan 1979† | 2430 |
| 51 | ENG · Apr 2009 · Latest 2368 | 2485 | Apr 2009 | 2368 |
| 53 | ENG · Jul 2012 · Latest 2353 | 2482 | Jul 2012 | 2353 |
| 54 | ENG · Jan 2026 · Latest 2426 | 2480 | Jan 2026 | 2426 |
| 55 | ENG · Jul 1986† · Latest 2316 | 2470 | Jul 1986† | 2316 |
| 56 | ENG · Mar 2014 · Latest 2362 | 2469 | Mar 2014 | 2362 |
| 57 | ENG · Jul 2008 · Latest 2409 | 2468 | Jul 2008 | 2409 |
| 58 | ENG · Jan 2008 · Latest 2398 | 2466 | Jan 2008 | 2398Apr 2025 |
| 59 | ENG · Jul 1982† · Latest 2371 | 2465 | Jul 1982† | 2371 |
| 59 | ENG · Jul 1994† · Latest 2391 | 2465 | Jul 1994† | 2391 |
| 61 | ENG · Jan 2009 · Latest 2287 | 2463 | Jan 2009 | 2287 |
| 62 | ENG · Jul 2018 · Latest 2401 | 2462 | Jul 2018 | 2401 |
| 63 | ENG · Jul 1989† · Latest 2112 | 2460 | Jul 1989† | 2112 |
| 63 | ENG · Jan 1998† · Latest 2315 | 2460 | Jan 1998† | 2315 |
| 65 | ENG · Sep 2017 · Latest 2429 | 2457 | Sep 2017 | 2429 |
| 66 | ENG · Jun 2022 · Latest 2380 | 2456 | Jun 2022 | 2380 |
| 67 | ENG · Sep 2025 · Latest 2438 | 2451 | Sep 2025 | 2438 |
| 68 | ENG · By Jul 1971† · Latest 2405 | 2450 | By Jul 1971† | 2405Jun 2022 |
| 68 | ENG · Jan 1975† · Latest 2355 | 2450 | Jan 1975† | 2355 |
| 68 | ENG · Jan 1992† · Latest 2251 | 2450 | Jan 1992† | 2251 |
| 68 | ENG · Jan 2007 · Latest 2294 | 2450 | Jan 2007 | 2294 |
| 72 | ENG · Jul 2001 · Latest 2345 | 2449 | Jul 2001 | 2345 |
| 73 | ENG · Jul 2000† · Latest 2325 | 2448 | Jul 2000† | 2325Apr 2015 |
| 74 | ENG · Feb 2020 · Latest 2355 | 2443 | Feb 2020 | 2355 |
| 75 | ENG · By Jul 1971† · Latest 2086 | 2440 | By Jul 1971† | 2086 |
| 75 | ENG · Jan 1980† · Latest 2313 | 2440 | Jan 1980† | 2313 |
| 77 | ENG · Jan 2001 · Latest 2402 | 2435 | Jan 2001 | 2402 |
| 78 | ENG · Dec 2013 · Latest 2349 | 2434 | Dec 2013 | 2349 |
| 79 | ENG · Jul 2010 · Latest 2293 | 2433 | Jul 2010 | 2293 |
| 80 | ENG · Jan 1988† · Latest 2336 | 2430 | Jan 1988† | 2336 |
| 80 | ENG · Jan 1998† · Latest 2403 | 2430 | Jan 1998† | 2403 |
| 80 | ENG · Jan 1998† · Latest 2287 | 2430 | Jan 1998† | 2287 |
| 83 | ENG · Jul 2010 · Latest 2411 | 2428 | Jul 2010 | 2411 |
| 84 | ENG · Mar 2011 · Latest 2301 | 2427 | Mar 2011 | 2301 |
| 85 | ENG · Dec 2012 · Latest 2359 | 2424 | Dec 2012 | 2359 |
| 86 | ENG · Jan 2006 · Latest 2250 | 2423 | Jan 2006 | 2250 |
| 86 | ENG · Mar 2014 · Latest 2406 | 2423 | Mar 2014 | 2406 |
| 88 | ENG · Jan 1977† · Latest 2295 | 2420 | Jan 1977† | 2295 |
| 88 | ENG · Jul 2003 · Latest 2276 | 2420 | Jul 2003 | 2276 |
| 88 | ENG · Sep 2026 · Latest 2420 | 2420 | Sep 2026 | 2420 |
| 91 | ENG · Feb 2018 · Latest 2260 | 2419 | Feb 2018 | 2260 |
| 92 | ENG · Jul 2007 · Latest 2372 | 2416 | Jul 2007 | 2372 |
| 92 | ENG · Nov 2011 · Latest 2347 | 2416 | Nov 2011 | 2347 |
| 92 | ENG · Apr 2022 · Latest 2384 | 2416 | Apr 2022 | 2384 |
| 95 | ENG · Jul 2001 · Latest 2360 | 2414 | Jul 2001 | 2360 |
| 96 | ENG · Jan 1999† · Latest 2342 | 2412 | Jan 1999† | 2342 |
| 97 | ENG · By Jul 1971† · Latest 2223 | 2410 | By Jul 1971† | 2223Oct 2022 |
| 97 | ENG · Jan 1986† · Latest 2405 | 2410 | Jan 1986† | 2405 |
| 97 | ENG · Jul 1994† · Latest 2333 | 2410 | Jul 1994† | 2333 |
| 97 | ENG · Oct 2006 · Latest 2385 | 2410 | Oct 2006 | 2385 |
| 97 | ENG · Dec 2025 · Latest 2381 | 2410 | Dec 2025 | 2381 |
Peak is a player's highest rating on any of FIDE's classical rating lists since July 1971. When a player reached the same peak more than once, the first month is shown; 'By Jan 2001' means the peak was already on the earliest list we have for that player, so it may be older. Latest is the rating on the most recent list that rates the player. Players are listed under the federation they represent today, with every rating they have held, including ratings held while representing another federation.
† From FIDE's rating lists before 2001, compiled by Wojciech Bartelski at OlimpBase (olimpbase.org).