Highest classical chess ratings ever: Scotland
The best rating of every player who represents Scotland today, on FIDE's classical rating lists since July 1971.
GM Jonathan Rowson's 2599 on the July 2005 list is the highest classical rating held by a player who represents Scotland today.
| # | Player | Peak | First reached | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SCO · Jul 2005 · Latest 2524 | 2599 | Jul 2005 | 2524 |
| 2 | SCO · Jul 2004 · Latest 2399 | 2552 | Jul 2004 | 2399 |
| 3 | SCO · Sep 2017 · Latest 2460 | 2545 | Sep 2017 | 2460 |
| 4 | SCO · Jan 2002 · Latest 2425 | 2506 | Jan 2002 | 2425 |
| 4 | SCO · Jul 2009 · Latest 2253 | 2506 | Jul 2009 | 2253 |
| 6 | SCO · Jan 1998† · Latest 2402 | 2500 | Jan 1998† | 2402 |
| 7 | SCO · Oct 2026 · Latest 2465 | 2465 | Oct 2026 | 2465 |
| 8 | SCO · Oct 2016 · Latest 2397 | 2464 | Oct 2016 | 2397 |
| 9 | SCO · Jan 1988† · Latest 2417 | 2455 | Jan 1988† | 2417 |
| 10 | SCO · Jan 1996† · Latest 2189 | 2450 | Jan 1996† | 2189 |
| 11 | SCO · Jan 1977† · Latest 2168 | 2425 | Jan 1977† | 2168 |
| 11 | SCO · Jan 1991† · Latest 2137 | 2425 | Jan 1991† | 2137 |
| 13 | SCO · Jul 2005 · Latest 2414 | 2420 | Jul 2005 | 2414 |
| 14 | SCO · Jan 2019 · Latest 2373 | 2418 | Jan 2019 | 2373 |
| 15 | SCO · Feb 2016 · Latest 2276 | 2412 | Feb 2016 | 2276 |
| 16 | SCO · Jan 1977† · Latest 2255 | 2410 | Jan 1977† | 2255 |
| 16 | SCO · Jan 1989† · Latest 2154 | 2410 | Jan 1989† | 2154 |
| 18 | SCO · Aug 2017 · Latest 2352 | 2406 | Aug 2017 | 2352 |
| 19 | SCO · Jan 1993† · Latest 2191 | 2405 | Jan 1993† | 2191 |
| 19 | SCO · Jul 1995† · Latest 2301 | 2405 | Jul 1995† | 2301 |
| 19 | SCO · Oct 2026 · Latest 2405 | 2405 | Oct 2026 | 2405 |
| 22 | SCO · Mar 2018 · Latest 2279 | 2399 | Mar 2018 | 2279 |
| 23 | SCO · Jun 2024 · Latest 2251 | 2384 | Jun 2024 | 2251 |
| 24 | SCO · Jan 1989† · Latest 2289 | 2370 | Jan 1989† | 2289 |
| 24 | SCO · Nov 2015 · Latest 2225 | 2370 | Nov 2015 | 2225 |
| 26 | SCO · Feb 2015 · Latest 2213 | 2368 | Feb 2015 | 2213Jul 2024 |
| 27 | SCO · By Jul 1971† · Latest 2148 | 2360 | By Jul 1971† | 2148 |
| 28 | SCO · Jul 1983† · Latest 2117 | 2350 | Jul 1983† | 2117Dec 2017 |
| 29 | SCO · Jan 1987† · Latest 2295 | 2345 | Jan 1987† | 2295 |
| 29 | SCO · Jan 1989† · Latest 2210 | 2345 | Jan 1989† | 2210 |
| 31 | SCO · Dec 2025 · Latest 2319 | 2344 | Dec 2025 | 2319 |
| 32 | SCO · Jul 1999† · Latest 2304 | 2337 | Jul 1999† | 2304 |
| 33 | SCO · Jul 1986† · Latest 2260 | 2335 | Jul 1986† | 2260 |
| 34 | SCO · Jan 1991† · Latest 2260 | 2330 | Jan 1991† | 2260 |
| 35 | SCO · Jul 1989† · Latest 2267 | 2325 | Jul 1989† | 2267 |
| 36 | SCO · Jan 1979† · Latest 2216 | 2315 | Jan 1979† | 2216 |
| 36 | SCO · Jan 1990† · Latest 2227 | 2315 | Jan 1990† | 2227 |
| 38 | SCO · Jul 1995† · Latest 2260 | 2305 | Jul 1995† | 2260 |
| 39 | SCO · Jan 2008 · Latest 2005 | 2303 | Jan 2008 | 2005 |
| 40 | SCO · Mar 2019 · Latest 2265 | 2300 | Mar 2019 | 2265 |
| 41 | SCO · Jan 1978† · Latest 2295 | 2295 | Jan 1978† | 2295 |
| 41 | SCO · Jul 1989† · Latest 2270 | 2295 | Jul 1989† | 2270 |
| 41 | SCO · Jan 1992† · Latest 2295 | 2295 | Jan 1992† | 2295 |
| 41 | SCO · Jan 1993† · Latest 2264 | 2295 | Jan 1993† | 2264 |
| 41 | SCO · Jan 1995† · Latest 2082 | 2295 | Jan 1995† | 2082 |
| 46 | SCO · Jul 2002 · Latest 2145 | 2291 | Jul 2002 | 2145 |
| 46 | SCO · Oct 2026 · Latest 2291 | 2291 | Oct 2026 | 2291 |
| 48 | SCO · Jan 1977† · Latest 2098 | 2290 | Jan 1977† | 2098 |
| 49 | SCO · By Jul 1971† · Latest 2280 | 2280 | By Jul 1971† | 2280 |
| 50 | SCO · Jul 1973† · Latest 2135 | 2275 | Jul 1973† | 2135 |
| 51 | SCO · Jan 2015 · Latest 2138 | 2274 | Jan 2015 | 2138 |
| 52 | SCO · Apr 2003 · Latest 2048 | 2271 | Apr 2003 | 2048 |
| 53 | SCO · Jun 2016 · Latest 2224 | 2270 | Jun 2016 | 2224 |
| 54 | SCO · Mar 2010 · Latest 2110 | 2266 | Mar 2010 | 2110 |
| 55 | SCO · By Jan 2001 · Latest 2265 | 2265 | By Jan 2001 | 2265 |
| 55 | SCO · Jul 2009 · Latest 2183 | 2265 | Jul 2009 | 2183 |
| 57 | SCO · Jun 2026 · Latest 2248 | 2255 | Jun 2026 | 2248 |
| 58 | SCO · Feb 2026 · Latest 2014 | 2252 | Feb 2026 | 2014 |
| 59 | SCO · Jan 1989† · Latest 2139 | 2250 | Jan 1989† | 2139 |
| 59 | SCO · Jul 1996† · Latest 2101 | 2250 | Jul 1996† | 2101 |
| 61 | SCO · Dec 2013 · Latest 2246 | 2246 | Dec 2013 | 2246 |
| 62 | SCO · Jan 2004 · Latest 2088 | 2242 | Jan 2004 | 2088 |
| 63 | SCO · Apr 2019 · Latest 2185 | 2241 | Apr 2019 | 2185 |
| 64 | SCO · Jan 1987† · Latest 2210 | 2240 | Jan 1987† | 2210 |
| 65 | SCO · Jan 1983† · Latest 2235 | 2235 | Jan 1983† | 2235 |
| 65 | SCO · Jan 1984† · Latest 2235 | 2235 | Jan 1984† | 2235 |
| 65 | SCO · Jan 1985† · Latest 2068 | 2235 | Jan 1985† | 2068 |
| 65 | SCO · Jan 1995† · Latest 2225 | 2235 | Jan 1995† | 2225 |
| 69 | SCO · Dec 2017 · Latest 2118 | 2231 | Dec 2017 | 2118 |
| 69 | SCO · Feb 2024 · Latest 2181 | 2231 | Feb 2024 | 2181 |
| 71 | SCO · Jul 1972† · Latest 2230 | 2230 | Jul 1972† | 2230Sep 2014 |
| 71 | SCO · Jan 1994† · Latest 2132 | 2230 | Jan 1994† | 2132 |
| 73 | SCO · Oct 2004 · Latest 2141 | 2229 | Oct 2004 | 2141 |
| 74 | SCO · Jul 1996† · Latest 2025 | 2220 | Jul 1996† | 2025 |
| 74 | SCO · Jan 1997† · Latest 2073 | 2220 | Jan 1997† | 2073 |
| 76 | SCO · Oct 2005 · Latest 2064 | 2219 | Oct 2005 | 2064 |
| 77 | SCO · May 2012 · Latest 2124 | 2217 | May 2012 | 2124 |
| 78 | SCO · Jul 2008 · Latest 2098 | 2216 | Jul 2008 | 2098 |
| 79 | SCO · Jul 1996† · Latest 2039 | 2215 | Jul 1996† | 2039 |
| 79 | SCO · Apr 2009 · Latest 2120 | 2215 | Apr 2009 | 2120 |
| 81 | SCO · Jan 2007 · Latest 2186 | 2208 | Jan 2007 | 2186 |
| 82 | SCO · Jul 2004 · Latest 2197 | 2207 | Jul 2004 | 2197 |
| 82 | SCO · Jul 2004 · Latest 1914 | 2207 | Jul 2004 | 1914 |
| 84 | SCO · Jan 1982† · Latest 2205 | 2205 | Jan 1982† | 2205 |
| 85 | SCO · Sep 2011 · Latest 2203 | 2203 | Sep 2011 | 2203 |
| 86 | SCO · Oct 2000† · Latest 2119 | 2202 | Oct 2000† | 2119Oct 2022 |
| 87 | SCO · Jul 1997† · Latest 2195 | 2195 | Jul 1997† | 2195 |
| 88 | SCO · Dec 2023 · Latest 2166 | 2188 | Dec 2023 | 2166 |
| 89 | SCO · Oct 2014 · Latest 2081 | 2186 | Oct 2014 | 2081 |
| 90 | SCO · Jul 1996† · Latest 2178 | 2185 | Jul 1996† | 2178 |
| 91 | SCO · Apr 2008 · Latest 2091 | 2184 | Apr 2008 | 2091 |
| 92 | SCO · Nov 2014 · Latest 2090 | 2182 | Nov 2014 | 2090 |
| 93 | SCO · Jul 1996† · Latest 2139 | 2180 | Jul 1996† | 2139 |
| 94 | SCO · Sep 2026 · Latest 2175 | 2175 | Sep 2026 | 2175 |
| 95 | SCO · Jan 2003 · Latest 1854 | 2174 | Jan 2003 | 1854 |
| 95 | SCO · Jan 2003 · Latest 2147 | 2174 | Jan 2003 | 2147Oct 2004 |
| 97 | SCO · Jan 1999† · Latest 1845 | 2173 | Jan 1999† | 1845Sep 2025 |
| 98 | SCO · May 2026 · Latest 2171 | 2171 | May 2026 | 2171 |
| 99 | SCO · Jul 1997† · Latest 2170 | 2170 | Jul 1997† | 2170 |
| 99 | SCO · Jul 2003 · Latest 2012 | 2170 | Jul 2003 | 2012 |
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).