Nodirbek Abdusattorov: FIDE Rating, World Rapid Champion & Uzbekistan's Star

Three times, Nodirbek Abdusattorov arrived at the final round of the Tata Steel Chess Masters with a chance to win. Three times, it slipped away.

In 2023, he led by half a point going into the last round, lost his game, and watched Anish Giri take the title. In 2024, he reached the playoff after tying for first and lost there too. In 2025, he was knocked out of contention in the penultimate round. Each year, the same tournament, the same result: close but not enough.

On February 1, 2026, in his fourth attempt, he won with 9/13, one of the strongest scores Tata Steel had seen in years, a full point clear of second place. He was 21 years old.

By March 6, he had added a second supertournament title in 30 days, winning Prague Masters 2026 with 6/9. In the same period, he finished third at the Freestyle Chess World Championship. Three events. One month. The most in-form player in classical chess right now is not Carlsen, not Caruana, not Gukesh. It is Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan.

Follow Abdusattorov and all FIDE top-100 players live on Shatranj Live.

Who Is Nodirbek Abdusattorov?

Nodirbek Abdusattorov was born on September 18, 2004 in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. He is a Grandmaster with a FIDE ID of 14204118 and a classical rating of 2771 as of the March 2026 list, placing him world number 5.

Profile
Full Name	Nodirbek Abdusattorov
Date of Birth	September 18, 2004
Birthplace	Tashkent, Uzbekistan
FIDE ID	14204118
Classical Rating (March 2026)	2771
World Ranking (Classical)	#5
Blitz Rating	2785
Rapid Rating	2703
Title	Grandmaster (2018)

He is Uzbekistan’s highest-rated player by classical ranking and the flag bearer of a national chess program that has been producing elite players at a pace that has surprised the chess world.

The Records That Started Before He Was a Teenager

The records came early.

In 2012, Abdusattorov won the Under-8 World Youth Chess Championship in Maribor, Slovenia. He was seven years old.

In 2014, at nine years old, he beat two grandmasters at the Georgy Agzamov Memorial tournament in Tashkent. One year later, he became the youngest player to enter the top 100 juniors in FIDE history, at eleven.

By 2018, at 13 years, 1 month, and 11 days, he had completed his three GM norms and crossed 2500. FIDE awarded him the Grandmaster title in April 2018. He became one of the youngest Grandmasters in history.

In 2021, Abhimanyu Mishra became the youngest GM ever at 12 years and 4 months. Abdusattorov still remains part of the small group of players who earned the title at an exceptionally young age.

World Rapid Champion at 17

The moment that made Abdusattorov a global chess story happened on December 28, 2021, in Warsaw, Poland.

He won the World Rapid Chess Championship at 17 years and 3 months, defeating a field that included Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and Levon Aronian. Carlsen, the reigning classical, rapid, and blitz world champion at the time, was eliminated earlier in the tournament.

Abdusattorov became the youngest-ever World Rapid Champion. He also broke the record for the youngest open world chess champion in any format, surpassing Carlsen’s record from the 2009 World Blitz Championship. Carlsen had been 18; Abdusattorov was 17.

He was not yet rated 2700 when he won. His classical rating at the time was in the high 2600s. He won the world rapid title before he had crossed 2700 in classical chess, which made the result one of the more unusual in modern chess history.

The chess world noticed. The question afterward was not whether Abdusattorov could play chess at the highest level. The question was how long it would take for his classical results to match what his rapid performance had already shown.

The Uzbekistan Question

Abdusattorov did not emerge from nowhere. Uzbekistan has been building toward this.

The country has a chess culture that predates the Soviet collapse, part of the broader Central Asian chess tradition that the USSR developed and that the newly independent states maintained. Uzbekistan’s Chess Federation has been one of the more aggressive investors in junior development in the region, and the results are visible across multiple generations of players.

Abdusattorov is the peak of it so far, but he is not alone. Javokhir Sindarov, his compatriot, finished second at Tata Steel 2026 with 8.5/13 and a 2833 performance rating. Two Uzbek players finishing first and second at the most prestigious classical supertournament in the world is not a coincidence. It is a program.

“What Uzbekistan has built in chess is extraordinary. Nodirbek and Javokhir finishing first and second at Tata Steel in the same year — that does not happen by accident. It is the result of sustained, serious investment in junior development.” — Anish Giri, Grandmaster and 2025 Grand Swiss winner, in commentary after Tata Steel 2026

Whether Uzbekistan can sustain this output at the level Abdusattorov is now playing at is the longer question. For now, the answer is that the country that produced the World Rapid Champion at 17 is also producing the player who has won two supertournaments in 30 days at 21.

The Tata Steel Storyline: Fourth Time

The Tata Steel Masters is held every January in Wijk aan Zee, Netherlands. It is the most prestigious classical supertournament of the year. Abdusattorov had been trying to win it since 2023.

2023: He led by half a point going into the final round. He lost his game. Anish Giri won the tournament. Abdusattorov finished second.

2024: He tied for first place after the final round. The playoff determined the winner; he lost the playoff. Pragg won the tournament.

2025: He was in contention until the penultimate round. He lost to Arjun Erigaisi and fell out of first place. Pragg won again.

Three consecutive years of near-misses. Each one a different way to come close. Each one a different kind of loss.

In 2026, he won with 9/13. Clear first. A full point ahead of second place. Performance rating of 2862.

The fourth attempt ended differently because the tournament went differently from the start. He was not chasing. He was leading. He built the lead by beating Gukesh (who blundered in a winning position), Pragg, Keymer, Bluebaum, and others. He entered the final round with a full-point lead, drew his last game, and waited for the results to confirm what the crosstable had already shown.

“I always wanted to break records. Every time I came close and didn’t win, I tried to learn from what happened and come back stronger.” — Nodirbek Abdusattorov, in an interview after entering the FIDE top 5 in 2024

In 2026, he has broken something harder to quantify than a record: a three-year pattern of almost-wins. For context on the top-10 chess players in the world in 2026, see Shatranj Live’s rankings coverage.

2026: The 30-Day Run

The chess calendar has never seen anything quite like what Abdusattorov did between January 17 and March 6, 2026.

January 17 to February 1: Tata Steel Chess Masters 2026 Score: 9/13. Clear first. Performance rating: 2862. Rating gained: approximately +20 points.

February 13-15: Freestyle Chess World Championship Reached the knockout stage of the world championship in Fischer Random Chess. Finished third, losing in the semifinal bracket to Magnus Carlsen. $300,000 prize fund event.

February 25 to March 6: Prague International Chess Festival Masters 2026 Score: 6/9. Clear first by a full point. His nearest challengers (Maghsoodloo, Aravindh, Van Foreest) all finished at 5/9.

Three events. All in the money. First in two of them. In the same period, the other players in these fields, Gukesh, Pragg, Arjun, Van Foreest, Keymer, Caruana, had varied results. None of them matched what Abdusattorov did in 30 days.

The FIDE Circuit 2026-27 leaderboard, which runs for two years and sends its winner to the 2028 Candidates Tournament, shows Abdusattorov in first place after his Tata Steel win alone.

See the full Prague Masters 2026 final standings.

The Multi-Format Picture

Abdusattorov’s rating profile is unusual: 2771 classical, 2785 blitz, 2703 rapid.

The blitz rating exceeds his classical by 14 points. This is atypical. Most classical specialists have lower blitz ratings because short time controls reward tactical pattern recognition differently than long classical games. The fact that his blitz is higher suggests genuine tactical sharpness that extends across formats, not just technical preparation.

His rapid rating (2703) is lower than both classical and blitz. This is worth noting given that his defining early achievement was winning the World Rapid Championship. The rapid rating in isolation does not reflect what his Rapid World title already proved: that at his best, in rapid chess, he can beat the best players in the world in a single event.

The classical story is the newer one, and it is the one that matters for legacy. A World Rapid Champion at 17 is exceptional. Two classical supertournament wins at 21 is how you become the best player in the world.

What Comes Next

Abdusattorov did not qualify for the Candidates 2026 in Paphos, Cyprus. Instead, his early-2026 results strengthen his position for the next World Championship cycle. For a full preview of who did qualify, see the Candidates Tournament 2026 preview.

He is 21 years old. He is world number 5. He has won two supertournaments in 30 days. He has broken records since he was nine. The chess community is watching not just to see if he can win the Candidates but to see if the early 2026 form is a peak or a floor.

The early data says it is a floor. Two supertournament titles in 30 days is a career achievement with no modern equivalent at his age.

Nodirbek Abdusattorov FIDE Rating History

Period	Classical Rating
January 2024	2727
July 2024	2745
January 2025	2765
March 2026	2771

His official FIDE profile and full rating history: ratings.fide.com/profile/14204118

Prague Masters 2026 Final Standings — Full results from the Prague Masters 2026 tournament that Abdusattorov won.
Prague International Chess Festival 2026 — Complete coverage of the Prague International Chess Festival 2026.
Candidates Tournament 2026 Preview — Full preview of the 2026 Candidates field, pairings, and favorites.
Who Will Win Candidates 2026? — Analysis of all eight Candidates 2026 contenders and their chances of winning.
Praggnanandhaa Player Profile — Profile of the Indian grandmaster who beat Abdusattorov in the Tata Steel 2024 playoff.
Javokhir Sindarov Player Profile — Profile of Abdusattorov’s Uzbek teammate who finished 2nd at Tata Steel 2026.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Nodirbek Abdusattorov’s FIDE rating in 2026?

Nodirbek Abdusattorov’s FIDE classical rating is 2771 as of the March 2026 list, placing him world number 5. His rating reflects back-to-back supertournament wins at Tata Steel 2026 and Prague Masters 2026 within a single month. His current live rating can be tracked at ratings.fide.com/profile/14204118.

What country does Nodirbek Abdusattorov represent?

Nodirbek Abdusattorov represents Uzbekistan under the FIDE federation. He was born and raised in Tashkent and is the highest-rated player in Uzbekistan by classical ranking. He is the most prominent player produced by Uzbekistan’s chess development program.

How old is Nodirbek Abdusattorov?

Nodirbek Abdusattorov was born on September 18, 2004, making him 21 years old as of 2026. He became World Rapid Champion at 17 and has continued to rise through the classical rankings, reaching world number 5 before his 22nd birthday.

When did Abdusattorov win the World Rapid Championship?

Abdusattorov won the World Rapid Chess Championship on December 28, 2021, in Warsaw, Poland. He was 17 years and 3 months old, becoming the youngest-ever World Rapid Champion. He defeated a field that included Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and Levon Aronian, winning the title while his classical rating was still in the high 2600s.

What is Abdusattorov’s FIDE ID?

Nodirbek Abdusattorov’s FIDE ID is 14204118. His full rating history and tournament results can be found at ratings.fide.com/profile/14204118.

Is Abdusattorov in Candidates 2026?

Yes, Nodirbek Abdusattorov is competing in the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournament in Paphos, Cyprus, starting March 29. His qualification was confirmed after his strong performances across the FIDE Circuit. The Candidates field also includes Caruana, Nakamura, Praggnanandhaa, Giri, Blübaum, Wei Yi, and Esipenko.

What is Abdusattorov’s world ranking?

As of March 2026, Nodirbek Abdusattorov is ranked world number 5 on the FIDE classical rating list. He leads the FIDE Circuit 2026-27 leaderboard after his Tata Steel win and is one of the fastest-rising players in elite chess. His current ranking makes him the highest-rated active player outside the traditional chess superpowers of Russia and the US.

What is Abdusattorov’s peak rating?

Nodirbek Abdusattorov’s peak FIDE classical rating is 2771, achieved on the March 2026 list following his consecutive wins at Tata Steel 2026 and Prague Masters 2026. His trajectory has been consistently upward: 2727 in January 2024, 2745 in July 2024, 2765 in January 2025, and 2771 in March 2026.

When did Abdusattorov become a Grandmaster?

Abdusattorov became a Grandmaster in April 2018 at the age of 13 years, 1 month, and 11 days, completing his three GM norms and crossing 2500. He was one of the youngest Grandmasters in history at the time. He had previously won the Under-8 World Youth Championship in 2012 at age seven.

Did Abdusattorov win Prague Masters 2026?

Yes. Nodirbek Abdusattorov won the Prague International Chess Festival Masters 2026 with a score of 6/9, finishing a full point clear of his nearest challengers. The win came just over a month after his Tata Steel 2026 victory, making him the player who won two supertournament titles in a single 30-day span in early 2026.

What is Abdusattorov’s playing style?

Abdusattorov is known for tactical sharpness, fighting chess, and an aggressive approach in critical positions. His blitz rating (2785) exceeds his classical rating (2771), which reflects genuine tactical sharpness across all time formats. He builds leads and converts advantages with precision, as demonstrated by his dominant 9/13 score at Tata Steel 2026.

What chess openings does Abdusattorov prefer?

Abdusattorov employs a wide range of openings and is known for well-prepared, sharp systems. He has used aggressive responses as both White and Black, often seeking unbalanced positions where his tactical vision provides an advantage. His opening preparation is thorough, reflecting the depth of coaching infrastructure behind Uzbekistan’s elite chess program.

How does Abdusattorov compare to Sindarov?

Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Javokhir Sindarov are Uzbekistan’s two elite grandmasters who have simultaneously emerged at the top of world chess. At Tata Steel 2026, they finished first and second respectively, which is an unprecedented result for a single country. Abdusattorov is older and higher-ranked, but Sindarov’s 2833 performance rating at Tata Steel 2026 suggests both players are operating at the highest level.

What major tournaments has Abdusattorov won?

Abdusattorov’s major victories include: World Rapid Chess Championship 2021, Tata Steel Chess Masters 2026, Prague Masters 2026, and strong performances at the Freestyle Chess World Championship. He also won the Under-8 World Youth Chess Championship in 2012. He is the first player since the modern era to win two supertournaments in a single 30-day period at the classical time control.

What is Abdusattorov’s rapid rating?

Abdusattorov’s FIDE rapid rating is 2703. This is notably lower than his classical (2771) and blitz (2785) ratings, which is unusual given that his most celebrated achievement — the 2021 World Rapid Championship — was in the rapid format. The rapid rating in isolation does not fully reflect his rapid ability, as his World Rapid title demonstrated.

Who are Abdusattorov’s biggest rivals?

Abdusattorov’s primary rivals are the players in his generational cohort: Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh Dommaraju, Arjun Erigaisi, and Javokhir Sindarov. His most notable rivalry is with Praggnanandhaa, who defeated him in the Tata Steel 2024 playoff. Abdusattorov won Tata Steel 2026 outright, while Pragg had a difficult tournament, reversing the 2024 dynamic.

Has Abdusattorov beaten Magnus Carlsen?

Yes, Abdusattorov has beaten Magnus Carlsen on multiple occasions in rapid and blitz formats, most notably in tournament play throughout 2022–2025. He defeated Carlsen in the process of winning the 2021 World Rapid Championship. At the 2026 Freestyle Chess World Championship, he reached the knockout stage but lost in the semifinal to Carlsen.

What is Abdusattorov’s full name?

His full name is Nodirbek Abdusattorov. In Uzbek, his name is written Нодирбек Абдусатторов. He does not use a patronymic or additional name professionally and is universally known in the chess world simply as “Nodirbek” or “Abdusattorov.”

Where was Abdusattorov born?

Nodirbek Abdusattorov was born on September 18, 2004, in Tashkent, the capital city of Uzbekistan. He grew up and trained in Tashkent as part of Uzbekistan’s state-supported chess development program, which has been systematically producing elite players across multiple generations.

Where can I follow Abdusattorov’s games live?

You can follow Nodirbek Abdusattorov’s games and live FIDE rating at Shatranj Live, at Chess.com, and at the official FIDE profile. The Candidates 2026 live page tracks round-by-round standings as the tournament progresses.

Follow Abdusattorov Live

Shatranj Live publishes Abdusattorov’s live FIDE rating and Tata Steel 2026 title win stats — alongside all active supertournaments, updated after every round.

The player who three times watched the Tata Steel title slip away has now won two supertournaments in a month. The fourth attempt was the last.