Sunday, June 18, 2006

Ratings of World Championship Players

An interesting observation from the FIDE rating lists immediately prior to each world championship match since ratings were started in 1970.

July 1972 Rating List
1 Fischer Robert 2785
2 Spassky Boris 2660

May 1974 Rating List
1 Fischer Robert 2780
2 Karpov Anatoly 2700
3 Kortchnoi Viktor 2670

January 1978 Rating List
1 Karpov Anatoly 2725
2 Kortchnoi Viktor 2665

July 1981 Rating List
1 Karpov Anatoly 2690
2 Kortchnoi Viktor 2650 (tied with Portisch)

July 1984 Rating List
1 Kasparov Gary 2715
2 Karpov Anatoly 2705

July 1985 Rating List
1 Karpov Anatoly 2720
2 Kasparov Gary 2700

July 1986 Rating List
1 Kasparov Gary 2740
2 Karpov Anatoly 2705

July 1987 Rating List
1 Kasparov Gary 2740
2 Karpov Anatoly 2700

July 1990 Rating List
1 Kasparov Gary 2800
2 Karpov Anatoly 2730

All seems right with the world. Every championship match from 1972 to 1990 was played between the #1 and #2 rated players in the world, and the Candidates Final in 1974 was between the #2 and #3 players. Now things seem to get somewhat confused starting with the 1993 match.

July 1993 Rating List
1 Kasparov, Gary 2815
2 Karpov Anatoly 2760
10 Short Nigel 2665

July 1995 Rating List
1 Kasparov Gary 2795
2 Karpov Anatoly 2775
6 Anand Viswanathan 2725

Not offering this as being of any value, just something to think about.

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