FIDE, the world chess federation, has published its first-ever Rapid and Blitz rating list allowing chess players to achieve proper and measurable ranks. Until now, FIDE had refrained from publishing the top 100 list since enough players had to be rated to mean anything, but not anymore.
Of note Magnus Carlsen, for all of his classical chess superiority, has never demonstrated that relative strength in faster games. There is nothing wrong with this but it does represent a marked contrast with champions such as Fischer, Karpov, Kasparov and Anand who dominated all time controls. With the new top 100 lists, there would be a clearer understanding of who is who in the rapid and blitz sections.
Hikaru Nakamura, the US champion, has been elevated to the top of the Rapid and Blitz worlds. He is followed by the Italian grandmaster Fabiano Caruana. Carlsen holds the number four spot.
