Magnus Carlsen, Garry Kasparov, Bobby Fischer — the chess geniuses whose IQs and ratings define the game.
60 GeniusesChess has been played for 1,500 years, but only in the last century has elite play been measurable. Today's top players have been tested, profiled, and analyzed in detail.
Magnus Carlsen holds the highest peak rating ever (2882). Bobby Fischer's IQ was estimated at 187. Each player on this list is among the rare humans capable of seeing 20 moves ahead.
Bobby Fischer, with IQ estimated at 180–187, is the most-cited answer. Garry Kasparov and Magnus Carlsen are also frequently listed above 180.
Magnus Carlsen reached a peak FIDE rating of 2882 in May 2014, the highest in chess history.
Abhimanyu Mishra became a grandmaster at 12 years, 4 months, 25 days in 2021 — the youngest in history.
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