# Chess in the Last 24 Hours: A New Rating List, a Big Online Win, and a Festival Begins

> A quick, friendly roundup of the last 24 hours in chess. FIDE's new July 2026 rating list keeps Magnus Carlsen world number one after a rough Norway Chess, with Caruana and Nakamura close behind. Praggnanandhaa climbs after his Norway win, GM Jose Martinez dominates Titled Tuesday, and the 54th World Open begins in Washington, D.C.

_By PrimeChess Team, Chess for Everyone · Jul 1, 2026_

Good morning, chess friends. A lot happened in the world of chess in just the last day. Here is a simple, friendly look at the news.

## A new rating list is out

Every month, FIDE (the World Chess Federation) shares a new list of the best players. The newest list came out today, July 1, 2026.

The big name is still **Magnus Carlsen** from Norway. He is number one in the world again. But this past month was not easy for him. At a tournament called Norway Chess, he did not play his best. He lost 18 rating points. His lead over the other top players is now smaller — just 31 points. That is still a lot, but not as big as before.

Right behind him are two players from the United States. **Fabiano Caruana** is number two, and **Hikaru Nakamura** is number three. They share the same score, 2792 points — very close! A young star from Uzbekistan, **Javokhir Sindarov**, is number four.

Here is the top of the list:

| Rank | Player | Country | Rating |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Magnus Carlsen | Norway | 2823 |
| 2 | Fabiano Caruana | USA | 2792 |
| 3 | Hikaru Nakamura | USA | 2792 |
| 4 | Javokhir Sindarov | Uzbekistan | 2777 |

There was a happy story too. **Praggnanandhaa** from India won the Norway Chess tournament. He gained 15 points and jumped up five places.

## The world champion had a hard month

**Gukesh**, the young world champion from India, did not have a good tournament in Norway. He lost almost 15 points and dropped to 26th place. But there is good news as well: he is still the best "junior" player in the world (the young players). His lead there is small, so he will need to keep fighting to hold it.

## A big win online

Chess is not only played on a real board. It is also played online. On Tuesday, June 30, many strong titled players joined a fast online event called Titled Tuesday. **GM Jose Martinez** played beautifully. He won 10 games out of 11 and lost none. It was his second win in just six weeks. No one else came close.

## A festival begins in Washington

And there is more to come. The **54th World Open** started today in Washington, D.C. Players from many places will fight for a huge prize fund of about **$208,000**. The main sections run from July 1 to July 5. It is one of the biggest open tournaments in the United States, and anyone can dream of a good result there.

## One last thought

Chess never sleeps. In just one day, we saw a fresh rating list, a great online win, and the start of a big festival. Whether you are a first-time player or a longtime fan, there is always something new to enjoy. So set up your board, make your move, and be part of the story.