Format
SM
Simpson, Michael
IM🇿🇦FIDE 14338882· Male· South Africa· Born in 2007
Follow Michael SimpsonTrack his monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
Michael Simpson, a 19-year-old South African International Master, is rated 2221 — just 8 short of his peak of 2229 (Aug 2025, age 18) and ranked 13th among South African players, and in the top 3% worldwide. He has fluctuated between 2072 and 2229 over the past 2 years. 88 rated games in the past year (≈56/year long-term). Recent standard appearances include 2026 KZN Open Chess Championships (A), 2026 South African Closed Chess Championships (Open), and Silverest Open Chess Championship - Elite Section. Also played 2 blitz events (including 2025 South African Open Chess Championships (Blitz)) recently. He reached South African #12 in Aug 2025.
Awarded IM in 2025 (age 18) and FM in 2023 (age 16). At junior level, he reached #1, #2, #2, #1 and #1 nationally in U20, U18, U16, U14 and U12.
Current rating
2221
Standard
Rpd1969·Blz2017
All-time high
2229
−8 pts below
Aug 2025 · age 18
Aug 2025 · age 18
Activity
75
games / yr avg. · ≈6/mo
71 past 12 mo · ≈6/mo
classical only
Active
classical only
Active
Signature stat
#13
#13 · South African players · of 1,804
Career timeline
19 entries2026
Re-crossed 2200
at age 19
Jun 2026
1st South African U20 player
at age 19 · rated 2166
Feb 2026
K-factor lowered to 20
at age 19
Jan 2026
2025
Peak South African rank: #12
at age 18 · rated 2229
Aug 2025
2nd South African U18 player
at age 18 · rated 2229
Aug 2025
All-time peak 2229
at age 18 · −8 from today
Aug 2025
Standard rating history
Peak
FIDE title
Threshold
First rated
COVID-19
Activity & highlights
Top opponent
Evolution
+17
2204 → 2221
Tournaments
8
81 games
Score
42/ 8151.9%
35W30D16L
Top 3 wins
Top 3 losses
Last 12 months — tournaments
8 events| Event | Date | Score | Rank | Perf | Δ Elo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Swiss | May 2026 | 6/7 | #2 | 2410 | +41.4 |
Open Swiss | Apr 2026 | 5.5/9 | #7 | 2234 | +18.8 |
Round-Robin | Feb 2026 | 4.5/11 | #10 | 2152 | -5.4 |
Swiss | Jan 2026 | 4.5/9 | #10 | 2178 | +4.0 |
Swiss | Oct 2025 | 4.5/6 | #5 | 2124 | +3.6 |
Open Swiss | Aug 2025 | 4/9 | #117 | 2276 | +22.8 |
Open Swiss | Aug 2025 | 5/9 | #71 | 1989 | -94.4 |
Open Swiss | Jun 2025 | 8/11 | #2 | 2235 | +24.8 |
Most-Played Opponents
vsJohannes Manyedi MabuselaIM
🇿🇦RSA·2112
+2 −5 =3
10 games·last met May 2026
View head-to-head →
vsBanele MhangoFM
🇿🇦RSA·2268
+1 −2 =5
8 games·last met May 2026
View head-to-head →
vsKeith KhumaloCM
🇿🇦RSA·2201
+2 −5 =1
8 games·last met May 2026
View head-to-head →
vsProvidence OatlhotseIM
🇧🇼BOT·2225
+2 −1 =3
6 games·last met May 2026
View head-to-head →
vsJames Dinham
🇿🇦RSA·2174
+1 −2 =3
6 games·last met Apr 2026
View head-to-head →
Rankings
/
South Africa
#13
out of 1,876 players
Africa
#93
in continent
World
#7,103
out of 400,000+
National ranking
Europe & World
Europe
World
South Africa
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