Format
KJ
Karsten, Jan
IM🇿🇦FIDE 14350653· Male· South Africa· Born in 2008
Follow Jan KarstenTrack his monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
Jan Karsten, a 18-year-old South African International Master, is rated 2386 and ranked 1st among South African players under 18, and in the top 1% worldwide. He is on a steady climb with +21 Elo over the past 12 months. 22 rated games in the past year (≈60/year long-term). Recent appearances: 2026 South African Closed Chess Championships (Open) and Cape Town Chess Federation Club League 2025 (A). Also played 1 rapid event (including Hermanus Chess Club Open 2026 (Championship)) recently. He reached South African #2 in Oct 2024 and has been in South African top 3 for 26 months and counting.
Awarded IM in 2023 (age 15). Earned a GM norm at African Juniors Championship 2022 Open. At junior level, he reached World #79 in U18, World #69 in U16 and #1 nationally in U14.
Current rating
2386
Standard
Rpd2277·Blz—
All-time high
2386
at best
Jun 2026 · age 18
Jun 2026 · age 18
Activity
48
games / yr avg. · ≈4/mo
22 past 12 mo · ≈2/mo
classical only
Active
classical only
Active
Signature stat
#1
#1 · South African players under 18 · of 307
National top 3 since Jan 2025
National top 3 since Jan 2025
Career timeline
14 entries2026
26 months in national top 3 (ongoing)
longest streak 18 months · since Feb 2024
Jun 2026
2025
79th U18 player worldwide
at age 17 · rated 2385
Jul 2025
All-time peak 2385
at age 17 · −3 from today
Jun 2025
2024
Peak South African rank: #2
at age 16 · rated 2329
Oct 2024
Re-crossed 2300
at age 16
Jun 2024
69th U16 player worldwide
at age 16 · rated 2323
Feb 2024
Standard rating history
Peak
FIDE title
Threshold
First rated
Activity & highlights
Top opponent
Evolution
+1
2385 → 2386
Tournaments
3
22 games
Score
15.5/ 2270.5%
12W7D3L
Top 3 wins
Top 3 losses
Last 12 months — tournaments
3 events| Event | Date | Score | Rank | Perf | Δ Elo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Open Swiss | Apr 2026 | 6.5/9 | #2 | 2390 | +4.4 |
Round-Robin | Feb 2026 | 8/11 | #1 | 2366 | -3.0 |
Team | Jul 2025 | 1/2 | #114 | 2381 | -0.2 |
Most-Played Opponents
vsMatfey RogovFM
🇷🇺RUS·2369
+6 −2 =0
8 games·last met Apr 2026
View head-to-head →
vsWatu KobeseIM
🇿🇦RSA·2237
+3 −1 =4
8 games·last met Apr 2026
View head-to-head →
vsCalvin John KlaasenFM
🇿🇦RSA·2171
+4 −1 =2
7 games·last met Apr 2026
View head-to-head →
vsReegan PalmerCM
🇿🇦RSA·2090
+4 −2 =1
7 games·last met Apr 2026
View head-to-head →
vsCharlton Mnyasta
🇿🇦RSA·2206
+3 −1 =3
7 games·last met Apr 2026
View head-to-head →
Rankings
/
South Africa
#2
out of 1,876 players
Africa
#17
in continent
World
#1,927
out of 400,000+
National ranking
Europe & World
Europe
World
South Africa
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| 2 | 2,386 | |
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| 4 | 🇿🇦Follow Caleb Levi LevitanTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,295 |
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| 7 | 🇿🇦Follow Kenneth Terence SolomonTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,277 |
| 8 | 🇿🇦Follow Banele MhangoTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,268 |
| 9 | 🇿🇦Follow Daniel BarrishTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,245 |
| 10 | 🇿🇦Follow Watu KobeseTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,237 |
Africa
| 1 | 🇪🇬Follow Bassem AminTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,628 |
| 2 | 🇪🇬Follow Ahmed AdlyTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,581 |
| 3 | 🇲🇦Follow Hicham HamdouchiTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,502 |
| 4 | 🇩🇿Follow Bilel BellahceneTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,493 |
| 5 | 🇪🇬Follow Adham FawzyTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,464 |
| 6 | 🇩🇿Follow Adlane ArabTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,453 |
| 7 | 🇪🇬Follow Samy ShokerTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,443 |
| 8 | 🇲🇬Follow Fy Antenaina RakotomaharoTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,437 |
| 9 | 🇩🇿Follow Aimen RizoukTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,425 |
| 10 | 🇪🇬Follow Ibrahim Hasan LabibTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,412 |
| ... | ||
| 17 | 2,386 | |
World
| 1 | 🇳🇴Follow Magnus CarlsenTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,841 |
| 2 | 🇺🇸Follow Hikaru NakamuraTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,792 |
| 2 | 🇺🇸Follow Fabiano CaruanaTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,792 |
| 4 | 🇺🇿Follow Nodirbek AbdusattorovTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,777 |
| 4 | 🇺🇿Follow Javokhir SindarovTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,777 |
| 6 | 🇩🇪Follow Vincent KeymerTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,767 |
| 7 | 🇳🇱Follow Anish GiriTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,764 |
| 8 | 🇮🇳Follow Erigaisi ArjunTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,761 |
| 9 | 🇺🇸Follow Wesley SoTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,753 |
| 9 | 🇨🇳Follow Yi WeiTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,753 |
| ... | ||
| 1927 | 2,386 | |