Format
Benjamin, Joel
GM🇺🇸FIDE 2000091· Male· United States of America· Born in 1964
Follow Joel BenjaminTrack his monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
Joel Benjamin, a 62-year-old American Grandmaster, is rated 2471 and sitting in the top 1% of American players, and in the top 1% worldwide. He has held steady between 2450 and 2500 for 2 years. 15 rated games in the past year (≈22/year long-term). Recent appearances: 147th Annual New York State Championship America's Oldest Annual Tournament - Championship and 2025 US Senior Championship. He had 3 career breaks: 22 months (2013–2015), 14 months (2015–2016) and 19 months (2016–2018). His peak of 2609 was reached at age 38 (Oct 2002); he also reached World #82 in Jul 2002.
Awarded GM in 2001 (age 37).
Current rating
2471
Standard
Rpd2428·Blz2520
All-time high
2609
−138 pts below
Oct 2002 · age 38
Oct 2002 · age 38
Activity
18
games / yr avg. · ≈2/mo
15 past 12 mo · ≈1/mo
classical only
Moderately active
classical only
Moderately active
Signature stat
Top 1%
#54 · American players · of 5,026
Career timeline
19 entries2025
11th 60-65 player worldwide
at age 61 · rated 2473
Jul 2025
2023
500 career games
at age 59
Aug 2023
12th 55-60 player worldwide
at age 59 · rated 2500
Jul 2023
Re-crossed 2500
at age 59
Jun 2023
2018
13th 50-55 player worldwide
at age 54 · rated 2547
Aug 2018
2016
Inactive for 19 months
paused at 2544 → returned at 2547
Dec 2016
Standard rating history
Peak
FIDE title
Threshold
First rated
Inactive period
COVID-19
Activity & highlights
Top opponent
Evolution
-2
2473 → 2471
Tournaments
1
6 games
Score
4.5/ 675.0%
3W3D0L
Top 3 wins
Top losses
Undefeated in the last 12 months.
Last 12 months — tournaments
1 event| Event | Date | Score | Rank | Perf | Δ Elo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Open Swiss | Aug 2025 | 4.5/6 | #8 | 2312 | -2.2 |
Most-Played Opponents
vsAlexander ShabalovGM
🇺🇸USA·2428
+0 −1 =9
10 games·last met Jul 2025
View head-to-head →
vsGregory KaidanovGM
🇺🇸USA·2492
+0 −1 =7
8 games·last met Jul 2025
View head-to-head →
vsLarry ChristiansenGM
🇺🇸USA·2563
+0 −3 =3
6 games·last met Jul 2025
View head-to-head →
vsIgor NovikovGM
🇺🇸USA·2475
+1 −0 =5
6 games·last met Jul 2025
View head-to-head →
vsMelikset KhachiyanGM
🇺🇸USA·2375
+3 −2 =1
6 games·last met Jul 2024
View head-to-head →
Rankings
/
United States of America
#54
out of 5,510 players
Americas
#102
in continent
World
#822
out of 400,000+
National ranking
Europe & World
Europe
World
United States of America
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| 7 | 🇺🇸Follow Awonder LiangTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,696 |
| 7 | 🇺🇸Follow Samuel SevianTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,696 |
| 9 | 🇺🇸Follow Jeffery XiongTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,656 |
| 10 | 🇺🇸Follow Ray RobsonTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,653 |
| ... | ||
| 54 | 2,471 | |
Americas
| 1 | 🇺🇸Follow Hikaru NakamuraTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,792 |
| 1 | 🇺🇸Follow Fabiano CaruanaTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,792 |
| 3 | 🇺🇸Follow Wesley SoTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,753 |
| 4 | 🇺🇸Follow Hans Moke NiemannTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,742 |
| 5 | 🇺🇸Follow Leinier Dominguez PerezTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,732 |
| 6 | 🇺🇸Follow Levon AronianTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,724 |
| 7 | 🇺🇸Follow Awonder LiangTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,696 |
| 7 | 🇺🇸Follow Samuel SevianTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,696 |
| 9 | 🇺🇸Follow Jeffery XiongTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,656 |
| 10 | 🇺🇸Follow Ray RobsonTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more. | 2,653 |
| ... | ||
| 102 | 2,471 | |
World
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| 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 |
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| 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 |
| ... | ||
| 822 | 2,471 | |