CChessStats
Format
VM

Van Meter, Lester

FM🇺🇸

FIDEFIDE 2001691· Male· United States of America· Born in 1953

Follow Lester Van MeterTrack his monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.

Lester Van Meter, a 73-year-old American FIDE Master, is rated 1873. He is progressing steadily with +26 Elo over the past 12 months. 55 rated games in the past year (≈15/year long-term). Recent standard appearances include Reykjavik Open 2026, Hilton Bennett Memorial Masters 2026, and 2026 New Zealand Chess Championships. Also played 1 rapid event (including 2026 New Zealand Rapid Chess Championships) recently. He had 3 career breaks: 14 months (2006–2007), 42 months (2009–2013) and 42 months (2013–2016). His peak of 2273 was reached at age 48 (Jan 2001).

Awarded FM in 2001 (age 48).

Current rating

1873

Standard

Rpd1878·Blz—

All-time high

2273

−400 pts below
Jan 2001 · age 48

Activity

50

games / yr avg. · ≈4/mo

55 past 12 mo · ≈5/mo
classical only
Active

Signature stat

#55,025

#55,025 · players worldwide · of 218,279

Career timeline

17 entries
2024
20th American 70-75 player
at age 71 · rated 1942
Dec 2024
Best 12-month gain (+135 Elo)
1807 → 1942
Dec 2024
2019
20th American 65-70 player
at age 66 · rated 2044
Jan 2019
2018
100 career games
at age 65
Feb 2018
2016
10th American 60-65 player
at age 63 · rated 2184
Dec 2016
2013
Inactive for 42 months
paused at 2185 → returned at 2184
Apr 2013

Standard rating history

Peak
FIDE title
Threshold
First rated
Inactive period
COVID-19
FIDE recal.

Activity & highlights

Best result
Icelandic Open - Icelandic Chess Championship 2025
perf 2128 (+271) · 5/6 · #25
Top opponent
vs Yngve Fossheim 2,208
Reykjavik Open 2026 · Mar 2026 · +7.3 Elo
Evolution
+16
1857 → 1873
Tournaments
7
60 games
Score
29/ 6048.3%
18W22D20L

Last 12 months — tournaments

7 events
EventDateScoreRankPerfΔ Elo
Reykjavik Open 2026
Open Swiss
Mar 20264/8#2271891-8.8
Hilton Bennett Memorial Masters 2026
Round-Robin
Jan 20266/11#61880-8.8
2026 New Zealand Chess Championships
Swiss
Jan 20262.5/8#251804-27.6
World Senior Chess Championships 2025 - Over 65
Open Swiss
Oct 20255.5/11#972029+44.0
8th Annual Irwin National Tournament of Senior State Champions
Open Swiss
Jul 20253/5#131965+14.2
2025 U.S. Senior Open Championship
Open Swiss
Jul 20253/6#201894+3.2
Icelandic Open - Icelandic Chess Championship 2025
Open Swiss
Jun 20255/6#252128+10.0
Worst Elo result: 2026 New Zealand Chess Championships (-27.6 Elo, finished #25).

Rankings

/
United States of America
#1,523
out of 5,510 players
Americas
#6,134
in continent
World
#55,024
out of 400,000+

National ranking

Europe & World

Europe
World
United States of America
1
🇺🇸Nakamura, HikaruFollow Hikaru NakamuraTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,792
1
🇺🇸Caruana, FabianoFollow Fabiano CaruanaTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,792
3
🇺🇸So, WesleyFollow Wesley SoTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,753
4
🇺🇸Niemann, Hans MokeFollow Hans Moke NiemannTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,742
5
🇺🇸Dominguez Perez, LeinierFollow Leinier Dominguez PerezTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,732
6
🇺🇸Aronian, LevonFollow Levon AronianTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,724
7
🇺🇸Liang, AwonderFollow Awonder LiangTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,696
7
🇺🇸Sevian, SamuelFollow Samuel SevianTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,696
9
🇺🇸Xiong, JefferyFollow Jeffery XiongTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,656
10
🇺🇸Robson, RayFollow Ray RobsonTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,653
...
1523🇺🇸Van Meter, Lester1,873
Americas
1
🇺🇸Nakamura, HikaruFollow Hikaru NakamuraTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,792
1
🇺🇸Caruana, FabianoFollow Fabiano CaruanaTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,792
3
🇺🇸So, WesleyFollow Wesley SoTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,753
4
🇺🇸Niemann, Hans MokeFollow Hans Moke NiemannTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,742
5
🇺🇸Dominguez Perez, LeinierFollow Leinier Dominguez PerezTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,732
6
🇺🇸Aronian, LevonFollow Levon AronianTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,724
7
🇺🇸Liang, AwonderFollow Awonder LiangTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,696
7
🇺🇸Sevian, SamuelFollow Samuel SevianTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,696
9
🇺🇸Xiong, JefferyFollow Jeffery XiongTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,656
10
🇺🇸Robson, RayFollow Ray RobsonTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,653
...
6134🇺🇸Van Meter, Lester1,873
World
1
🇳🇴Carlsen, MagnusFollow Magnus CarlsenTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,841
2
🇺🇸Nakamura, HikaruFollow Hikaru NakamuraTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,792
2
🇺🇸Caruana, FabianoFollow Fabiano CaruanaTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,792
4
🇺🇿Abdusattorov, NodirbekFollow Nodirbek AbdusattorovTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,777
4
🇺🇿Sindarov, JavokhirFollow Javokhir SindarovTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,777
6
🇩🇪Keymer, VincentFollow Vincent KeymerTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,767
7
🇳🇱Giri, AnishFollow Anish GiriTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,764
8
🇮🇳Erigaisi ArjunFollow Erigaisi ArjunTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,761
9
🇺🇸So, WesleyFollow Wesley SoTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,753
9
🇨🇳Wei, YiFollow Yi WeiTrack their monthly FIDE ratings, games, tournaments and more.
2,753
...
55024🇺🇸Van Meter, Lester1,873