Many chess players are curious about famous people who at the same time are also chess players. I decided to compose a list of famous people who play chess and have semi-official chess rating.
The numbers may not be exact and in some cases such as with Lenin, the rating may be given just as representation of the chess strength, not as the actual rating published by chess federation. Anyway, enjoy the list and feel free to comment about other famous people of known chess strength.
Name, Occupation Rating
Akins, Claude actor 1500
Alda, Alan actor 1400
Amory, Cleveland writer 1700
Archer, Jeffrey writer 1000
Ardiles, Ossie soccer 1700
Ayers, Lew actor 1500
Barnes, Julian writer 1100
Bellamy, Guy writer 1100
Bogart, Humphrey actor 1950
Bonar Law, Andrew politics 2100
Boyer, Charles actor 1900
Brando, Marlon actor 1100
Bronowski, Jacob writer 2000
Buchwald, Art humorist 2000
Burton, Tony actor 1642
Cage, Nicholas actor 1500
Cartwright, Bill NBA 1400
Casillas, Graciella karate 1100
Castro, Fidel president 1900
Chamberlain, Wilt NBA 1300
Chang, Michael tennis 1400
Chaplin, Charlie actor 1400
Charles, Ray musician 1600
Che Guevara, Ernesto revolutionary 1950
Churchill, Randolph politics 1800
Cooke, Alistair TV1600
Cornforth, John nobel 2200
Crane, Les talk show 1500
Danson, Ted actor 1400
Darin, Bobby musician 1500
Darrow, Henry actor 1700
Davis, Steve sports 1500
Dee, Sandra actress 1500
Diamond, Dustin actor 1369
Duchamp, Marcel artist 2300+
Dunsany, Lord writer 2000
Elman, Mischa violinist 2100
Estrada, Erik actor 1400
Falk, Peter actor 1400
Fry, Stephen comedian 1200
Garcia, Carlos president 1700
Kissinger, Henry politics 1400
Klitschko, Vitaly boxer 1800
Klitschko, Vladimir boxer 1800
Koestler, Arthur journalist 1500
Komack, James producer 1500
Krauthammer, Charles columnist 1630
Kubrick, Stanley director 2000
LaGuardia, Fiorello NY mayor 1100
Landsbergis, Vytautas president 2300
Ledger, Heath actor 1800
Lenin, Vladimir Russian leader 1900
Letterman, David TV talk host 1100
Levin, Bernard writer 1100
Marks, Johnny writer 1700
If you are interesting in chess statistics I suggest also checking out 40 Facts About Chess Most People Don’t Know , 31 Yet Other Chess Facts Most People Don’t Know ,and 23 Funny Chess Aphorisms.
Resources Used:
ChessBase Terminator Image
Famous People Who Play/ed Chess
Akins, Claudeactor 1500
Alda, Alanactor 1400
Amory, Clevelandwriter 1700
Archer, Jeffreywriter 1000
Ardiles, Ossie soccer 1700
Ayers, Lewactor 1500
Barnes, Julianwriter 1100
Bellamy, Guywriter 1100
Bogart, Humphreyactor 1950
Bonar Law, Andrewpolitics 2100
Boyer, Charlesactor 1900
Brando, Marlonactor 1100
Bronowski, Jacobwriter 2000
Buchwald, Arthumorist 2000
Burton, Tonyactor 1642
Cage, Nicholasactor 1500
Cartwright, BillNBA 1400
Casillas, Graciellakarate 1100
Castro, Fidelpresident 1900
Chamberlain, WiltNBA 1300
Chang, Michaeltennis 1400
Chaplin, Charlieactor 1400
Charles, Raymusician 1600
Che Guevara, Ernestorevolutionary 1950
Churchill, Randolphpolitics 1800
Cooke, Alistair TV 1600
Cornforth, JohnNobel 2200
Crane, Lestalk show 1500
Danson, Tedactor 1400
Darin, Bobbymusician 1500
Darrow, Henryactor 1700
Davis, Stevesports 1500
Dee, Sandraactress 1500
Diamond, Dustinactor 1369
Duchamp, Marcelartist 2300+
Dunsany, Lordwriter 2000
Elman, Mischaviolinist 2100
Estrada, Erikactor 1400
Falk, Peteractor 1400
Fry, Stephencomedian 1200
Garcia, Carlospresident 1700
Kissinger, Henrypolitics 1400
Klitschko, Vitalyboxer 1800
Klitschko, Vladimirboxer 1800
Koestler, Arthurjournalist 1500
Komack, James producer 1500
Krauthammer, Charlescolumnist 1630
Kubrick, Stanleydirector 2000
LaGuardia, FiorelloNY mayor 1100
Landsbergis, Vytautaspresident 2300
Ledger, Heathactor 1800
Lenin, VladimirRussian leader 1900
Letterman, DavidTV talk host 1100
Levin, Bernardwriter 1100
Marks, Johnnywriter 1700
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….this is the Memorial in West Australia where we can play Chess and remember Heath…RIP#!!
this is the Memorial where we can Play Chess in the memory of the late# Heath in West Australia! RIP#
Missed my name on this list. But I forgive this mistake.
Gaddafi was quite an enthusiast too.
where is Bill Gates 🙂 ?
Howard Stern is missing and he has a published USCF rating. I have played him before when he was studying with Dan Heisman he was a strong player. The rest of the ratings listed seem a bit high. Carmen Cass supermodel and head of the Estonian Chess federation also is not listed. Again as far as rating my guess is most players listed are less than 1200 if they are not tournament players.
What about Will Smith?
Will smith–actor
Barry Black–current chaplain of
the US senate!
I M Wonder,if presinedt PUTIN W also play chess.
What about LENOX LEWIS?
John Wayne was an avid player
I directed the tournament/section that Krauthammer played in 2002. The 4 games wore him out so much he said he might never play again.
Hedy Lamarr, famous actress, mentions chess three times in her biography “Ecstasy and me”. She writes that she taught three of her husbands how to play chess and the last one got so good that he was able to beat her.
Vladimir Nabokov, writer. Major omission.