The pecking order in Asian chess has been quite constant for many years now, and this is confirmed by the latest monthly FIDE rating list that ranks countries based on the average rating of its top ten players.
Men
China which is ranked number two in the world rankings and with the most number of 2700+ players leads Asia while their main rivals India which is ranked number six in ten world are in second place.
In third place is Iran, ranked 28th in the world, powered by a golden generation of young talent, in evidence at the ongoing Asian nations Cup where China’s second team and a representative Indian team have no proven to be as strong.
Next come the trio, in fourth, fifth and sixth places respectively, Uzbekistan, Vietnam and Kazakhstan.
In seventh place is Australia and in eighth is the Philippines while Mongolia is in ninth place and Indonesia in the tenth spot.
Women
As far as the top two places in Asian women chess is concerned, it is World No. 1 China, now in a tie with Russia, which leads with India second with seventh place world ranking.
Kazakhstan, on the back of a rivalry between their top two equally talented young potential world beaters, are in third place.
Then comes Mongolia in fourth place and Vietnam in fifth.
Indonesia is sixth but not participating in the Asian Nations Cup but seventh placed hosts Iran lead by their own super talent certainly are!
Uzbekistan, Australia and Philippines in eighth, ninth and tenth places round up the Asian top ten.