Loek van Wely

World rank: No. 97 (October 2026)
Rating: 2627 (−16 this month)
Peak rating: 2714 (October 2001)
Title: Grandmaster (1993)
Federation: Netherlands
Born: October 7, 1972, Heesch, Netherlands (age 54)
FIDE ID: 1000268

A Dutch grandmaster who reached the world top ten in 2001 with a peak of 2714. Van Wely led the Netherlands to European Team Championship gold in 2001 and 2005.

He played the elite group at Wijk aan Zee 25 times, and won the Chicago Open in 2010.

Outside chess he is a politician: he was elected to the Dutch Senate in 2019 for Forum for Democracy, and later moved to a group now affiliated with JA21.

Career highlights

World top ten in 2001, with a peak of 2714
Led the Netherlands to European Team gold in 2001 and 2005
25 appearances in the Wijk aan Zee top group
Elected to the Dutch Senate in 2019

Loek van Wely in The Chess Herald

Oct 11, 2026Fifteen Chess Tourists, Eight Days and One Bronze Medal for Monika
Sep 25, 2026Germany Ends Uzbekistan's 7/7 Run in Samarkand

FIDE profile · Wikipedia
Profile last reviewed September 29, 2026. Ratings update monthly from FIDE.