Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin discusses fellow world champion D Gukesh's recent performance slump, attributing it to a lack of confidence rather than a decline in skill. Sarin expresses hope that the upcoming Chess Olympiad will help Gukesh regain his form. He also shares his views on the increasing role of AI in chess, the evolution towards faster formats, and potential improvements in the chess ecosystem.
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, representing esports and gaming content outfit S8UL, has qualified for the chess event of the upcoming Esports World Cup in Paris.
World champion D Gukesh is set to face Nihal Sarin in a highly anticipated first-round match at the Chennai Grand Masters 2026 chess tournament. The event features eight Grandmasters, including four Indians, competing for a prize purse of Rs 75,00,000 and crucial FIDE Circuit points in a double-round robin format.
Indian Grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin concluded their campaign at the Esports World Cup Chess tournament in the quarterfinals, securing top-eight finishes. Erigaisi was eliminated by Hikaru Nakamura in an Armageddon tiebreak, while Sarin lost to defending champion Magnus Carlsen. Their performance marks India's strongest showing in the event, with both players earning USD 75,000 each from the substantial prize pool.
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin has qualified for the chess event of the upcoming Esports World Cup (EWC) in Paris through the Champions Chess Tour (CCT) leaderboard, joining teammate Aravindh Chithambaram as the second Indian player to qualify.
Young Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin emerged champion at the Tata Steel Chess India tournament on Friday, clinching the Rapid title just a day after the passing of his maternal grandfather, who had introduced him to the sport.
Nihal Sarin lit up Round 4 of the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2025 with a hard-fought win over compatriot Arjun Erigaisi
Young Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin on Thursday emerged champion in the Masters' section of the Serbia Open Chess Championship in Belgrade.
Indian Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Arjun Erigaisi have successfully navigated the lower bracket of the Esports World Cup chess tournament in Paris, securing their spots in the quarter-finals. The duo will now compete in the knockout stage, aiming for the US$1.5 million prize pool.
GM M Pranesh secured a significant victory over world champion D Gukesh, while GM Nihal Sarin defeated Arjun Erigaisi in the penultimate round of the Chennai Grand Masters. These results allowed French GM Alireza Firouzja to take the sole lead in the tournament.
Olympic gold medallist Abhinav Bindra and Grandmaster Nihal Sarin have voiced concerns over the ongoing NEET exam irregularities and student suicides. Bindra called for a transparent and merit-based education system, while Sarin highlighted the immense pressure students face. The protests, supported by activist Sonam Wangchuk, have seen students attempting to march to Parliament.
India is sending a strong contingent, including world champion D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and R Vaishali, to the FIDE Chess Olympiad in Samarkand from September 16 to 27.
French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja secured the only decisive victory on the opening day of the Chennai Grand Masters chess tournament, defeating Indian GM M Pranesh in a lengthy 79-move game. Other prominent matches saw world champion D Gukesh draw with Nihal Sarin, Arjun Erigaisi draw with Dmitry Andreikin, and Nodirbek Abdusattorov draw with Hans Niemann, as eight grandmasters compete for a significant prize purse and FIDE Circuit points.
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin believes team chemistry will be vital for Fyers American Gambits' success in the upcoming Global Chess League. The tournament, featuring elite players and a unique team format, will also serve as preparation for the Chess Olympiad. Sarin highlights the challenge and excitement of integrating diverse playing styles into a cohesive unit.
French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja defeated reigning world champion D Gukesh in a 69-move battle at the Chennai Grand Masters 2026, taking the sole lead after the second round. Indian players M Pranesh, Arjun Erigaisi, and Nihal Sarin all secured draws against their respective opponents in the prestigious tournament.
Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi has moved into a joint lead with French GM Alireza Firouzja at the Chennai Grand Masters after defeating world champion D Gukesh. With only two rounds remaining, the tournament sees intense competition, including GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov also in contention, vying for a significant prize purse and FIDE Circuit points.
Frenchman Alireza Firouzja has won the fourth edition of the Chennai Grand Masters chess tournament, securing the title with a draw against Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi in the final round. Firouzja finished with 4.5 points, taking home a prize purse of Rs 25 lakh.
French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja holds a half-point lead over India's Arjun Erigaisi after all matches in Round 4 of the Chennai Grandmasters 2026 chess tournament concluded in draws. World champion D Gukesh also drew his game, while chess legend Viswanathan Anand interacted with fans at the event.
Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand recovered from an early setback to register two victories and emerge as joint leader with Nihal Sarin after six rounds of the Tata Steel Chess India Rapid, in Kolkata, on Thursday.
World Cup-winning Spanish footballer Gerard Pique has become a strategic shareholder in the Global Chess League franchise American Gambits. Pique, known for his illustrious football career, expressed his long-standing fascination with chess and his ambition to elevate the sport's global appeal. The fourth edition of the Global Chess League, featuring top grandmasters, is scheduled for September 3-13.
Grandmaster Nihal Sarin played out a quick and effortless draw with Matthias Bluebaum of Germany to share the lead with the German on six points after the end of the eighth round of FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Friday.
Asian Individual Chess: Nihal Sarin finishes second
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin's hopes of making to the Candidates tournament suffered a setback as he lost to Alireza Firouzja of France in the ninth round of the FIDE Grand Swiss, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Saturday.
World champion D Gukesh's struggles continued as he slumped to a third successive defeat, losing to 16-year-old Turkish Grandmaster Ediz Gurel in the seventh round of the FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on Thursday.
Wesley So showed remarkable consistency to clinch the title in the Open category with a round to spare
Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi discusses D Gukesh's mental strength challenge for his World Championship defence against Javokhir Sindarov, highlighting Gukesh's recent inconsistent form. Vidit also assesses India's strong prospects for the upcoming Chess Olympiad, praising the form of players like Praggnanandhaa, Erigaisi, and Sarin, while cautioning against overconfidence. He also reflects on his Arjuna Award and the need for better organisation in chess formats.
World champion D Gukesh is 'crumbling under the weight of expectations' and needs to 'shut out the noise' to regain his form ahead of his title defence, said American Grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura. Nakamura also revealed that the 2028 Chess Olympiad could potentially be his last tournament featuring 'true classical' chess.
'Being the defending champions certainly gives us confidence, but every Olympiad is a new event and starts from scratch.'
Tata Chess: Wesley So in sole lead, Erigaisi & Nihal not far behind in Blitz
German GM Vincent Keymer stayed firmly in command of the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2025 after holding India's GM Vidit Gujrathi to a second straight draw in Round 5 on Monday.
India's second major casualty on the day was Aravindh Chithambaram who lost to compatriot K Venkatramanan after the second set of rapid games.
Uzbekistan's Javokhir Sindarov has won the Candidates Chess Tournament, earning the right to challenge India's D Gukesh for the World Chess Championship title in 2026.
Erigaisi in second place, German GM Keymer leads after three rounds of Chennai chess
India's Arjun Erigaisi delivered a commanding performance against American Awonder Liang, while compatriot Nihal Sarin lost to Germany's Vincent Keymer in the opening round of the Chennai Grandmasters Chess tournament on Thursday.
World Champion D Gukesh believes concerns about cheating in chess are overblown and distances himself from Vladimir Kramnik's accusations. He also looks ahead to the Candidates Tournament.
Praggnanandhaa beats Abdusattorov in Superbet chess
World junior champion V Pranav of India lost to seasoned Grandmaster Jan Emmanuel Garcia of Philippines in the first round of the Asian Continental Chess Championship.
World champion D Gukesh and Women's World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh played out an intense 103-move draw after a gruelling six-hour battle, in the eighth round of the FIDE Grand Swiss.
Looking to assert his supremacy across formats, reigning world champion D Gukesh of India began his campaign in the FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, with a crushing victory over France's Etienne Bacrot in the first round.
World Junior champion Pranav Venkatesh scored a crushing victory over Grandmaster Alan Pichot of Spain to win the Fujairah Global Superstars chess tournament.
