Nine-year-old Indian chess prodigy Aarit Kapil secured a sensational draw against world number one Magnus Carlsen in the ‘Early Titled Tuesday’ online tournament. Competing against the five-time world champion, Aarit not only held his ground but actually gained a significant advantage during the encounter.
Aarit, who hails from Delhi and recently finished as runner-up in the Under-9 National Championship, showcased strategic depth. Playing from Georgia, where he is currently participating in the Under-10 World Championship, Aarit had Carlsen on the ropes for the majority part of the game and entered the fag end with a clear edge.
However, with the clock ticking down and pressure mounting, he was unable to convert his winning position. The game concluded in a draw with Aarit holding a rook against Carlsen’s two minor pieces. Despite the missed opportunity, the draw is a landmark achievement for the young Indian, as very few players, let alone a nine-year-old, have managed to push Carlsen to the brink.
Aarit makes promising start to U-10 World Championship event
Aarit has also made a promising start in the World Championship event in Georgia, winning both of his opening matches. His third-round clash is scheduled for Wednesday.
The Early Titled Tuesday tournament saw another Indian triumph, with V Pranav claiming first place with an impressive 10 out of 11 points. American Grandmaster Hans Niemann and Magnus Carlsen both finished with 9.5 points, but Niemann edged ahead on tiebreak to secure second place.
Magnus reach new milestone
Carlsen continues to break records in the chess world. The Norwegian grandmaster recently crossed the 2900 rating mark in freestyle chess, making him the first in history to do so in any format. The ratings are managed independently by the Freestyle Chess organisation and are based on performances across five major tournaments from 2024 to 2025.
“My wife (Ella Victoria) is way more attracted to me now that I've achieved 2900,” Magnus joked after reaching the new milestone.
Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa also features prominently in the freestyle rankings, sitting in fourth position with a score of 2773, behind Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Fabiano Caruana.
