Chess Prodigy: Nine-Year-Old Indian Player Secures Draw Against Magnus Carlsen

Chess Sensation: Nine-Year-Old Aarit Kapil Draws Against Magnus Carlsen

In an astonishing turn of events, nine-year-old Indian chess prodigy Aarit Kapil secured a draw against world number one Magnus Carlsen in the 'Early Titled Tuesday' online chess tournament. This feat has sent ripples through the chess world, highlighting the rising talent emerging from India.

Aarit Kapil, fresh off his runner-up finish in the Under-9 National Championship, showcased remarkable skill and strategic prowess against the five-time world champion. Reports indicate that Aarit had Carlsen in a losing position at one point during the game.

However, the pressures of time played a crucial role, preventing the young Indian player from converting his advantage into a victory. The game concluded in a draw, with a rook versus two minor pieces endgame.

The young chess player from Delhi participated in the online tournament from Georgia, where he is currently competing in the under-10 World Championship. He has started strong, winning his first two rounds, and is set to continue his quest on Wednesday.

While Aarit Kapil's draw against Carlsen was a major highlight, Indian player V Pranav emerged as the winner of the 'Early Titled Tuesday' tournament, scoring an impressive 10 points out of 11.

American Grandmaster Hans Moke Niemann and Magnus Carlsen tied for second place with 9.5 points each. Niemann ultimately secured the second position due to tiebreaks.

Carlsen's Recent Milestone

Adding to his list of achievements, Magnus Carlsen recently attained a historic 2900 rating in freestyle chess. This landmark achievement is unprecedented in any chess format.

Carlsen, who has maintained his position as the world's top-rated player for nearly 15 years, reached his peak classical chess rating of 2882 in May 2014.

The freestyle chess ratings are now managed by the Freestyle Chess organization, operating independently from FIDE, the global governing body for chess.

In a lighthearted moment, Carlsen quipped about his recent rating milestone, stating that his wife, Ella Victoria, is "way more attracted to me now that I've achieved 2900."

The freestyle ratings calculation encompassed five tournaments: Weissenhaus 2024, Singapore 2024, Weissenhaus 2025, Paris 2025, and Karlsruhe 2025. The calculations included 578 players who participated in at least one event over the past two years.

Notably, Indian chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa holds the fourth position with 2773 points, trailing behind Carlsen (2909), Hikaru Nakamura (2818), and Fabiano Caruana (2804).