Chess Sensation: 9-Year-Old Indian Player Holds Magnus Carlsen to Draw in Online Tournament

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

In a stunning display of skill, nine-year-old Indian chess player Aarit Kapil secured a draw against world number one Magnus Carlsen in the 'Early Titled Tuesday' online chess tournament.

Magnus Carlsen in deep thought during a previous chess match.

Kapil, a recent runner-up in the Under-9 National Championship, not only held his own but also gained a dominant position, putting the five-time world champion on the defensive.

Time Pressure Leads to Draw

Despite his advantage, time pressure prevented Kapil from converting his superior position into a win. The game concluded in a draw during an endgame scenario involving a rook versus two minor pieces.

Competing in World Championship

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

V Pranav Wins the Tournament

While Kapil's draw against Carlsen made headlines, Indian player V Pranav emerged as the winner of the 'Early Titled Tuesday' tournament with an impressive score of 10 points out of 11. American Grandmaster Hans Moke Niemann and Carlsen both finished with 9.5 points, with Niemann taking second place due to tiebreaks.

Carlsen's Historic Freestyle Chess Rating

Separately, Magnus Carlsen recently achieved a historic milestone by reaching a 2900 rating in freestyle chess. This feat marks the highest rating ever recorded in any chess format.

Carlsen Jokes About Rating

"My wife (Ella Victoria) is way more attracted to me now that I've achieved 2900," Carlsen quipped to Freestyle Chess, following the news of his achievement.

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

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