Nihal Sarin (Photo by Michal Walusza) NEW DELHI: Last February, Nihal Sarin was busy playing online chess at TakeTakeTake’s Titled Tuesday event. His opponent was the Armenian player Emin Ohanyan. In a tense ending, Nihal outwitted his counterpart. When the game was played on a computer rather than a tabletop, a gentlemanly handshake never worked. What followed, however, was equally unpredictable and not on anyone’s wish list.As soon as the 21-year-old Nihal made the decisive move, his opponent Ohanyan got up from his chair, pointed his middle finger towards the screen, slapped the camera and left. “Never mind. Regarding the recent incident, I want to make it clear that I was not offended. Things happen in the heat of the moment,” Nihal later wrote on his X account.Since this incident, Nihal Sarin has regularly made headlines, not for anything off the board, but for what he does above the board.
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Exclusive Nihal Sarin: 2026 Candidates Predictions, Anish Giri’s ‘Drawish’ Label & More #chess In April 2026, Nihal achieved a career classic rating of 2723.This recent rise to the upper echelons of the world rankings left its mark in his spectacular run in the rapid Menorca Masters, where he outlasted a field of heavyweights including Richard Rapport, Leinier Dominguez and Pentala Harikrishna.Most notably, Nihal secured two consecutive victories, with both white and black pieces, against reigning world champion D Gukesh during the Menorca campaign.Despite a late draw against Rapport, Nihal’s composure saw him claim the title, his second major trophy after triumphing in the rapid section of the Tata Steel Chess India tournament earlier this year.Its dynamism has also carried over into the digital arena. Nihal, representing gaming giants S8UL, recently won the fourth and final Chess.com Open Play-in. After three frustrating attempts, he recorded an unbeaten 7/9 to qualify for the round of 16, where he will face French legend Maxime Vachier-Lagrave later this month. The top three in the event qualify directly for the 2026 Esports World Championship.Speaking to TimesofIndia.com during an exclusive interview, Nihal admitted that the journey was not smooth sailing.“Play-ins are incredibly tough. It’s a huge challenge just to finish in the top two, let alone win the whole thing,” said Nihal. “My first two attempts were honestly pretty bad, the first one was bad and the second one was even worse. The third one got better but I felt my quality of play was still below average.”“I tried to play very ambitiously, maybe a little too much, and it didn’t work. For the last Play-in, I decided to play as healthy as possible. I focused on a more classic approach, focused on not losing games, and I’m glad I managed to find some wins along the way.”
It means the world to me. It feels great to have such support
Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin in support of fans
Despite being hailed as one of the strongest players in the shorter time control, Nihal tries to keep his preparation remarkably organic.“In these Play-in tournaments, you never really know who you’re going to be paired against. While it’s always a good idea to revise files and settings, especially for rapid and blitz, I generally prefer to go out and play. I try to stay fresh, live in the moment, and just enjoy the game.”This Zen philosophy seems to be the secret behind his recent rise. Whether he’s being insulted on webcam or taking down a world champion on a physical board, his heart rate rarely seems to rise.“Honestly, I never thought about it like that,” he told the website, recalling the incident in February. “Maybe it’s for the best. My only real philosophy is to enjoy what I do and do what I enjoy.”READ ALSO: Javokhir Sindarov, likely challenger to D Gukesh at World C’ship, cracks code for chess sponsorship woesAs Nihal eyes a spot at the 2026 World Esports Championship, he is well aware of the huge fan base cheering him on.“It means the world to me. It’s a great feeling to have that kind of support,” he said with a smile. “The fans are the reason we play and the reason this sport is growing so fast. I am absolutely grateful to all the fans and those who enjoy the game. It is for them that we keep pushing.”
