KOCHI: Ten years ago, a boy from Kerala made headlines as a chess prodigy. Nihal Sarin had won the under-10 title in the World Youth Chess Championship held in Durban, South Africa, in 2014. Since then, the youngster has been conquering heights with his rapid thinking and quick moves, a style that suited the bullet and blitz formats of the game of 64 squares.
Conquering setbacks with resilience, Nihal is now back to winning ways in the classical format. The 20-year-old grandmaster emerged victorious in the 18th Tashkent Open Agzamov Memorial in Uzbekistan, in March. In an unbeaten run, Nihal claimed eight out of a possible ten points in the tournament that featured 153 competitors including six players with ELO ratings above 2,600.
“I’ve been called a speed demon on the board more than once! I do love blitz and bullet—they’re like chess on espresso. But I’ve also worked a lot on my classical game, especially in recent years. The rapid formats suit my intuition and quick decision-making but classical chess teaches patience and precision,” Nihal tells TNIE.
Looking back at his Tashkent win that the world deems a ‘comeback’, he says: “Winning the tournament felt rewarding, especially after a long grind.”
Chess was a tool Nihal’s parents used to calm down a hyper-energetic six-year-old as his summer vacation entertainment. Enchanted by the game, after he learnt the baby steps from his grandfather, nothing could stop the young boy.
“It has been an amazing ride watching Nihal grow, from a little boy who just loved playing chess to a grandmaster competing at the highest level,” says his father Dr A Sarin.
“There have been highs and lows but his focus and quiet determination always stood out.”
Nihal sees his strengths in calculation and the feel for dynamic positions.
“I try to stay calm, even amid total chaos on the board,” he says on his winning mantra.
With a live FIDE rating of 2,694 points, Nihal is now ranked 40. In the past few years, when Indian youth conquered world stages of chess, it seemed like he had fallen behind in the race.
“True. There was a phase where I played fewer events. Some of it was strategic and some personal. Chess isn’t always about moving forward at full speed. Sometimes you need a pit stop to refuel, recalibrate, and find your fire again. I’ve never felt like I was out of the race. Just that I was taking a slightly scenic route,” he quips.
With a packed schedule ahead, Nihal is hopeful of crossing the 2,700 rating points and achieving a coveted world championship spot.
“Getting back above 2,700 is definitely on the list. But more than numbers, I want to keep improving, enjoy the process, and challenge the best in the world consistently. I’d love to be a candidate for the world championship someday. But for now, I’m focused on playing my best chess, one move at a time,” he says.
With a great start to 2025, Nihal is set to compete in the Asian Continental Championship, Sharjah Masters, World Rapid and Blitz Team Championship, and the FIDE Grand Swiss, among others.