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

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

In an astounding turn of events, nine-year-old Indian chess player Aarit Kapil managed to secure a draw against world number one Magnus Carlsen in the 'Early Titled Tuesday' online chess tournament.

Kapil, who recently achieved second place in the Under-9 National Championship, showcased exceptional skill, putting the five-time world champion, Magnus Carlsen, in a disadvantageous position during their game.

Despite dominating the match, the young Indian player was unable to capitalize on his advantage due to time constraints. This ultimately led to a draw in the endgame, featuring a rook versus two minor pieces scenario.

The talented player from Delhi participated in the online tournament while in Georgia, where he is currently competing in the under-10 World Championship. He has already secured victories in his first two rounds and is set to continue his journey with his third game on Wednesday.

In related news, Indian player V Pranav emerged as the victor in the 'Early Titled Tuesday' tournament, amassing an impressive 10 points out of a possible 11. American Grandmaster Hans Moke Niemann and Magnus Carlsen both scored 9.5 points, with Niemann securing second place based on tiebreaks.

Recently, Magnus Carlsen achieved a remarkable milestone, reaching a historic 2900 rating in freestyle chess. This accomplishment marks the first time any player has reached such a high rating in any chess format.

Carlsen has maintained his position as the world's top-rated player for nearly 15 years. His peak classical chess rating was 2882, achieved in May 2014. The new freestyle chess ratings are managed independently by the Freestyle Chess organization, separate from FIDE, the global chess governing body.

"My wife (Ella Victoria) is way more attracted to me now that I've achieved 2900," Carlsen joked with Freestyle Chess after learning about his rating achievement.

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

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