Nine-year-old chess prodigy Arit Kapil of Delhi recently captured attention by coming close to stunning world number one Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen in the 'Early Titled Tuesday' online tournament.
Sports News: India's rising chess star, Arit Kapil, has once again made the nation proud with his talent, even rattling world number one player Magnus Carlsen. Although time constraints prevented the nine-year-old from securing a win, the match has become a historic moment in Arit's career.
Arit Comes Very Close to Defeating Carlsen
Arit Kapil, a resident of Delhi, was on the verge of defeating five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen in the prestigious online tournament 'Early Titled Tuesday.' During the game, he created a position from which Carlsen could not easily escape. However, as the clock ran out, Arit was forced to settle for a draw.
While it was only a draw on the scoreboard, in the eyes of chess enthusiasts, the match became a historic story of a young player challenging a powerful Grandmaster.
Like Gukesh, Arit also Gave Carlsen a Run for His Money
Recently, India's D. Gukesh also created a sensation by defeating Carlsen in the Norway Chess tournament. Angered by the loss, Carlsen slammed his hand on the chess table in frustration, and this reaction went viral on social media. Now, once again, an Indian, and that too only 9 years old, came close to defeating Magnus – this indicates the dawn of a bright future for Indian chess.
Arit's Background and Journey So Far
Arit is currently playing in the Under-10 World Championship in Georgia. He has made a brilliant start there, winning his first two matches. Notably, he participated in this online tournament from his hotel room and gave such a tough challenge to a top player. His coaching began with coach Nakul Ayachi at the Neelkanth Cricket Academy.
Arit's father is a truck driver in Brampton, Canada. Coming from a humble background, this boy has shown that if passion and talent are combined, no power in the world can stop him.
Arit Became the Youngest Indian to Defeat a Grandmaster
Arit Kapil had previously made history when he defeated 66-year-old American Grandmaster Raset Ziatdinov, earning the distinction of becoming the youngest Indian winner to defeat a Grandmaster. At that time, he was only 9 years and 2 months old. There are only two players younger than him who have defeated a Grandmaster:
- Ashwath Kaushik (Singapore) – 8 years 2 months
- Leonid Ivanovic (Serbia) – 8 years 11 months
Even though the match technically ended in a draw, Arit's moves, confidence, and the patience he displayed against a personality like Carlsen have made him a winner in the eyes of the nation's chess lovers.
