Young Nihal Sarin towers over stalwarts, clinches Tata Steel Chess Rapid

21-year-old Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin , ranked 26th in the world (2716 rating) , produced a composed and consistent display to win the Tata Steel Chess India Rapid title on Friday, sealing an emotional triumph just a day after the death of his maternal grandfather who first introduced him to the game.

Nihal confirmed top spot in the Open section with a calm draw against five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand in the ninth and final round, finishing with 6.5 points . Anand settled for second place with six points , while fellow Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi completed the podium in third with five points .

“Yesterday night I got the news that my maternal grandfather who taught me chess had passed away. I would like to dedicate this tournament victory to him,” Nihal said after securing the crown.

The Tata Steel Chess India series , a key fixture on the Indian chess calendar and an extension of the globally reputed Tata Steel Chess brand, has evolved into a prestigious platform for elite rapid and blitz competition. The event traditionally brings together established stars and emerging talents, offering fans high-intensity action in faster formats. This year’s strong line-up included other top names such as R Praggnanandhaa , Vidit Gujrathi , Wesley So , Hans Niemann , Wei Yi and Volodar Murzin , among others.

In the women’s section , Russia’s Kateryna Lagno dominated the tournament to claim the Rapid title with 6.5 points . Fellow Russian Aleksandra Goryachkina finished second with five points , while India’s Divya Deshmukh , the reigning Women’s World Cup champion , secured third place with 4.5 points .