Nine-Year-Old Aarit Kapil Holds Magnus Carlsen In 'Early Titled Tuesday' Online Event

Nine-Year-Old Aarit Kapil Holds Magnus Carlsen In 'Early Titled Tuesday' Online Event

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Last Updated: June 25, 2025, 17:01 IST

Kapil pulled off a draw against Carlsen at the online event after the Norwegian managed to find his way back into the game after the Indian established an advantage.

Aarit Kapil. (X)

Aarit Kapil, the 9-year-old Indian chess prodigy, managed to play out a draw with top-rated Magnus Carlsen at the ‘Early Titled Tuesday’ chess tournament on Wednesday.

Kapil pulled off a draw against Carlsen at the online event after the Norwegian managed to find his way back into the game after the Indian established an advantage.

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With time running out and only a few seconds left on his clock, the young Indian couldn’t convert his advantage and eventually settled for a draw in a rook versus two minor pieces endgame.

Aarit played this event from Georgia, where he is currently competing for a podium finish in the Under-10 World Championship. Aarit has secured victories in the first two rounds and will play his third game on Wednesday. Meanwhile, India’s V Pranav clinched the ‘Early Titled Tuesday’ title with an impressive 10 out of 11 points.

American GM Hans Moke Niemann and Carlsen both finished with 9.5 points, but Niemann secured second place on tiebreak.

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The 34-year-old Carlsen became the first player to cross the milestone in the recently released freestyle chess rankings compiled by the Freestyle Chess Organisation.

Carlsen sits atop the table with a rating of 2909, followed by American GM Hikaru Nakamura at 2818. Fabiano Caruana stands third with 2804, while Indian GM Praggnanandhaa is fourth with 2773.

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Ian Nepomniachtchi comes in fifth, followed by Vincent Keymer and Alireza Firouzja, with India’s Arjun Erigaisi positioned eighth with 2758. Vidit Gujarati is placed 16th, while compatriot Aravindh Chithambaram stands 22nd with 2707, and reigning World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju is 26th with a rating of 2701.

Carlsen clinched the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam title in Paris earlier in the year, and solidified his run with a historic win at the Grenke Freestyle Chess Open 2025, where the Norwegian claimed nine wins out of as many matches, six of which were against Grandmasters.

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First Published: June 25, 2025, 16:01 IST

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