Tata Steel Chess India: Gukesh's last-minute replacement Nihal Sarin trumps Viswanathan Anand to win open rapid title

Nihal Sarin made the most of a last-minute opportunity as the young Indian grandmaster clinched the Open Rapid title at the Tata Steel Chess India 2026 in Kolkata on Friday, finishing ahead of former world champion Viswanathan Anand.

Nihal topped the standings with 6.5 points from nine games, while Anand ended the tournament in sole second place with six points. The 21-year-old sealed the title by holding Anand to a draw in the final match after taking a crucial lead with a clinical win over Wesley So of the USA in the penultimate round.

Congratulations, @NihalSarin #TwoBoardsOneLegacy #tsci2026 #tatasteelchessindia #chess #Kolkata pic.twitter.com/5GAQn4VSad

— Tata Steel Chess India (@tschessindia) January 9, 2026

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What made the victory even more remarkable was the fact that Nihal was not part of the original player list. He was drafted into the tournament only after reigning world champion Dommaraju Gukesh withdrew at the last moment due to personal reasons. Nihal grabbed the chance with both hands and delivered a brilliant performance throughout the event.

This was the second time Nihal has won the Open Rapid title at the Tata Steel Chess India. He played at an impressive performance rating of 2839 and recorded notable wins against Aravindh, Hans Niemann, Daniil Murzin, Vidit Gujrathi and So.

Nihal dedicates his win to his late grandfather

The win also carried deep emotional value for Nihal. After the tournament, he dedicated the title to his maternal grandfather, who passed away a day earlier. Nihal revealed that his grandfather was the one who first introduced him to chess, and he played all his games on Friday thinking about him.

Nihal Sarin dedicates his win to his grandfather who taught him chess — Nihal only got the news yesterday that he'd passed away. pic.twitter.com/fpwz6ipltc

— chess24 (@chess24com) January 9, 2026

Viswanathan Anand, the legend of Indian chess, showed his class once again by finishing second with 6/9. While Nihal took home $10,000 in prize money, Anand won $6,000. Both players will next be seen in action in the Blitz section of the tournament, starting January 10.

Third place was shared by India’s top-rated player Arjun Erigaisi, USA’s Wesley So and Hans Niemann, who all ended the tournament with five points each. Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi finished joint-fourth with 4.5 points each.