David meets Goliath: 9-year-old Indian Aarit Kapil draws with Magnus Carlsen in online battle

A 9-year-old Delhi boy Aarit Kapil gave world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen a close run before accepting a draw in the 'Early Titled Tuesday' chess tournament played on a top online site. Aarit, runner-up at the recently held Under-9 National Championship, exchanged moves stroke for stroke with the five-time world champion and had Carlsen in a fully lost game. But as time was drawing to a close and only seconds remained on his clock, the Indian youngster could not make his lead count and, ultimately, pushed the game to a draw in a rook and two minor pieces endgame.

Aarit played this tournament from his hotel in Georgia where he is battling for a podium finish at the under-10 World championship. Aarit has won the first two rounds and will play the third game on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, India's V Pranav won the 'Early Titled Tuesday' title with a brilliant 10 out of 11 points. American Grandmaster Hans Moke Niemann and Carlsen both ended with 9.5 points, but Niemann took second place on tiebreak.

Sensational Aarit Kapil

Last year, Aarit scripted history as he beat Grandmaster Raset Ziatdinov of the United States. The win took place during the ninth round of the KIIT International Open chess championship in Bhubaneswar. Aarit's achievement places him as the youngest Indian to have beaten a Grandmaster in a classical game of chess. At 9 years, 2 months, and 18 days, he is the third youngest globally to achieve this distinction.

The youngest person to defeat a Grandmaster is Indian-origin Singaporean Ashwath Kaushik. Kaushik beat Poland's Jacek Stupa at the age of 8 years and six months earlier in 2024. Ziatdinov, 66 years of age, showed his experience playing the game against Aarit. He used positional tactics and better pawn structure to gain the upper hand.