While Indian chess enthusiasts were focused on the Candidates tournaments in Cyprus, a young talent from New Delhi, Aarit Kapil, made headlines at the Menorca International Chess Open. At just 10 years old, Aarit, who gained recognition last June for nearly defeating Magnus Carlsen in an online blitz match, achieved a remarkable victory against Kazakh grandmaster Kazybek Nogerbek in a classical game held on the Spanish island.
In a departure from typical narratives where seasoned grandmasters are outperformed by younger players, Aarit’s triumph was against a rising star. Nogerbek, the 2024 World Junior Champion, was outmatched by Aarit, who overcame a significant rating difference of 233 points to secure the win. Currently, Aarit holds the title of FIDE Master, while Nogerbek is two ranks higher.
Aarit is competing in the A group of the Open section of the event, which also features some of India’s elite players, including world champion Gukesh D, Nihal Sarin, and Pentala Harikrishna in the Masters section. The open section includes other notable Indian talents such as Leon Luke Mendonca, Pranav Anand, and Sankalp Gupta.
After the match, Aarit’s father, Vijay, recounted that Nogerbek was visibly frustrated, slamming his pen on the table following the game. However, Aarit remained unfazed, expressing his excitement about defeating yet another grandmaster. “I had a lot of fun,” he said confidently, reflecting on his achievement. “I defeated my first grandmaster when I was nine.”
Aarit admitted that he found himself in a challenging position early on when Nogerbek executed a tactic he hadn’t encountered before after just four moves. Known for his quick play, Aarit took 20 minutes to carefully consider his fourth move, ultimately gaining a pawn advantage by move 32, which he effectively converted by move 40.
His coach, Srinath Narayanan, praised Aarit’s remarkable self-assurance when he gains an advantage. “Unlike many players who might feel anxious about maintaining a lead, Aarit is confident and composed,” he stated. “He knows when he’s ahead and believes in his ability to win.”
Srinath, who has guided prodigies like Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin to success, highlighted Aarit’s exceptional speed and eagerness to learn. “He possesses an insatiable curiosity for chess, often playing all day without losing interest, and he quickly grasps and applies new concepts,” he noted.
This tournament in Menorca marks Aarit’s fifth competition within a month and a half, following three tournaments in Budapest and participation in the Grenke Open. He narrowly missed achieving an International Master norm in one event. Vijay shared that after this tournament, their priority will be to seek sponsors to support Aarit’s future chess endeavors, enabling him to confront more grandmasters.
In addition to his near-victory against Carlsen and the recent win over Nogerbek, Aarit has also triumphed over grandmasters Raset Ziatdinov and Vishakh NR. Srinath remarked, “This is a significant achievement that confirms his exceptional talent, but I am not surprised given his capabilities.”
Amit Kamath serves as the Assistant Editor at The Indian Express in Mumbai, where he focuses on chess and Olympic sports. He co-hosts the Game Time podcast and writes a weekly chess column titled On The Moves.
