Nihal Sarin Triumphs at Tata Steel Chess India, Beats Anand for Open Rapid Title

• Nihal Sarin, a last-minute replacement for Dommaraju Gukesh, won the Open Rapid title at Tata Steel Chess India 2026 in Kolkata.
• He finished with 6.5 points, ahead of former world champion Viswanathan Anand, who secured second place with 6 points.
• Nihal sealed the title by drawing with Anand in the final match after a crucial win against Wesley So.
• This marks Nihal's second Open Rapid title at the Tata Steel Chess India, achieving an impressive performance rating of 2839.
• He dedicated his victory to his late maternal grandfather, who introduced him to chess and passed away a day before his win.

Why It Matters: Nihal Sarin, a last-minute entry, clinched the Tata Steel Chess India Open Rapid title, defeating Viswanathan Anand.