indian grandmaster

While Nihal and his S8UL teammate Aravindh Chithambaram have both successfully qualified for the upcoming Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 Chess main event, Nihal stands alone as India's premier direct invitee for the country-based ENC tournament, where he will represent Team India Esports.

Youngster Divya Deshmukh continued her fine start at Norway Chess by defeating country No. 1 Koneru Humpy in an Armageddon tiebreak after a tactical classical draw. It was a bleak day for India in the open section, however, as R Praggnanandhaa lost in classical to Alireza Firouzja, while D Gukesh fell to Wesley So in Armageddon.

World Champion D Gukesh suffered a 42-move classical defeat against World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen on the eve of his 20th birthday in Round 4 of Norway Chess 2026. Meanwhile, Divya Deshmukh's brilliant unbeaten streak came to an end after losing her Armageddon tiebreak to Ukraine's Anna Muzychuk. R Praggnanandhaa won his game, while Koneru Humpy's tough run continues.

D Gukesh went viral during Norway Chess after hilariously failing to open a water bottle mid-game against Wesley So and quietly putting it back. The funny moment came during a frustrating day for Gukesh, who dominated the classical game but lost in Armageddon. Meanwhile, Alireza Firouzja continued his unbeaten run at the tournament.

indian grandmaster Aravindh Chithambaram became the first Indian to qualify for the Chess event at Esports World Cup 2026 after winning the Road to EWC qualifier at DreamHack Atlanta. The 26-year-old defeated Alexey Sarana in a dramatic Armageddon decider to secure qualification, USD 15,000 prize money, and a place in the main event scheduled from August 11-15.

India's R Praggnanandhaa scripted a sensational repeat of history at the Norway Chess tournament in Oslo, stunning local hero and World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in a 62-move classical encounter. Meanwhile, debutante Divya Deshmukh continued her dream run in the women's section, defeating tournament leader Bibisara Assaubayeva to secure her third consecutive Armageddon victory.

Magnus Carlsen’s birthday message to D Gukesh went viral during Norway Chess 2026. “You're not a teenager anymore, time to grow up,” Carlsen joked as Gukesh turned 20. Several chess stars, including Ju Wenjun and Koneru Humpy, also wished him. Later, Carlsen defeated Gukesh in a closely fought classical game, improving his position in the tournament standings.

D Gukesh enjoyed a funny birthday moment during Norway Chess 2026 celebrations as players sang for his 20th birthday before a sailing event in Oslo. Laughter erupted after Wesley So jokingly asked Javokhir Sindarov, Gukesh’s future World Championship challenger, to sing a song. Earlier, Magnus Carlsen defeated Gukesh in Round 4, while Bibisara Assaubayeva continued leading the women’s standings.

India enjoyed a decent opening day at Norway Chess as 20-year-old debutante Divya Deshmukh held World Champion Ju Wenjun to a classical draw before defeating her in the Armageddon tiebreak. Joining her in the winner's circle were D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa, who also won their respective Armageddon matches, while Magnus Carlsen suffered a shock defeat.

Aravindh Chithambaram recently became the first Indian to qualify for the 2026 Esports Chess World Cup after winning at DreamHack Atlanta. Raised by his mother and grandparents after losing his father at age three, Aravindh discovered chess through his grandfather. With strong family support and guidance from coach RB Ramesh, he steadily rose through the ranks to become a national champion and elite player.

As Norway Chess moves to Oslo for its 2026 edition, all eyes are on the Indian contingent. From World Champion D Gukesh seeking urgent form before his title defence to Koneru Humpy making a highly anticipated return to the board, we break down the biggest storylines dominating the 12-day double round-robin tournament.

Norway Chess 2026 begins on May 25 in Oslo, featuring stars like Magnus Carlsen, Gukesh Dommaraju, Praggnanandhaa and Wesley So. Indian viewers can watch the tournament live on Mirror Now, while online streaming will be available on Chess.com, the official Norway Chess website and YouTube. The tournament runs till June 5 and also features a strong women’s lineup led by Ju Wenjun and Humpy Koneru.

Alireza Firouzja stunned the chess world by playing his Round 5 classical game against Javokhir Sindarov from a hotel room bed at the Superbet Chess Classic Romania 2026 after suffering an ankle injury. The extraordinary setup quickly went viral. Earlier, R Praggnanandhaa defeated Sindarov in a significant round-two encounter in Bucharest.

Ian Nepomniachtchi criticised reigning world champion D Gukesh for inconsistent performances, saying nearly every top GM currently has a strong chance against him. Nepomniachtchi also backed Javokhir Sindarov as favourite for their 2026 World Championship clash, citing his strong form and higher rating. Gukesh, meanwhile, has taken a break from classical chess to prepare for his title defence.

Fans are buzzing with theories about 'Dhurandhar 3' following the OTT release of 'Dhurandhar: The Revenge'. Easter eggs like a passport with a new identity and a 'Sep 2026' hint suggest a sequel. Co-producer Jyoti Deshpande hinted the franchise isn't over, with a surprise by late 2026.

World champion D Gukesh showed rare emotion after defeating future title challenger Javokhir Sindarov at the Grand Chess Tour in Poland. Playing with the black pieces, Gukesh outplayed the Uzbek grandmaster in 52 moves and celebrated with a fist pump after the win. The victory was seen as a strong statement ahead of their World Championship clash later this year.

Abhijeet Gupta has alleged that his Rs 5.5 lakh winner’s prize from the Odisha GM Open, held in January 2026 with a Rs 45 lakh prize pool, remains unpaid. The Arjuna Awardee criticised organisers and the All India Chess Federation for a lack of accountability, saying repeated emails went unanswered. Gupta urged authorities to protect the “dignity and trust” of Indian chess players.

S8UL signed 19-year-old Grandmaster Pranesh M for the Esports World Cup 2026, alongside Nihal Sarin and Aravindh Chithambaram. Pranesh recently gained attention after helping R Vaishali stay calm during her historic FIDE Women’s Candidates triumph. Chess returns to EWC this August with a $1.5 million prize pool.

Javokhir Sindarov defeated D Gukesh in their first-ever blitz clash at the Grand Chess Tour in Warsaw, avenging his earlier rapid loss to the World Champion. Gukesh’s rare fist-pump celebration after that previous win had gone viral. With one win each, their growing rivalry now heads into a decisive final reverse-blitz showdown before this year’s World Championship clash.