Nihal Sarin latest to join Grand Master list from India

Bengaluru, August 15: Nihal Sarin on Wednesday (August 15) became the India's 53rd Grand Master after holding Uzbekistan's Temur Kuybokarov in the eighth round of the Abu Dhabi Masters chess.

Nihal Sarin is a 14-year-old chess prodigy from Kerala and also the third Grand Master from the state after GN Gopal and SL Narayanan. Nihal's current ELO rating stands at 2556.

This has been a fine week for Indian chess as Vaishali R, sister of the world's second-youngest Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa, became the latest Woman Grandmaster (WGM) from India on Monday (August 13).

Earlier, Nihal Sarin made his final stride towards the third and last GM norm, disposing off higher rated Grandmaster Parligras Mircea-Emilian of Romania in the sixth round of Abu Dhabi Masters.

Nihal Sarin scores his 3rd GM norm at the Abu Dhabi Masters 2018 with one round to spare. His average rating of opponents is 2545, for which 5.5/9 is enough for a GM norm.
He becomes a GM at the age of 14 years 1 month and 1 day. Nihal is India's 53rd GM!!
Photos: @amrutamokal pic.twitter.com/xUHXtfFUHC

— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) August 14, 2018

Taking his tally to 4.5 points out of six rounds, Nihal currently clocks a rating performance of over 2700 and a 50 percent score in the last three rounds should get him the coveted GM title.

Playing the white side of a Queen pawn game, Nihal Sarin was always in control as he capitalised on an opportunity to play in the centre and netted a pawn in the ensuing complexities arising out of the middle game.

The Queen's gambit declined may have a solid reputation but Nihal proved that if consistent pressure is applied, a Grandmaster, way above him in ranking, could be tamed.

Parligras realised that the endgame he ventured in to was not so easy and easily caved in when faced with the prospects of losing second pawn. The game lasted 67 moves.

Even as Daniil Dubov of Russia and Anton Korobov shot in to joint lead on 5.5 points apiece beating Levan Pantsulaia of Georgia and Wang Hao of China respectively, the focus was around the Indian youngsters trying to make their mark with a strong presence.

The two leaders are solely pursued by local hero A R Salem Saleh who is a half point behind and as many as 16-players share the joint fourth spot on 4.5 points including S L Narayanan, Murali Karthikeyan, Aravindh Chithambaram and Sarin.

Pragg - India's 52nd GM on 23/6/2018.

Nihal - India's 53rd GM on 14/8/2018.

Both of them are humongous talents and there is absolutely no doubt that one day they will fight for the highest crown! The good news is that they are great friends of each other!
Photo: Amruta Mokal pic.twitter.com/MuPqooZMko

— ChessBase India (@ChessbaseIndia) August 14, 2018

It looks like a few norms for the Indians will be made surely here and while Nihal remains the top favourite for the GM norm, Erigaisi Arjun and P Iniyan kept themselves in contention following draws against Adly Ahmed of Egypt and Davit Jojua of Georgia respectively.

Among those running for IM norms, Aaryan Varhsney came back from the jaws of defeat to win against Raunak Sadhwani and keep himself in contention while 12-year-old Pranav Anand was at his exceptional best while beating compatriot Grandmaster M Shyam Sundar.

Another talent Dushyant Sharma kept himself in the hunt after letting slip a better position against GM S Kidambi.