Why Magnus Carlsen Thinks Nihal Sarin Is One to Watch at the Esports World Cup
Indian chess prodigy Nihal Sarin continues to impress the global chess community, earning a powerful endorsement from none other than World No. 1 and five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen. Speaking ahead of the Esports World Cup 2025 in Riyadh, Carlsen lauded Sarin’s lightning-fast skills under extreme time pressure.
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The Esports World Cup features a unique and unforgiving time control: 10 minutes with no increment — a format that intensifies pressure and demands razor-sharp speed and decision-making. Carlsen, representing Team Liquid, acknowledged that while his own mouse speed isn’t the fastest, it’s players like Nihal who can be truly dangerous in this format.
“We saw in the qualifier how incredibly good Nihal is with very little time on the clock,” Carlsen told ChessBase India. “There could be certain players like him and Alireza [Firouzja] who are very dangerous in this format.”
Carlsen’s comments shine a spotlight on Nihal Sarin, who has long been known for his calm demeanor and exceptional speed in online rapid and blitz formats. His consistent performances in high-stakes digital tournaments have earned him respect not just in India, but among the very elite of world chess.
Still only in his early 20s, Sarin has been quietly building an international reputation for excelling under pressure — especially in formats where instinct and speed are as crucial as strategy.
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