Aarit Kapil

Chess Player

Indian Mayur Vihar, New Delhi, India

Quick Info

ProfessionChess Player
NationalityIndian
Date of Birth22/09/2015
Age10 years
BirthplaceMayur Vihar, New Delhi, India

Latest News about Aarit Kapil

22/06/2026

Aarit Kapil secured an International Master (IM) norm at the Menorca Open in Spain, becoming the youngest Indian to achieve this milestone at 10 years and 7 months. During the tournament, he defeated Grandmaster Kazybek Nogerbek in a classical game and drew against strong opponents including IM Faustino Oro, solidifying his status as a top junior player globally.

25/03/2026

Aarit Kapil drew against World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in an online blitz game during the Early Titled Tuesday competition on Chess.com. The 9-year-old from Delhi held a winning position deep into the game but was forced to split the point on move 49 due to severe time pressure, drawing widespread attention for competing against one of the strongest players in the world.

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Physical Stats & More

Eye ColorBlack
Hair ColorBlack

Educational Qualification(s)

Current Education5th standard at Somerville School, New Delhi

Personal Life

ReligionHinduism
Hobbies
  • Playing Cricket
  • Drawing

Relationships & More

Marital StatusUnmarried

Family

FatherVijay Kapil (Mutual Fund Distributor)
MotherNisha Kapil
SiblingsAarna Kapil (Student)

Career

OverviewAarit Kapil is recognized as one of the most promising young chess players in India. He has made history by becoming the youngest Indian to defeat a Grandmaster in a classical chess match and the youngest Indian to achieve an International Master (IM) norm.
Achievements
  • Won the Under-8 Delhi State Chess Championship in 2022.
  • Secured 1st runner-up at the Asian chess youth championship in UAE in 2023.
  • Defeated Grandmaster Raset Ziatdinov on December 9, 2024, becoming the youngest Indian to do so.
  • Led the 37th National Under-9 Championship in Pune in December 2024.
  • Awarded the title of Candidate Master by FIDE in early 2025.
  • Drew against World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in an online blitz game during the Early Titled Tuesday competition in March 2026, maintaining a winning position until time constraints forced the draw on the 49th move.
  • Achieved an International Master (IM) norm at the Menorca Open in Spain in June 2026, becoming the youngest Indian to reach this milestone at 10 years and 7 months.
  • Defeated Grandmaster Kazybek Nogerbek in a classical game at the Menorca Open in June 2026.
  • Crossed the 2600 Elo rating threshold on Chess.com in June 2026.
Current TrainingTrained by International Master Vishal Sareen.

Social Media

Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/p/Aarit-kapil-100083082443495/
Chesscomhttps://www.chess.com/member/drstrange2015
Chess.comhttps://www.chess.com/member/drstrange2015

Some Lesser Known Facts

1. Aarit was introduced to chess by his sister at the age of four.
2. He practices chess for five to six hours every day.
3. He had a winning position against Magnus Carlsen during a game at the World U-10 Championship.
4. His chess.com username is Drstrange2015.
5. Within a week of learning chess, he started defeating casual players.
6. He had a winning position against Magnus Carlsen during an online blitz game in the Early Titled Tuesday competition.
7. He is the third-youngest player globally to defeat a Grandmaster in classical play, behind Ashwath Kaushik (Singapore) and Leonid Ivanovic (Serbia).
Information on this page is collected from public sources and may not be 100% accurate. Report an error
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