Vandan Alankar Sawai, Delhi Chess Player, Beats World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen

A Delhi chess player named Vandan Alankar Sawai made headlines after defeating Magnus Carlsen, the world’s top-ranked chess player, in an online blitz tournament on Chess.com. Vandan’s father discovered the win only later when he checked his son’s account.

Vandan, who has an ELO rating of 2,288, competed in Chess.com’s Titled Tuesday tournament. He faced Magnus Carlsen, rated 2,823, and won a 50-move game. Vandan initially kept the victory secret from his parents, revealing it only after his father asked about his activities.

His mother shared that Vandan was reluctant to join the event but was persuaded by his parents. Even Vandan’s coach, Gurpreet Pal Singh, learned of the win the next day.

Vandan, 15, lives in Delhi and is known for his academic success and love for military history. He aims to earn the International Master title. When asked if chess could be his future profession, he expressed interest in history or political science instead.

In the game against Magnus Carlsen, Vandan played confidently without pressure. He used his usual opening move, e4, and adopted a relaxed approach. The game followed the Giuoco Piano variation until move 26, when Magnus made a mistake by moving his king into checkmate. Surprised by the error, Vandan won the game.

After the tournament, Vandan shared his achievement with friends at Delhi’s Sardar Patel Vidyalaya but faced some skepticism. He finished fourth in the tournament with three wins and one loss.