Nihal Sarin at the Global Chess League

FIDE title

Grandmaster

Federation

India

2026 team

FYERS American Gambits

2026 board

Superstar, men's boards

Seasons

2023, 2024, 2026

FIDE id

25092340

Nihal played the Prodigy board for the Chingari Gulf Titans in 2023 and for the PBG Alaskan Knights in 2024, when he was named the best male player of the season. After a season away he joins the Fyers American Gambits for 2026 on a men's Superstar board.

In the 2026 season Nihal plays for the FYERS American Gambits on one of the two Superstar men's boards. The season runs from 5 to 13 September 2026 in Bengaluru, India.

Global Chess League record

In 2023 the Chingari Gulf Titans finished fifth in Dubai. In 2024 the PBG Alaskan Knights, with Anish Giri as Icon, topped the league stage in London with 24 match points and lost the final to the Triveni Continental Kings. Nihal received the award for the best male player of the season; Alina Kashlinskaya of the same team received the women's award.

Nihal did not play the 2025 season in Mumbai.

1. 1.2023: Chingari Gulf Titans, Prodigy. Team result: fifth.
2. 2.2024: PBG Alaskan Knights, Prodigy. Team result: runners-up. Named the best male player of the season; the Knights topped the league stage and lost the final.

Career highlights

1. 1.Best male player of the 2024 Global Chess League season with the PBG Alaskan Knights.
2. 2.Won the Tata Steel Chess India rapid in Kolkata in 2022 and again in January 2026.
3. 3.Classical rating above 2700 on the September 2026 FIDE list, with rapid and blitz ratings at a similar level.
4. 4.Joins the Fyers American Gambits for 2026 after playing for two other franchises.
5. 5.On the September 2026 FIDE rating list, Nihal is rated 2718 in classical chess, 2698 in rapid and 2721 in blitz.

2026 season

Nihal Sarin plays the 2026 season with the FYERS American Gambits, which runs from 5 to 13 September 2026 in Bengaluru, India. Nihal's squad mates are Javokhir Sindarov, Daniil Dubov, Bibisara Assaubayeva, Sarasadat Khademalsharieh and Marc'Andria Maurizzi.

Each Global Chess League match is played on six boards of rapid chess, one board per squad member, and a win with Black earns the team more game points than a win with White. The format and scoring page explains the points. Matches are streamed free; the how-to-watch page lists the streams and the IST start times.

• —Matches played: 4
• —Match points: 6
• —Game points: 34
• —Position: 3 of 6

1. 1.Saturday 5 September, 15:30 IST: FYERS American Gambits 10–4 PBG Alaskan Knights
2. 2.Saturday 5 September, 20:00 IST: Triveni Continental Kings 5–14 FYERS American Gambits
3. 3.Sunday 6 September, 18:30 IST: Ganges Grandmasters 9–7 FYERS American Gambits
4. 4.Monday 7 September, 18:30 IST: FYERS American Gambits 3–15 Alpine APL Pipers

Results were last checked on 7 September 2026 at 8:44 PM IST.

The 2026 final is scheduled for Sunday 13 September 2026 in Bengaluru, India. The champion appears here after the final.

2026 games

Nihal has 4 finished games in the 2026 season: 2 wins, 2 draws, 0 losses, 10 team points earned.

1. 1.Saturday 5 September, 15:30 IST: board 2, White against Erigaisi Arjun (PBG Alaskan Knights), draw.
2. 2.Saturday 5 September, 20:00 IST: board 2, Black against Wei, Yi (Triveni Continental Kings), win.
3. 3.Sunday 6 September, 18:30 IST: board 2, Black against Aronian, Levon (Ganges Grandmasters), win.
4. 4.Monday 7 September, 18:30 IST: board 2, White against Giri, Anish (Alpine APL Pipers), draw.

Daily reports mentioning Nihal

1. 1.Day 1: Gambits win twice to take the first lead
2. 2.Day 2: Grandmasters stop Gambits as three teams tie

Frequently asked questions

More on the league: the Global Chess League 2026 hub, the schedule, the points table and the league overview with every season since 2023.