Delhi teenager Vandan Sawai beats Magnus Carlsen in online blitz game

Vandan Alankar Sawai returned from a six-week trip to Europe, played four online blitz games on August 18 and went to bed without much ceremony. One of those games was a 50-move win over Magnus Carlsen.

The 15-year-old Delhi player, a Class X student at Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, had the white pieces in a Chess.com tournament. He opened with e4 and the game moved into a Giuoco Piano variation after Carlsen replied with e5.

The position stayed balanced until move 26, when Sawai’s bishop attacked Carlsen’s king. Carlsen moved his king rather than capturing the bishop, losing a piece; Sawai converted the advantage to win.

Sawai’s mother, Dr Madhuri Alankar Sawai, said he had simply told his parents he had finished his four rounds. His father later checked the games on the teenager’s Chess.com profile and recognised the opponent. Sawai initially wondered if Carlsen had made an accidental online move.

He has trained under FM Gurpreet Pal Singh and, more recently, IM Kushager Krishnater. Sawai is undecided on pursuing chess full-time but wants to become an International Master.