Vandan Alankar Sawai Triumphs Over Magnus Carlsen in Chess

Fifteen-year-old Vandan Alankar Sawai from Delhi recently made headlines by defeating Magnus Carlsen, a notable achievement in the world of chess. Vandan began his chess education at the age of seven in Delhi and progressed to individual training under FM Gurpreet Pal Singh.

Over five years, he surpassed the 1900 Elo rating, a common threshold for Indian juniors aiming for international competition. His journey included participation in tournaments across Europe and the UAE, where he initially faced challenges but later improved significantly, culminating in a third-place finish at the 25th Dubai Open 2025.

To enhance his skills, Vandan sought guidance from various chess masters and focused on improving his calculation abilities. His dedication paid off, as he increased his rating by nearly 230 points across four tournaments, reaching a projected rating of 2338 by the end of August 2026.