The Indian chess sensation Nihal Sarin makes waves for India’s flag in the Esports World Cup 2025. He will be joining fellow Indian chess player, Arjun Erigaisi, in the Chess portion of this year’s EWC. Sarin was qualified via the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ) during the ongoing EWC in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia this very year. He will be playing under S8UL Esports, which happens to be India’s top Esports organizations. Sarin is set to make his country and team proud by competing against the world’s best of the best in the game of chess.
Nihal Sarin’s Road to EWC 2025
As far as tough paths go, Nihal Siran certainly had one on his road to EWC 2025 chess. He missed two opportunities to qualify for this tournament. This being his opportunity to have done so in Champions Chess Tour (CCT) events. But alas, he entered the LCQ in Riyadh, and is now the “player to watch”. During the qualifier, he defeated Russia’s Andrey Esipenko – effectively securing his ticket to EWC 2025.
For now, Sarin will be competing against Javokhir Sindarov for the final at the LCQ. Even if he loses, his spot is still secured for the main event of Esports World Cup 2025 in Chess. He will be playing against and side-by-side with others who made it through the final qualifier, such as Anish Giri, Sindarov, and Levon Aronian.
Many Esports fans are celebrating such a massive achievement. In fact, you can check out coverage of the EWC 2025 over at 12BET India!
Indian Contenders and Near Misses
While Nihal Sarin and Arjun Erigaisi will be representing India for Chess at the EWC 2025, unfortunately, a fellow countryman has missed the opportunity to raise the flag. GM R. Praggnanandhaa recently missed the cut, after having been defeated by Anish Giri in a sort of “Armageddon” tiebreaker.
Arjun Erigaisi and Others Who Qualified Earlier
Notably, before Sarin, Arjun Erigaisi happened to secure his Esports World Cup 2025 Chess spot in the second leg of the Chess.com Classic 2025 (CCT). He competed alongside famous Chess grandmasters like Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Ian Nepomniachtchi.
In this year’s EWC for Chess, the first ever to appear in the tournament, there will be 16 players competing from around the world. Nihal Sarin has joined the fray, and alongside Arjun, India now has two contenders for the chance to win the very first EWC Chess tournament.
SEE ALSO: Esports World Cup 2025: India’s Rising Stars So Far
What Makes EWC 2025 Special?
Esports World Cup 2025 takes place in Riyadh from July 7 to August 24. It is, in fact, one of the biggest Esports tournaments to date – homing 2,000 players, 200+ teams, and a $70 million prize pool across several titles like Chess, DOTA 2, Call of Duty – to name a few. It is considered to be the “Olympics” of Esports and is one of the biggest Esports events to ever happen in history.
Chess, in particular, is getting its spotlight as an official online event – opening doors for Chess players like Nihal Sarin to gain digital Chess glory. In fact, 12BET India covers all 24 different game titles, from match highlights, to the final winners of the Esports World Cup 2025.
Nihal Sarin: A Prodigy in the Digital Arena
Born on July 13, 2004, Nihal Sarin became a Grandmaster at just 14 and was the third-youngest player to cross the 2600 Elo rating. Known for his adaptability in rapid and blitz chess, he is a fan favorite for online formats, making him a perfect fit for the EWC stage.
His past accomplishments include winning the Under-10 World Chess Championship and helping India secure gold in the FIDE Online Chess Olympiad in 2020. With platforms like 12BET Cricket highlighting his milestones, Nihal Sarin is not just a rising chess star—he’s now a recognized force in esports as well.
Nihal Sarin: A Prodigy in the Digital Arena
On the 13th of July of 2004, Nihal Sarin became a Grandmaster at just the young age of 14. He was, in fact, the third youngster player to make it to the 2600 Elo rating. He is incredibly adaptable, rapid in his movements, and is a fan favorite for online Chess. Sarin has also secured India gold in the FIDE Online Chess Olympiad in 2020. And best of all? He also won the Under-10 World Chess Championship.
Sarin’s qualification for the Esports World Cup 2025 is historically something to be remembered in the Indian Esports realm. Talents like him continue to be at the forefront of Indian Esports players looking to make their name on the international stage. With Indian representation taking center stage at EWC 2025, it is only a matter of time before they clinch title wins and take home generous prize pools.