REVENGE MODE ACTIVATED! Nihal Sarin Slams Magnus Carlsen and Naka in Bullet Brawl After World Cup Stunner

In the world of chess, comebacks are often louder than victories—and Nihal Sarin has just proven that again.
Barely days after his shocking early exit from the FIDE World Cup 2025 in Goa, the 21-year-old Indian speed-chess sensation delivered a statement performance that rocked the global chess community.

On Saturday, Nihal stormed into the Bullet Brawl Arena on Chess.com, a lightning-fast 1+0 battleground where instincts rule and hesitation is fatal. What followed next was nothing short of spectacular—he defeated Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura and Praggnanandhaa in the same event, claiming his third Bullet Brawl title.

Yes. All three. In one night.
A redemption arc so perfect the chess world couldn’t stop talking about it.

A Night of Pure Speed Chess Chaos

Bullet Brawl is a brutal two-hour marathon where players fight for points every minute, turning the arena into a warzone of tactics, time scrambles and neural-level calculation.
Yet, Nihal seemed to move in a different universe altogether.

1.65 games played

2.45 wins

3.10 draws

4.10 losses

5.Total: 151 points

He finished ahead of Hikaru Nakamura and Andrew Tang, both legends of bullet chess. For context, Nakamura owns 48 all-time Bullet Brawl wins. And yet, on this night… Nihal led the pack.

Often described as a “speed chess demon,” Nihal reminded the chess world why online formats fear his name.

What Makes This Victory Special?

Because this win came right after a disappointing World Cup performance—his second-round loss to Greek GM Stamatis Kourkoulos-Arditis had left fans shocked.
But champions don’t pause. They rise.

Nihal didn’t retreat.
He recalibrated.
And then he unleashed a performance that felt like both revenge and rebirth.

His dominance across formats—especially blitz and bullet—continues to inspire young players who see online arenas as the new proving grounds of chess mastery.

The Vishnu Prasanna Connection: A Legacy of Excellence

Behind every great player, there are great mentors—and one of the key figures in Nihal Sarin’s formative chess journey is GM Vishnu Prasanna, the renowned coach who helped shape Nihal’s early growth into an elite player.

Today, Vishnu Prasanna stands as the Co-Founder of the Madras School of Chess, one of India’s fastest-growing chess academies known for its deep training culture, strong coaching team, and grandmaster-level guidance.

His role in Nihal’s evolution is well-acknowledged in the Indian chess community

1.Building Nihal’s early positional strength

2.Instilling disciplined calculation methods

3.Sharpening his tactical alertness

4.Strengthening emotional balance during competitive pressure

Nihal’s achievements—including this latest Bullet Brawl triumph—continue to reflect the roots established through years of high-quality coaching.

For parents and students across India, this connection signals a clear message:
The Madras School of Chess isn’t just another academy. It is built by the same minds that trained India’s brightest stars.

Why This Win Matters for Indian Chess

India is witnessing a chess boom—Gukesh’s World Championship title, rising young prodigies, stronger domestic tournaments, and global headlines.
Nihal’s latest win adds another spark to this movement.

His performance shows:

India’s young chess generation is now strong enough to challenge legends like Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura. They are especially dominating online chess formats, proving that India is becoming a powerful force in fast-paced games. These players also show incredible mental strength, bouncing back from losses and staying focused under pressure. Altogether, India is producing world-class talent across blitz, rapid, bullet, and classical chess — making the country one of the most complete and promising chess nations in the world.

This victory isn’t just individual glory.
It’s a message to the chess world:
India’s next wave is here, and stronger than ever.

A New Chapter Begins

Nihal’s Bullet Brawl win is more than a tournament result.
It’s a reminder that setbacks are temporary, but champions are permanent.

As he continues to rise—and as academies like the Madras School of Chess push forward with elite-level training for the next generation—the future of Indian chess looks unstoppable.

The board is set.
The players are ready.
And India is writing a new era in global chess.

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