This Past Weekend in Chess: Nihal Shocks the Bullet King

A young star shocks the world

This past weekend, the chess world saw something it will not forget.

A young Indian grandmaster named Nihal Sarin won the 2026 Bullet Chess Championship. He beat the defending champion, Alireza Firouzja, who had won the title three times before. And he did it in the most dramatic way.

Nihal almost did not make the final. Early on, he lost his place at the top and fell into the "losers bracket." This is the part of the event where one more loss means you go home. But Nihal did not go home. He fought back, game after game.

First he beat Andrew Tang. Then he beat his own countryman, Arjun Erigaisi. Then he reached the Grand Final to face Firouzja, the big favorite.

And then the magic happened.

A streak nobody saw coming

In the final, Nihal went on a run of 15 wins in a row. Fifteen! Against one of the fastest players on the planet. At one point Firouzja could only laugh in disbelief.

Nihal won the first final match 15.5–7.5. Because Firouzja had not lost a match all event, he earned a "reset" — one more chance. It did not help. Nihal won again, 9.5–4.5.

For the win, Nihal took home $10,000 from the $50,000 prize fund. It was the first time he had ever reached the Grand Final.

After the games, he seemed surprised by his own run. When told he had won 15 games in a row, he said, "Really, 15? I had no idea!" He was humble, too. He said it was simply not Firouzja's day. "It happens!" he smiled.

Wait — what is "bullet" chess?

If you are new to chess, here is the simple idea.

In bullet chess, each player gets only one minute for the whole game. No more. So players must think and move in less than a second at times. It is fast, it is wild, and one small slip can end everything. To win a title like this, you need a calm mind and a very quick hand. That is why Nihal's run was so special.

What is coming next

The chess calendar does not slow down. Two events are worth watching.

First, a brand-new event begins this week in Zagreb, Croatia — a rapid and blitz tournament running from June 29 to July 6.

Then, from July 3 to 5, the United States hosts the first-ever Naroditsky Memorial in Charlotte. It is named in honor of the late Daniel Naroditsky, a much-loved player and teacher. The field is huge and full of stars, including Hikaru Nakamura, Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, young Candidates winner Javokhir Sindarov, and 14-year-old talent Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus. With many grandmasters signed up, it may be one of the strongest speed-chess weekends ever held in America.

A closing thought

Chess can feel like a quiet game. But moments like Nihal's remind us why people love it. A player who was almost out came back and beat the champion, again and again, faster than most of us can blink.

It is a simple lesson, really. Stay calm. Keep fighting. And sometimes, on the right day, magic happens.

We will see you next time — the board is always ready.