Now opens with the question “Can Aarit Kapil become India’s youngest International Master?” and immediately answers it. The last sentence “Two more norms and 96 rating points stand between him and chess history” creates a clear hook that makes readers want to keep reading.
A 10-year-old from New Delhi just secured his first International Master norm at an open tournament in Spain against a field of grandmasters and international masters. Aarit Kapil scored 5 out of 9 points at the Menorca Open 2026, beating a former World Junior Champion along the way. It is the latest proof that Indian chess keeps producing extraordinary young talent.
What Happened at the Menorca Open
The V Open Chess Menorca 2026 was held in Ciutadella de Menorca, Spain, from April 7 to April 12. Aarit Kapil entered the nine-round Swiss event with a FIDE classical rating of 2304. He needed a tournament performance rating of at least 2450 against a sufficient number of titled players to earn an IM norm.
He finished with 5.0 out of 9 points and a tournament performance rating of 2453. That crossed the FIDE threshold. Over the nine rounds, he faced seven titled players, including three Grandmasters and four International Masters.
His opening three rounds set the tone for the entire event.
Beating a World Junior Champion in Round 2
In Round 2, Aarit was paired against Grandmaster Kazybek Nogerbek of Kazakhstan, rated 2528 and a former World Under-20 Champion. On paper it was a mismatch. A 10-year-old with a rating of 2304 against an elite GM with youth world championship pedigree.
Aarit won.
After the game he explained his mindset: “I just thought that okay, he is a world junior champion, but I can beat him because I have drawn Magnus Carlsen.“
That line tells you everything about how this boy approaches chess. He drew Magnus Carlsen from a winning position in an online blitz game in June 2025. That experience, at age nine, erased whatever fear he might have had of playing higher-rated opponents.
In Round 3 he followed up by beating International Master Aldiyar Ansat of Kazakhstan, rated 2484. Two consecutive wins against players rated over 2450 put him in serious norm contention after just three rounds.
Draws Against Elite Opposition
The Swiss system responded by pairing him against even stronger players. In Round 4 he drew American Grandmaster Bryce Tiglon, rated 2529. In Round 5 he drew International Master Faustino Oro of Argentina, rated 2528, who at the time held records for being among the youngest players in history to achieve the IM title and is known in junior chess circles as the Messi of Chess.
Holding draws against both was no small achievement. Aarit gave nothing away in either game.
The Nail-Biting Final Round
After two consecutive losses in the middle rounds, Aarit entered Round 9 knowing he needed at least a draw to secure the norm. He was paired against Samuel Asaka of Australia.
He held the draw. The norm was confirmed.
After the tournament Aarit reflected on what he had achieved: “I never expected that out of seven games against a rating average of 2500 I would get 3.5 points. I was very happy about that. I think I played really well in this tournament.”
Who is Aarit Kapil?
Aarit Kapil was born on September 13, 2015, in New Delhi. He learned chess at age five from his elder sister Aarna. Within a week of learning the rules, he was beating both his parents. His father Vijay Kapil noticed immediately: “Within a week, he had beaten me. I thought that if he beats me at that age, there is some potential in him.“
He trains under International Master Vishal Sareen, who gives him training at IM-level difficulty every day. Sareen’s assessment is direct: “I give him training with International Master-level difficulties, but he surprises me every time. I think he’s born for chess.”
Aarit studies chess for five to six hours a day. His father says he has no interest in video games or movies. “Bas chess hi karta hai. Aur kuch nahi karta,” meaning he only does chess and nothing else.
His Record Before Menorca
This norm did not come from nowhere. Aarit had been building toward it for over a year.
In December 2024, at age 9 years, 2 months, and 18 days, he defeated American Grandmaster Raset Ziatdinov in a classical game at the 13th KIIT International Chess Festival in Bhubaneswar. That made him the youngest Indian player in recorded history to defeat a Grandmaster in classical chess. Globally he was the third youngest ever to achieve this, behind only Ashwath Kaushik of Singapore and Leonid Ivanovic of Serbia.
In June 2025, playing from a hotel room in Georgia where he was competing at the Under-10 World Championship, he was paired against Magnus Carlsen in an online Titled Tuesday tournament. Computer analysis showed he built a completely winning position against the five-time World Champion. Under time pressure in the blitz format he could not convert and the game ended in a draw. It made national headlines across India and, as he explained at Menorca, permanently changed how he thinks about facing strong opponents.
In March 2026, he became the youngest player in Chess.com history to reach a blitz rating of 3000 on the platform, breaking the previous record held by Faustino Oro.
He won the Under-11 National Championship in 2025 and was runner-up at the Under-9 National Championship.
What He Needs for the Full IM Title
Securing one norm is the beginning, not the end. To become a full International Master, FIDE requires three IM norms covering a minimum of 27 rated games, and a published classical rating of at least 2400.
Aarit currently has one norm and a rating of 2304. He needs two more norms and 96 more rating points. Given the trajectory of his rating in recent months, both targets are well within reach. Between January 2023 and April 2026, his rating climbed from 1186 to 2304, a gain of 1118 points in just over three years.
GM Srinath Narayanan, who observed his performance at the Menorca Open, said: “I won’t be surprised to see him become a GM in the next two to three years.”
His coach IM Vishal Sareen drew a direct comparison to Indian cricket: “He’s just 10 years old, and the way he dominated Magnus Carlsen, I truly believe Aarit Kapil is the Sachin Tendulkar of chess.“
The One Challenge Ahead
Talent is not the limiting factor. The family has been open about the financial challenge of competing in European tournaments regularly, which is where most IM and GM norms are available. His father Vijay Kapil has publicly said: “He needs support and a chance to play in stronger tournaments in Europe.“
The All India Chess Federation and Chess.com India have publicly congratulated Aarit following the norm. The broader Indian chess community is aware of him. The hope now is that sponsors and institutions follow through with the support that will allow him to play the number of strong tournaments needed to complete his title journey.
What This Means for Young Chess Players
Aarit Kapil is 10 years old and already holds an IM norm against a field that averaged over 2500 in rating. His ambition when asked about his goals is simple and immediate: “World Champion. Nothing less.”
For every child learning chess today in India, this is what the pipeline looks like. The connection between chess and IQ is real, and stories like Aarit’s show what structured, serious training from a young age can produce.
Want to know more about what chess can do for your child? Read about how Kingdom of Chess helps young players develop the same skills that are taking Indian chess to the top of the world.
FAQ
Aarit Kapil was born on September 13, 2015. He was 10 years and 7 months old when he secured his first IM norm at the Menorca Open in April 2026.
An IM norm is a qualifying performance in a tournament that counts toward the International Master title. To earn the full title, a player needs three norms covering at least 27 rated games, and a FIDE rating of at least 2400. Aarit has secured his first norm.
Yes. In June 2025, during an online Titled Tuesday tournament on Chess.com, Aarit drew Magnus Carlsen from a winning position. He was nine years old at the time. The game was widely analyzed and confirmed by the platform.
His FIDE classical rating after the Menorca Open is 2304 as of April 2026. He has been one of the fastest-improving junior players in India, gaining over 1100 rating points since early 2023.
