Aarit Kapil Creates Chess Buzz at 10, Secures Second International Master Norm

Ten-year-old Aarit Kapil has moved within touching distance of a major chess milestone after securing his second International Master (IM) norm at the Rudar GM Closed Tournament in Serbia.

The young Indian achieved the feat with a round to spare, continuing a remarkable rise that has already seen him take on some of the strongest names in the game. Aarit now needs just one more IM norm to become an International Master.

Aarit began his campaign in impressive fashion, scoring notable victories over Serbia’s IM Kirill Klukin and Bulgaria’s Nikolov Momchil. He then produced another eye-catching result by defeating Bulgarian Grandmaster Radoslav Dimitrov, racing to 3.5 points from his first four rounds.

The 10-year-old subsequently showed tremendous composure, drawing his next four games to secure the required norm on Thursday evening.

With eight rounds completed, Aarit sits alone at the top of the standings with 5.5 points, putting himself in a strong position to claim his first title in a closed Grandmaster tournament. A draw in the final round is expected to be enough for the Indian youngster to finish on top.

Aarit, who turns 11 next month, has already attracted considerable attention in the chess world. Last year, he famously held world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen to a draw, underlining the extraordinary potential he possesses at such a young age.

His latest performance is particularly noteworthy after a difficult run in some recent tournaments. The Serbian event has once again showcased his ability to bounce back and compete confidently against experienced international players.

Aarit leads the field by half a point, with Saidakbar Saydailiev of Uzbekistan, Anton Karpenkov playing under the FIDE flag, and Bangladesh’s Zia Tahsin Talwar sharing second place on five points.

With just one round remaining, the spotlight is firmly on India’s young chess prodigy as he looks to cap his impressive Serbian campaign with another landmark achievement.