Tata Steel Rapid 2026 R1-3: Vishy Anand and Hans Niemann make a great start

by Shahid Ahmed - 08/01/2026

Vishy Anand and Hans Niemann (USA) have emerged early coleaders at Tata Steel India Rapid 2026. Both of them scored 2.5/3 on the first day. Anand defeated Wesley So (USA) and Aravindh Chithambaram, drew against Wei Yi (CHN). Hans on the other hand, won against former World Rapid champion, Volodar Murzin and R Praggnanandhaa, drew against Vidit Gujrathi. Arjun Erigaisi started the event with two losses. Vidit Gujrathi scored an unbeaten 2/3. Nihal Sarin and Praggnanandhaa scored 1.5/3 each. In the Women's event, IM Vantika Agrawal scored 2/3 including wins over GM R Vaishali and GM Harika Dronavalli. WGM Rakshitta Ravi drew all three of her games, although she was winning against the new World Rapid Women's 2025 champion, GM Aleksandra Goryachkina. Round 4 starts tomorrow at 2 p.m. IST. Photo: IA NI Vivek Sohani

Women: Goryachkina escapes jaws of defeat against Rakshitta

Tata Steel Chess India Rapid and Blitz 2026 logo | Photo: Official site

Round 1: Anand - So: 1-0

The last time Vishy Anand (2721) and Wesley So (USA, 2705) faced each other in Rapid was over two years ago at Amsterdam Levitov Rapid in 2023. They traded wins there, both times with white pieces.

Position after 33.Bxd4

So's overambitious approach 33...g4?? backfired 34.gxf4+- Nxf4 35.Qf5 Nh3+ 36.Kf1 Rh8 37.e6+ Kh6 38.Be3+ Ng5 39.h4 Kg7 40.hxg5 and White won.

Vishy Anand's childhood friend, India's second GM in history - Dibyendu Barua who is also the Tournament Director, made the inaugural first move in presence of Chief Arbiter - IA R Anantharam | Photo: IA NI Vivek Sohani

Arjun - Vidit: 0-1

Arjun Erigaisi had (2746) never lost a game against Vidit Gujrathi (2632) at Tata Steel India Rapid until this game. Previously three games ended in draws and Arjun won one.

Position after 28...fxe4

White needed to play 29.Nxe4. Instead, he played 29.Rxe4? Nb6-+ and White's position started falling apart.

Vidit Gujrathi started the day with a win | Photo: Lennart Ootes

GM Aravindh Chithambaram - GM R Praggnanandhaa: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: IA NI Vivek Sohani

GM Divya Deshmukh and GM Harika Dronavalli played a 114-move long marathon draw | Photo: Lennart Ootes

IM Vantika Agrawal started her campaign with a win over GM R Vaishali | Photo: IA NI Vivek Sohani

Rakshitta - Goryachkina

Position after 44...Kg7?

WGM Rakshitta Ravi (2148) found herself getting a decisive advantage after the newly crowned World Rapid Women's champion, GM Aleksandra Goryachkina (2512) made the mistake of retreating her king 44...Kg7? to a wrong square. Rakshitta found the correct move 45.Rb7+- However she could not follow through completely and allowed her opponent to escape with a draw via perpetual check.

WGM Rakshitta Ravi had the new World Rapid Women's champion, GM Aleksandra Goryachkina on the ropes | Photo: IA NI Vivek Sohani

Round 2: Praggnanandhaa - Arjun: 1-0

R Praggnanandhaa (2662) has defeated Arjun Erigaisi (2746) in every single time they faced each other at this event. All three wins back in 2021, 2023 and 2024 occurred with the white pieces. This time also Praggnanandhaa had the white pieces and the result was the same. Arjun's pieces got tied up early in the King's Indian Defence and he could not recover for the rest of the game.

R Praggnanandhaa is a challenge Arjun Erigaisi is yet to overcome at Tata Steel India Rapid | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Nihal - Aravindh: 1-0

The only time Nihal Sarin (2660) faced India's first and only triple crown champion, Aravindh Chithambaram (2603) at a Rapid rated game was at World Rapid 2023. Nihal won that encounter. This time also the result was the same.

Nihal Sarin scored his first win of the day against Aravindh Chithambaram | Photo: IA NI Vivek Sohani

Vishy Anand escaped with a draw against Wei Yi (CHN) | Photo: IA NI Vivek Sohani

WGM Rakshitta Ravi (pictured) - IM Carissa Yip (USA): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: IA NI Vivek Sohani

Round 3: Hans - Praggnanandhaa: 1-0

Hans Niemann crushed R Praggnanandhaa | Photo: Lennart Ootes

Vishy Anand defeated Aravindh Chithambaram to finish the day at the top 2.5/3 | Photo: IA NI Vivek Sohani

The Madras Tiger is back | Video: ChessBase India

IM Vantika Agrawal (2325) got the better of GM Harika Dronavalli (2416).

WGM Rakshitta Ravi (2148) held the FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 winner, GM Divya Deshmukh (2442) to a draw.

Press Conference | Video: ChessBase India

Replay live stream

Replay Tata Steel Chess India Rapid 2026 Round 1-3 live commentary by IM Sagar Shah and Amruta Mokal | Video: ChessBase India

Format

There will be two tournaments: a men's and a women's event. The tournaments will be played in two formats - Rapid and Blitz. For the second time, both Men's and Women's event will take place simultaneously. Three rounds of Rapid games will be played on the first three days, followed by nine rounds of Blitz per day on the remaining two days of each event. The time control is 15 minutes for the entire game with an increment of 10 seconds from move no.1. For Blitz, the time control is 3 minutes with an increment of 2 seconds from move no.1.

Venue

Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium in Kolkata, West Bengal. The tournament is open to all spectators and entry is free for all.

Replay Round 1-3 Men games

Replay Round 1-3 Women games

Round 1-3 Men results

Round 1 on 2026/01/07 at 15:00 hrs
Bo.	FED	Rtg		White	Result		Black	FED	Rtg
1	IND	2721	GM	Anand, Viswanathan	1 - 0	GM	So, Wesley	USA	2705
2	CHN	2746	GM	Wei, Yi	½ - ½	GM	Nihal, Sarin	IND	2660
3	IND	2603	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.	½ - ½	GM	Praggnanandhaa, R	IND	2662
4	IND	2746	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	0 - 1	GM	Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi	IND	2632
5	USA	2636	GM	Niemann, Hans Moke	1 - 0	GM	Murzin, Volodar	FID	2603
Round 2 on 2026/01/07 at 16:15 hrs
Bo.	FED	Rtg		White	Result		Black	FED	Rtg
1	USA	2705	GM	So, Wesley	1 - 0	GM	Murzin, Volodar	FID	2603
2	IND	2632	GM	Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi	½ - ½	GM	Niemann, Hans Moke	USA	2636
3	IND	2662	GM	Praggnanandhaa, R	1 - 0	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	IND	2746
4	IND	2660	GM	Nihal, Sarin	1 - 0	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.	IND	2603
5	IND	2721	GM	Anand, Viswanathan	½ - ½	GM	Wei, Yi	CHN	2746
Round 3 on 2026/01/07 at 17:30 hrs
Bo.	FED	Rtg		White	Result		Black	FED	Rtg
1	CHN	2746	GM	Wei, Yi	0 - 1	GM	So, Wesley	USA	2705
2	IND	2603	GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.	0 - 1	GM	Anand, Viswanathan	IND	2721
3	IND	2746	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	1 - 0	GM	Nihal, Sarin	IND	2660
4	USA	2636	GM	Niemann, Hans Moke	1 - 0	GM	Praggnanandhaa, R	IND	2662
5	FID	2603	GM	Murzin, Volodar	½ - ½	GM	Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi	IND	2632

Details

Standings after Round 3

Vishy Anand and Hans Niemann are the early coleaders 2.5/3 | Graphic: Tata Steel Chess India

Round 4 pairings

Bo.	FED	Rtg		White	Result		Black	FED	Rtg
1	USA	2705	GM	So, Wesley		GM	Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi	IND	2632
2	IND	2662	GM	Praggnanandhaa, R		GM	Murzin, Volodar	FID	2603
3	IND	2660	GM	Nihal, Sarin		GM	Niemann, Hans Moke	USA	2636
4	IND	2721	GM	Anand, Viswanathan		GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	IND	2746
5	CHN	2746	GM	Wei, Yi		GM	Aravindh, Chithambaram Vr.	IND	2603

Details

Round 1-3 Women results

Round 1 on 2026/01/07 at 15:00 hrs
Bo.	FED	Rtg		White	Result		Black	FED	Rtg
1	IND	2148	WGM	Rakshitta, Ravi	½ - ½	GM	Goryachkina, Aleksandra	FID	2512
2	USA	2347	IM	Yip, Carissa	1 - 0	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula	GRE	2347
3	IND	2422	GM	Divya, Deshmukh	½ - ½	GM	Dronavalli, Harika	IND	2416
4	GEO	2393	GM	Dzagnidze, Nana	½ - ½	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	RUS	2421
5	IND	2325	IM	Vantika, Agrawal	1 - 0	GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	IND	2392
Round 2 on 2026/01/07 at 16:15 hrs
Bo.	FED	Rtg		White	Result		Black	FED	Rtg
1	FID	2512	GM	Goryachkina, Aleksandra	1 - 0	GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	IND	2392
2	RUS	2421	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	1 - 0	IM	Vantika, Agrawal	IND	2325
3	IND	2416	GM	Dronavalli, Harika	½ - ½	GM	Dzagnidze, Nana	GEO	2393
4	GRE	2347	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula	1 - 0	GM	Divya, Deshmukh	IND	2422
5	IND	2148	WGM	Rakshitta, Ravi	½ - ½	IM	Yip, Carissa	USA	2347
Round 3 on 2026/01/07 at 17:30 hrs
Bo.	FED	Rtg		White	Result		Black	FED	Rtg
1	USA	2347	IM	Yip, Carissa	1 - 0	GM	Goryachkina, Aleksandra	FID	2512
2	IND	2422	GM	Divya, Deshmukh	½ - ½	WGM	Rakshitta, Ravi	IND	2148
3	GEO	2393	GM	Dzagnidze, Nana	1 - 0	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula	GRE	2347
4	IND	2325	IM	Vantika, Agrawal	1 - 0	GM	Dronavalli, Harika	IND	2416
5	IND	2392	GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	½ - ½	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	RUS	2421

Details

Standings after Round 3

Round 4 pairings

Bo.	FED	Rtg		White	Result		Black	FED	Rtg
1	FID	2512	GM	Goryachkina, Aleksandra		GM	Lagno, Kateryna	RUS	2421
2	IND	2416	GM	Dronavalli, Harika		GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	IND	2392
3	GRE	2347	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula		IM	Vantika, Agrawal	IND	2325
4	IND	2148	WGM	Rakshitta, Ravi		GM	Dzagnidze, Nana	GEO	2393
5	USA	2347	IM	Yip, Carissa		GM	Divya, Deshmukh	IND	2422

Details

Schedule

Everyday round starts at 3 p.m. IST. The Rapid event will take place from 7th to 9th January, followed by the Blitz event on 10th and 11th January.

Prize

The total prize fund remains the same as the previous two editions - US$ 41500. The top three prizes in the Rapid are - $10000, $6000 and $3000. For Blitz they are - $7500, $4000 and $2500. Most importantly, the prizes remain equal in both Open and Womens events.