1 Magnus Carlsen and Vandan Alankar Sawai. A combination of file photos shows world No.
Vandan, a Class X student of Sardar Patel Vidyalaya, had won three of the four games he played on August 18 and, still tired and jet-lagged, simply told his parents he was done for the night. His victory over Magnus Carlsen came in an online blitz tournament hosted by Chess.com Vandan initially didn’t know what to make of the result as Carlsen had committed a blunder in the game Vandan’s victory came in an online blitz tournament hosted by Chess.com, where he faced Carlsen, rated 2,823.
“He just came into the room and said, ‘I’m done with my four rounds. He couldn’t understand how Carlsen could have blundered,” Madhuri said. There was no celebration or excited retelling of the game. It was only later that his family realised he had defeated one of the greatest chess players in the world. That’s it,’” his mother, Dr Madhuri Alankar Sawai, recalled. “He was a little sceptical. Playing with the white pieces, Vandan began with his customary e4, while Carlsen replied with e5, taking the game into a variation of the Giuoco Piano opening.
NEW DELHI: Just two days after returning from a six-week trip to Europe, 15-year-old Delhi chess player Vandan Alankar Sawai sat down for an online tournament, beat World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen in 50 moves and then simply went to bed.