In the vibrant, often chaotic world of professional chess, some players carve out niches with such distinction that their nicknames become synonymous with their playstyle. For Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, that moniker is “The Speed Demon” – a title earned through his electrifying performances in the faster formats of the game. Even Magnus Carlsen, a man not prone to hyperbole, has lauded Sarin`s prowess in rapid time controls. Yet, beneath the veneer of lightning-fast moves and intuitive blunders, a different narrative has begun to unfold, one that speaks to the deeper, more complex challenges of classical chess mastery.
The Classical Conundrum
While Nihal`s online blitz and bullet statistics on platforms like Chess.com read like an ode to hyper-activity (tens of thousands of games, with bullet games alone outnumbering Carlsen`s entire bullet career several times over), his classical game has hit a noticeable plateau. The 2025 Chennai Grand Masters served as a stark, if somewhat painful, illustration. Despite meticulously prepared openings and positions that offered clear advantages against top-tier opponents like Anish Giri and Vidit Gujrathi, Sarin found himself unable to convert. Endgames, once within reach, slipped through his fingers, leaving him with a meager half-point from three critical rounds. His former trainer, Srinath Narayanan, observed with a pragmatic sigh, “He has certainly stagnated.”
This isn`t merely a rough patch; it`s a profound strategic puzzle. How does a player with such innate talent and tactical brilliance, capable of outmaneuvering the best in a minute-long sprint, falter in the marathon of classical chess, where time for introspection is a luxury?
A New Mentor, A Unique Challenge
Recognizing the urgency, Nihal Sarin has made a pivotal move, turning to Grandmaster Vishnu Prasanna. This name carries significant weight in Indian chess circles, for Vishnu was the architect behind the early rise of none other than the reigning World Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju. Until 2022, Vishnu guided Gukesh`s journey from a prodigious talent to the cusp of the elite, laying a foundation of classical understanding that would later propel him to the world title.
Now, Vishnu faces a different kind of challenge. Unlike Gukesh, whom he shaped from a young age with a more traditional, engine-light approach, Nihal is a product of the digital era. His neural pathways are wired for instantaneous calculation, honed by an unparalleled volume of online speed chess. Vishnu himself calls Nihal “a very unique talent,” confessing, “I have never seen any player approach chess or train chess in the way that Nihal does.” The task, therefore, isn`t just to teach, but to adapt – to “figure out what can we do to make him show results based on the way he approaches chess, based on his talent,” as Vishnu puts it.
“I have to adapt to Nihal. Definitely, there`s a lot of talent. I`ve never seen someone like him. But we`re seeing how to make it more practical, how to turn that talent into results.”
— GM Vishnu Prasanna
The irony is subtle yet potent: the trainer who built a classical world champion with a focus on fundamentals now finds himself navigating the uncharted waters of a prodigy whose primary training ground is the virtual chessboard, where moves are measured in milliseconds, not minutes.
The Psychological Edge: Confidence Amidst Peers
Beyond the technical adjustments, there`s a significant psychological dimension to Nihal`s current predicament. Srinath Narayanan points to a “lack of confidence and self-belief.” A few years ago, Nihal was at the forefront of a remarkable generation of Indian chess talents. Now, however, the landscape has shifted. Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and Arjun Erigaisi – all roughly his contemporaries – have surged ahead. Erigaisi has already breached the coveted 2800 ELO mark in classical chess, while Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa are comfortably in the high 2700s. Nihal, by contrast, is yet to hit 2700 in his classical career. This stark divergence, from being a prodigy on the cusp of elite status to seeing peers eclipse him, can be profoundly unsettling.
“It is important to look forward, you cannot keep looking backwards,” Srinath advises. “Stagnation is natural for someone so young at the elite level, but the next push can come only with confidence.”
The encouraging signs are there. Commentators at the Chennai Grand Masters observed that Nihal`s opening preparations were sharp, consistently putting pressure on his opponents. He wasn`t being outplayed in the initial and middle stages. The problem, it seems, lies not in preparation or understanding, but in the execution under the demanding psychological and temporal pressures of classical play – converting those advantageous positions into tangible wins.
The Path Forward: Channeling Instinct
This is where Vishnu Prasanna`s unique challenge lies: channeling Nihal`s incredible natural ability and instinct, so evident in his faster games, into the more deliberate, precise requirements of classical chess. It’s about bridging the gap between an almost instantaneous tactical vision and the sustained strategic rigor needed for long-form battles.
The young Grandmaster from Thrissur, India, is undoubtedly in capable hands. A few timely victories, a demonstration that his hard work with Vishnu is indeed bearing fruit, could be the catalyst needed to restore his self-belief and ignite the next phase of his illustrious, yet currently challenging, career. The chess world waits with bated breath to see if “The Speed Demon” can transform his rapid-fire genius into classical gold, proving that even a deeply ingrained fast-paced intuition can be harmonized with the patient pursuit of perfection.
Tristan Blackwood