India has delivered an outstanding performance at the Chess Olympiad in Budapest, remaining unbeaten through eight rounds. Arjun Erigaisi and D Gukesh have been instrumental in leading the team, which boasts an average Elo rating of 2755.

India, seeded second, was expected to perform well, and it’s hard not to draw comparisons with the 2022 Olympiad in Chennai. At that time, players like Arjun, Gukesh, and R Praggnanandhaa were still rising stars, and the tournament offered a glimpse into their potential future success.

For the most part, these predictions have been accurate. While Arjun, Gukesh, and Praggnanandhaa have made significant strides, Nihal Sarin has not quite kept pace. In 2022, Gukesh shone, winning gold as the best individual Board 1 player with 9/11 points and a 2867 rating performance. Nihal, too, impressed as the top performer on Board 2, scoring 7.5/10 points with a performance rating of 2774. He seemed poised for a breakthrough.

However, things have not unfolded as expected for Nihal, something he acknowledges. In 2018, at just 14, he crossed the 2600 Elo mark, becoming the third-youngest player to do so. Now, in 2024, his classical chess rating stands at 2668, with his progress in the classical format being far from smooth. “I’m not happy with where my game is at the moment,” Nihal told HT in an interview. “I’ve had some good tournaments, but this year I’ve also had rough ones. I lost a bit of rating and have been stuck in this range for a while.”

Despite these challenges, Nihal has gained a unique perspective on the success of his peers, Arjun and Gukesh. “They’re incredibly strong, focused, motivated, and hardworking,” Nihal remarked. “When you’re getting good results, it boosts your confidence, and everything seems to flow more easily. They’ve also managed the tricky balance of risk management exceptionally well.”

Arjun, in particular, has impressed with his ability to handle unbalanced positions, a skill he displayed during the 2023 Chess World Cup and continues to demonstrate in the Olympiad. “One of the hardest things to do is consistently dominate lower-rated but still strong players, like those rated between 2650-2700. Arjun has mastered that.”

The success of others can serve as inspiration. Arjun stopped obsessing over ratings and focused on playing, while Gukesh admitted that the pressure to become the youngest Grandmaster overwhelmed him at one point, but both have now found their paths. Is a similar shift coming for Nihal? “Ideally, you shouldn’t care about rating,” Nihal said. “But it’s easier to let go of that when your rating is rising rather than falling. When it becomes a source of stress, it can be a real problem.”

As the final rounds of the Olympiad approach, the Indian team will be feeling the pressure. Nihal believes that keeping nerves in check will be crucial. “The Indian teams are performing incredibly well,” Nihal said. “In a tournament like this, it’s essential for all players to be at their best, and that’s been the case for India so far. If they can hold their nerves, it could be a historic achievement.”

He added, “Chess is a game where everything can change in a single move. Unlike sports like badminton, where a comfortable lead gives you some security, in chess, one mistake can turn a winning position into a loss. Focus is critical until the very last moment.”