Anish Giri vs Nihal Sarin
GM Anish Giri (2764) · GM Nihal Sarin (2717)
Anish Giri and Nihal Sarin have played 42 recorded games against each other, the first in Feb 2021 and the most recent in Aug 2025. Giri leads 14 wins to 16 - trailing overall, with 12 draws (71% of the games were decisive). Their most common battleground is the Indian Defense (6 games). The average game between them lasted 47 moves.
Results by color
| Split | Games | Giri | Draws | Sarin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Giri with White | 20 | 10 | 4 | 6 |
| Sarin with White | 22 | 4 | 8 | 10 |
Results by time format
| Format | Games | Giri | Draws | Sarin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blitz | 30 | 12 | 7 | 11 |
| Rapid | 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| Classical | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Openings in their games
| ECO | Opening | Games | Giri | Draws | Sarin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| D00 | Indian Defense | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| B06 | Modern Defense | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| D27 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| B07 | King's Indian Defense | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| D04 | King's Indian Defense | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| D31 | Queen's Gambit Declined | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| B01 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| B00 | St. George Defense | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Most recent 30 of 42 games
| Date | White | Black | Result | Opening | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2025 | Nihal Sarin | A Giri | 1/2-1/2 | Sicilian: Closed | Quantbox Chennai GM |
| Jul 2025 | A Giri | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | Nimzowitsch Defense | Esports World Cup B |
| Jul 2025 | Nihal Sarin | A Giri | 1-0 | Hungarian Opening | Esports World Cup B |
| Jul 2025 | A Giri | Nihal Sarin | 1/2-1/2 | Queen's Gambit Declined | Esports World Cup LC Win |
| Jul 2025 | Nihal Sarin | A Giri | 1-0 | Semi-Slav Defense | Esports World Cup LC Win |
| Jun 2024 | Anish Giri | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | French Defense | Titled Tue Early |
| Mar 2024 | Anish Giri | Nihal Sarin | 1-0 | St. George Defense | Titled Tue Early |
| Sep 2023 | Anish Giri | Nihal Sarin | 1-0 | Scandinavian Defense: Main Line | AI Cup Play In |
| Dec 2022 | Nihal Sarin | Anish Giri | 1/2-1/2 | King's Indian Defense | Wch Blitz |
| Dec 2022 | Nihal Sarin | Anish Giri | 1-0 | Réti Opening | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Anish Giri | Nihal Sarin | 1/2-1/2 | Indian Defense | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Anish Giri | Nihal Sarin | 1-0 | Modern Defense | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Nihal Sarin | Anish Giri | 1/2-1/2 | Indian Defense | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Anish Giri | Nihal Sarin | 1-0 | Modern Defense | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Nihal Sarin | Anish Giri | 1/2-1/2 | King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Nihal Sarin | Anish Giri | 0-1 | Réti Opening | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Anish Giri | Nihal Sarin | 1-0 | Modern Defense | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Nihal Sarin | Anish Giri | 1-0 | Indian Defense | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Nihal Sarin | Anish Giri | 1/2-1/2 | King's Indian Defense | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Nihal Sarin | Anish Giri | 1-0 | Indian Defense | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Anish Giri | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | Queen's Gambit Accepted | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Nihal Sarin | Anish Giri | 1/2-1/2 | King's Indian Defense | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Nihal Sarin | Anish Giri | 1-0 | Sicilian | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Anish Giri | Nihal Sarin | 1-0 | Nimzo-Indian: Sämisch Variation | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Nihal Sarin | Anish Giri | 1-0 | Grünfeld Defense | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Nihal Sarin | Anish Giri | 0-1 | Indian Defense | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Anish Giri | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | Caro-Kann: Advance Variation | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Nihal Sarin | Anish Giri | 0-1 | Indian Defense | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Anish Giri | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | Queen's Gambit Declined | Speed Chess |
| Dec 2022 | Anish Giri | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | Modern Defense | Speed Chess |
Interactive board, all 42 games, opening explorer and engine analysis.
Browse the gamesFrequently asked questions
What is the head-to-head score between Anish Giri and Nihal Sarin?
In 42 recorded games, Anish Giri has 14 wins, Nihal Sarin has 16 wins, and they have drawn 12 times.
How many times have Anish Giri and Nihal Sarin played each other?
Our database records 42 games between them, from Feb 2021 to Aug 2025.
What openings do Anish Giri and Nihal Sarin play against each other?
The most common opening in their games is the Indian Defense (6 games), followed by the Modern Defense (4). The full opening breakdown and every game are on this page.