David Navara vs Nihal Sarin
GM David Navara (2619) · GM Nihal Sarin (2717)
David Navara and Nihal Sarin have played 16 recorded games against each other, the first in Jan 2020 and the most recent in Mar 2026. Navara leads 2 wins to 8 - trailing overall, with 6 draws (63% of the games were decisive). Their most common battleground is the Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System (2 games). The average game between them lasted 44 moves.
Results by color
| Split | Games | Navara | Draws | Sarin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Navara with White | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Sarin with White | 7 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Results by time format
| Format | Games | Navara | Draws | Sarin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blitz | 13 | 1 | 4 | 8 |
| Classical | 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
Openings in their games
| ECO | Opening | Games | Navara | Draws | Sarin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| E48 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| A12 | Nimzo-Larsen Attack | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A23 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A28 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| A39 | English Opening | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| B00 | St. George Defense | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| B14 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| A06 | Réti Opening | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
All games
| Date | White | Black | Result | Opening | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2026 | David Navara | Nihal Sarin | 1/2-1/2 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | Bundesliga 2025-26 |
| Mar 2024 | David Navara | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | St. George Defense | Titled Tue Early |
| Mar 2022 | David Navara | Nihal Sarin | 1-0 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | Belgrade |
| Nov 2021 | Nihal Sarin | David Navara | 1/2-1/2 | Grünfeld Defense | FIDE Grand Swiss |
| Jan 2020 | Nihal Sarin | David Navara | 1-0 | Slav Defense | Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup |
| Jan 2020 | Nihal Sarin | David Navara | 1-0 | Nimzo-Larsen Attack | Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup |
| Jan 2020 | Nihal Sarin | David Navara | 1-0 | Réti Opening | Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup |
| Jan 2020 | David Navara | Nihal Sarin | 1/2-1/2 | Ruy Lopez: Closed | Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup |
| Jan 2020 | Nihal Sarin | David Navara | 0-1 | English Opening: Slav Setup | Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup |
| Jan 2020 | Nihal Sarin | David Navara | 1/2-1/2 | English Opening | Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup |
| Jan 2020 | David Navara | Nihal Sarin | 1/2-1/2 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup |
| Jan 2020 | Nihal Sarin | David Navara | 1-0 | Queen's Pawn Game | Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup |
| Jan 2020 | David Navara | Nihal Sarin | 1/2-1/2 | Italian Game: Classical Variation | Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup |
| Jan 2020 | David Navara | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup |
| Jan 2020 | David Navara | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | English Opening: Reverse Sicilian | Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup |
| Jan 2020 | David Navara | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System | Chess24 Banter Blitz Cup |
Interactive board, all 16 games, opening explorer and engine analysis.
Browse the gamesFrequently asked questions
What is the head-to-head score between David Navara and Nihal Sarin?
In 16 recorded games, David Navara has 2 wins, Nihal Sarin has 8 wins, and they have drawn 6 times.
How many times have David Navara and Nihal Sarin played each other?
Our database records 16 games between them, from Jan 2020 to Mar 2026.
What openings do David Navara and Nihal Sarin play against each other?
The most common opening in their games is the Nimzo-Indian: Rubinstein System (2 games), followed by the Nimzo-Larsen Attack (1). The full opening breakdown and every game are on this page.