Fabiano Caruana vs Nihal Sarin
GM Fabiano Caruana (2792) · GM Nihal Sarin (2717)
Fabiano Caruana and Nihal Sarin have played 30 recorded games against each other, the first in Feb 2017 and the most recent in Jun 2026. Caruana leads 10 wins to 16 - trailing overall, with 4 draws (87% of the games were decisive). Their most common battleground is the Modern Defense (2 games). The average game between them lasted 46 moves.
Results by color
| Split | Games | Caruana | Draws | Sarin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caruana with White | 16 | 5 | 3 | 8 |
| Sarin with White | 14 | 5 | 1 | 8 |
Results by time format
| Format | Games | Caruana | Draws | Sarin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blitz | 28 | 9 | 3 | 16 |
| Classical | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Rapid | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Openings in their games
| ECO | Opening | Games | Caruana | Draws | Sarin |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A41 | Modern Defense | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| A06 | Réti Opening | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A07 | Queen's Pawn Game | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A40 | Modern Defense | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| A05 | Réti Opening | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A46 | Indian Defense | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A48 | Indian Defense | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| A00 | Mieses Opening | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
All games
| Date | White | Black | Result | Opening | Event |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jun 2026 | Nihal Sarin | Fabiano Caruana | 1-0 | Réti Opening | FIDE World Team Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2026 | Blitz | Knockout |
| Jun 2026 | Nihal Sarin | Fabiano Caruana | 1-0 | Réti Opening | FIDE World Team Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2026 | Blitz | Knockout |
| Jun 2026 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 1-0 | Queen's Gambit Declined | FIDE World Team Rapid & Blitz Chess Championships 2026 | Blitz | Knockout |
| Jan 2026 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 1-0 | King's Pawn Game: Leonardis Variation | 2nd 3-0 Thursday |
| May 2025 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 1-0 | Sicilian: Closed | Chess.com Classic Play-In |
| Jun 2024 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | Nimzo-Indian Defense | Titled Tue Early |
| Jun 2024 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 1/2-1/2 | Caro-Kann: Two Knights Variation | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | Modern Defense | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Nihal Sarin | Fabiano Caruana | 1-0 | Modern Defense | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Nihal Sarin | Fabiano Caruana | 0-1 | Réti Opening: Symmetrical Defense | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | Queen's Pawn Game | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | King's Indian Defense | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | Modern Defense | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | Mieses Opening | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Nihal Sarin | Fabiano Caruana | 1-0 | Nimzo-Larsen Attack | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Nihal Sarin | Fabiano Caruana | 1-0 | King's Indian Defense: Orthodox Variation | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Nihal Sarin | Fabiano Caruana | 0-1 | Réti Opening: Symmetrical Defense | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Nihal Sarin | Fabiano Caruana | 0-1 | Nimzovich-Larsen attack | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 1-0 | Modern Defense | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Nihal Sarin | Fabiano Caruana | 1-0 | Indian Defense | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Nihal Sarin | Fabiano Caruana | 1-0 | Indian Defense | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 1/2-1/2 | Four Knights Game: Spanish Variation | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 1/2-1/2 | Colle System | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | King's Indian Defense: Fianchetto Variation | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Nihal Sarin | Fabiano Caruana | 0-1 | King's Indian Defense | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Jun 2024 | Nihal Sarin | Fabiano Caruana | 1-0 | Indian Defense | Bullet Chess Winners |
| Feb 2024 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 0-1 | Ruy Lopez | Titled Tue Late |
| Jan 2024 | Nihal Sarin | Fabiano Caruana | 0-1 | Queen's Gambit Declined: Ragozin Defense | Titled Tue Late |
| Oct 2021 | Nihal Sarin | Fabiano Caruana | 1/2-1/2 | Queen's Gambit Declined | FIDE Grand Swiss |
| Feb 2017 | Fabiano Caruana | Nihal Sarin | 1-0 | Indian Defense | Titled Tue |
Interactive board, all 30 games, opening explorer and engine analysis.
Browse the gamesFrequently asked questions
What is the head-to-head score between Fabiano Caruana and Nihal Sarin?
In 30 recorded games, Fabiano Caruana has 10 wins, Nihal Sarin has 16 wins, and they have drawn 4 times.
How many times have Fabiano Caruana and Nihal Sarin played each other?
Our database records 30 games between them, from Feb 2017 to Jun 2026.
What openings do Fabiano Caruana and Nihal Sarin play against each other?
The most common opening in their games is the Modern Defense (2 games), followed by the Réti Opening (1). The full opening breakdown and every game are on this page.