New Delhi: As the chess world descends on Cyprus for the 2026 candidates, Anish Giri’s name is synonymous with a single, dismal memory of the past. There were 14 draws in 14 matches. In 2016 the candidates for this legendary race gave rise to the “King of Draws” moniker for the current Dutch No.1.But as the 31-year-old eyes a candidate for the crown after 10 years, and with it the right to challenge Dommaraju Gokesh, Indian grandmaster Nihal Sarin points out that “darvish giri” is a tired stereotype that ignores the realities of elite chess.“I believe very, very strongly that people saying Anish is a Draish player is, to be honest, complete nonsense.” Nihal told TimesofIndia.com in an exclusive interview on the sidelines of the tournament. “I’m sure he’s a great fighter, actually. The draw is definitely a myth.”
The “Legend” of the Dra KingGray himself is well versed in narrative. Speaking to TimesofIndia.com about his preparation, the Dutch No. 1 revealed the unique hurdles of the candidate cycle, noting that he had to wait to hire seconds (coaching assistants) because his top picks were so good that they managed to qualify for the tournament themselves.“I understand very well what makes a good second because that second was so good that he became my opponent,” Gray joked.
Nihal pointed to Gray’s victory at the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss, where he went undefeated (with five wins and six draws) to qualify for the event, as proof of his winning intent.“To win the tournament by half a point, he obviously won quite a few games,” Nihal noted. “A lot of draws happen when top players go head-to-head because that’s what chess is. If both play to their full potential, it’s a draw. That’s just the way chess is.”Nihal Candidates Prediction 2026While many pundits are focusing more on Fabiano Caruana or Hikaru Nakamura, Nihal Sarin’s assessment of the 2026 field indicates a much more volatile “open” race.While he respects the established American giants, he shines a spotlight on Uzbekistan’s Javakhir Sandrov.“If I had to guess, probably Fabi or Sindhu [Sindarov]” Nihal told the website. “Sundarov is having a great year so far and is playing some amazing chess. And of course, if there is a good Prague event, of course. You can never count out Hikaru.”Nihal also warned against neglecting two-time European champion Matthias Bluebaum. While some call Bluebaum’s style pragmatic, Nihal sees it as a dangerous trap.Nihal remarked, “He’s very good at being a safe type. Not flashy, but safe. He’s very good at punishing if opponents try to play cowards against him.”A closely packed field of womenTurning her attention to the women’s contenders, Nihal believes the tournament is even more unpredictable than the open section.“I wouldn’t really be surprised by whoever wins,” he said. I think everybody can beat there.However, he leaned toward experience as the deciding factor.“I guess Alexandra Gurichkina or Tan Zhongyi are likely to win because they’ve done it before. I think it’s a little easier to believe, because you’ve done it before, you can do it again.”As the marathon begins on Saturday, reputations such as “Drosh Giri” or “Underdog Blue Balm” mean little. In Nihal’s words, “Absolutely everyone can win.”
