At 12, Aarav Sarbalia Is Already a FIDE Master — and a Chess Creator With 100K Followers
Most 12-year-olds are figuring out homework. Aarav Sarbalia is a FIDE Master with a classical rating of 2281 and a growing online audience.
The young Indian prodigy has become one of chess’s most watched content creators, explaining moves and ideas in real time as he plays — a habit his parents encouraged specifically to sharpen his communication skills. Talking through his thinking forces him to articulate what he sees on the board.
He has trained alongside players mentored by Judit Polgar and has played against Anand, Gukesh, and Praggnanandhaa — games that, he says, completely shifted his mindset about what’s possible. India No. 1 in under-10. FIDE Master at 11. The chess world is watching to see what comes next.