GM Nihal Sarin defeated defending champion GM Alireza Firouzja to win the 2026 Bullet Chess Championship on Chess.com. The Indian grandmaster secured the title with a dominant performance that included a 15-game winning streak across the final matches.
Nihal Sarin advanced through the losers bracket by defeating GM Andrew Tang 11-6 and GM Arjun Erigaisi 13.5-7.5. He then faced Firouzja in the grand final, winning 15.5-7.5 before completing the victory in the reset match 9.5-4.5.
The 24-year-old earned $10,000 for the win in the 1+0 time control event. Nihal described his form during the streak as finding a strong rhythm while noting that Firouzja appeared on tilt.
Commentators GM Eric Hansen and GM Aman Hambleton praised Nihal's time management and accuracy in scrambles. The tournament ran from June 24 to 27 with a total prize fund of $50,000.
