Tensions flared at the Esports Chess World Cup 2025 as India’s Nihal Sarin pulled off a stunning 2-0 victory against Dutch No.1 Anish Giri, sending the grandmaster into a visible rage. After the match, Giri was seen banging his mouse in frustration, an emotional outburst that has quickly gone viral.Watch:Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!The match saw the 21-year-old Nihal, representing S8UL, outplay Giri with clinical precision. With this win, Nihal has advanced to the lower bracket Decider Match, where he faced French GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (MVL). Nihal defeated MVL of Vitality by 1.5-0.5 to make the Quarterfinals of the Esports World Cup chess event.Giri’s reaction comes just days after a similar incident involving Hans Niemann, who slammed the table following a 0.5-2.5 defeat to Giri in an earlier round. Niemann’s loss ended his campaign, and his outburst drew comparisons to Magnus Carlsen’s table slam during Norway Chess 2025, when he lost to D. Gukesh after a blunder in a dominating position.Chess fans have been quick to notice a trend — top players increasingly expressing their frustrations physically. Giri himself joked on X (formerly Twitter), referencing Gukesh’s earlier comment: “As Gukesh said, we all bang tables.”The rising emotional displays in competitive chess are sparking conversations among fans about the intensity and pressure players face, especially in high-stakes formats like the Esports World Cup.Meanwhile, Nihal Sarin’s cool, composed performance under pressure is winning admiration. With this win, he remains firmly in the hunt for the prestigious title and continues to prove himself as one of India’s brightest young stars.As emotions erupt and rivalries intensify, the Esports Chess World Cup 2025 is turning out to be as dramatic as it is competitive.
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