Indian Grandmaster Mitrabha Guha Secures Spot in Esports Nations Cup 2026 Alongside Nihal Sarin

Indian Grandmaster Mitrabha Guha Secures Spot in Esports Nations Cup

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia — Indian chess prodigy Mitrabha Guha has made headlines by topping the regional qualifiers, earning his place in the Indian contingent for the highly anticipated Esports Nations Cup (ENC) set to take place in November. Guha joins fellow compatriot Nihal Sarin, who received a direct invitation through the Champions Chess Tour Leaderboard.

The ENC, featuring a staggering prize pool of $600,000, will kick off on November 2 and culminate with the playoff finals on November 8. The tournament will showcase 128 players from around the globe, competing in a round-robin group stage divided into 16 groups of eight players each. Following this, 64 players will advance to a single-elimination playoff bracket.

Among the elite competitors confirmed for the ENC are chess giants such as Norway’s Magnus Carlsen, Poland’s Jan-Krzysztof Duda, France’s Alireza Firouzja, and the United States’ Hikaru Nakamura. Notably, the tournament will also feature Switzerland’s Alexandra Kosteniuk and Estonia’s Mai Narva, who have made history as the first women to officially qualify for the event.

The regional qualifiers for West Asia, India, and Central Asia began with a nine-round Swiss stage, where Guha emerged as the standout performer. He finished the Swiss standings unbeaten, achieving six wins and three draws. His stellar performance propelled him into the Upper Bracket quarterfinals, where he triumphed over Syria’s Malek Koniahli, followed by a decisive victory against Iran’s Artin Ashraf in the semifinals, securing his spot in the ENC finals.

As excitement builds for the ENC, chess enthusiasts around the world eagerly await the clash of titans in this prestigious tournament, where strategy, skill, and nerve will be put to the ultimate test.