Atharvaa P Tayade, an Indian chess player, has recently captured the spotlight for his outstanding performance at the 2025 FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championship in London. Representing Team MGD1, Atharvaa played a crucial role in their victory in the rapid section, contributing significantly to their overall score.

Team MGD1, a Pune-based chess management and investment firm, made history by becoming the first Indian-sponsored team to win the Rapid title at the FIDE World Rapid & Blitz Team Championship. The team consisted of Arjun Erigaisi, Pentala Harikrishna, Leon Luke Mendonca, Pranav V, and Atharvaa P. Tayade. MGD1 won 10 out of 12 matches, drew one, and lost one, finishing with 21 matchpoints.

Atharvaa's performance was particularly noteworthy because he is considered an amateur player. He entered the tournament with a FIDE rapid rating of 1952. Before his final game, he had a perfect score of 11 wins. Although he lost his last game, his contribution was instrumental in MGD1's success. Srinath Narayanan, the captain of Team MGD1, identified Atharvaa as a key element, whose eleven consecutive wins significantly boosted the team's gold medal performance.

The FIDE World Rapid and Blitz Team Championship featured an extended five-day format, with three days dedicated to rapid chess and two days for blitz. The event drew grandmasters, prodigies, and amateur enthusiasts from around the world, competing for a €500,000 prize fund. Teams were required to have six players per match, including at least one female player and one recreational player rated below 2000 FIDE.

Before the tournament, Atharvaa mentioned in an interview that he received a message in March from Srinath on Chess.com, asking if he would be interested in playing on the team. Atharvaa, who is currently studying for an MBA, had been an active chess player in Mumbai until 2014-2015 but had taken a break for academics. He revealed that his online blitz rating is quite high.

Arjun Erigaisi, a teammate of Atharvaa, revealed that he and Atharvaa had played a game in 2012, which Atharvaa won. Erigaisi also commented on Atharvaa's potential to become a professional chess player, but wasn't sure if he had time for that.

Online, Atharvaa is known as "ath441" on both Chess.com and Lichess. On Lichess, he has achieved a bullet rating of approximately 2900, which puts him among the top players globally. Analysis of his online games shows that he has a consistent and well-prepared opening repertoire.

Atharvaa's unexpected success has drawn comparisons to Pang Bo, who achieved a remarkable 16/16 start in 2024. Atharvaa has embraced this comparison, stating that he is happy to be "the new Pang Bo". He also expressed excitement for the blitz portion of the tournament, noting that he excels in faster chess formats.

While his FIDE ratings are around 1950, his online performance suggests a much higher skill level, closer to a Grandmaster. His performance at the World Rapid and Blitz Team Championship has made him a player to watch, and his continued participation in the blitz section is eagerly anticipated.