If you’ve become a fan (as we have) of Optiver-sponsored Grandmaster Anish Giri over the years, be prepared to like him even more. In a new chess.com documentary, Anish shares his personal back story from taking up the game as a young boy and becoming a child prodigy, through the “historic” highs and “rock-bottom” lows of world-class competitive chess, and an endearing glimpse into his evolution as a family man. This intimate look at Anish’s life and career is a candid testament to his humility, resilience, strategic thinking and growth—qualities Optiver values and celebrates.

Ranking among the world’s top players for over a decade comes with the pressure to keep winning, and this year proved a challenging start for Anish. But in his recent triumph at the 2025 Sharjah Masters—defeating grandmaster Aditya Mittal in 91 moves in the final round—Anish secured sole first place with a score of 7 out of 9 rounds, marking a defining moment in his 2025 performance. The impressive win pushed him up to 12^th position in the FIDE world ranking. We’re thrilled for him for yet another victory in his continued pursuit of excellence, and are excited to follow the rest of his journey this year.

We also look forward to Anish joining us at Optiver’s Amsterdam headquarters over the summer, giving our interns and new starters a chance to interact with him informally over their shared enthusiasm for chess. This September, Anish will take part in the Optiver Chess Championship live finals — where the finalists will get to meet him in person and compete for a chance to challenge him in a simultaneous exhibition match.

Stay tuned for more updates!