Arjun Erigaisi, India’s rising chess sensation, has made history by climbing to No. 2 on the FIDE World Chess Rankings after his impressive third-round victory over Alexey Sarana at the Chennai Grand Masters on Thursday.
This remarkable achievement is the latest milestone in the 21-year-old’s meteoric rise.
Erigaisi’s triumph against Sarana not only boosted his ranking but also propelled him to the lead in the Masters category, where he is tied at the top of the table with Iranian grandmaster Amin Tabatabaei after three rounds of intense competition.
Tactical brilliance and aggressive play
In his game against Sarana, Erigaisi, playing with the black pieces, showcased his signature boldness and tactical acumen.
Sarana’s Queen’s Pawn Opening quickly transformed into the Indian Game but it was Erigaisi’s decision to transition into the East Indian Defense, a relatively rare and strategic line that took his opponent by surprise.
This daring move gave Erigaisi control of the position early on, allowing him to dictate the pace of the game with deep calculation and composure under pressure.
Erigaisi’s ability to neutralize Sarana’s initiative and maintain control of the game was a testament to his growing maturity and strategic depth.
His victory marked another key moment in a year filled with exceptional performances, further solidifying his reputation as one of the brightest young talents in global chess.
Vidith Gujrathi picks up a point
After back-to-back defeats, Vidit Gujrathi finally picked up a point after drawing his game against Aravindh Chithambaram.
Also, Levon Aronian scored his fist victory after Iranian Parham Maghsoodloo errer on the back of time-pressure.
Round-3 results:
Masters:
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra, 1.5) lost to Amin Tabatabaei (Irn, 2.5)
Vidit Gujrathi (0.5) drew with Aravindh Chithambaram (1.5)
Levon Aronian (US, 2) bt Parham Maghsoodloo (Irn, 1)
Alexey Sarana (Ser, 0.5) lost to Arjun Erigaisi (2.5).
Challengers:
Raunak Sadhwani (2) drew with Leon Luke Mendonca (2.5)
M. Pranesh (1.5) bt Vaishali Rameshbabu (0.5)
V. Pranav (3) bt Karthikeyan Murali (0.5)
Harika Dronavalli (0.5) drew with Abhimanyu Puranik (1.5).