In a tale of brilliant play followed by agonizing defeat, Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi secured the bronze medal at the FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship in Doha, Qatar. The 22-year-old from Warangal dominated the preliminary rounds but fell short in the knockout semifinals, continuing his quest for a world title.
Dominant Run Ends in Semifinal Agony
Arjun Erigaisi displayed phenomenal form throughout the 19-round Swiss format open section. He finished at the top of the table with an impressive 15 points, securing his place in the semifinals with one round still to spare. His performance was a masterclass in blitz chess, leaving top contenders in his wake.
However, the knockout stage on Tuesday brought a familiar heartbreak. Facing Uzbekistan's top player, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, in the four-game semifinal, Arjun could not manage his nerves. Abdusattorov won the first two games, and a draw in the third sealed the Indian's fate with a 2.5-0.5 defeat, dashing his title hopes.
Historic Bronze and Carlsen's Record Ninth Crown
Despite the semifinal loss, Arjun's achievement is historic. He becomes only the second Indian after the legendary Viswanathan Anand to win a world blitz medal. Anand last stood on the podium in 2017. The rules assure bronze medals to losing semifinalists, giving Arjun a well-deserved podium finish.
The undisputed champion of the event was World No.1 Magnus Carlsen. The Norwegian superstar, after some shaky moments in the preliminaries, showcased his champion mentality in the knockouts. He defeated American GM Fabiano Caruana 3-1 in the semifinals. In a thrilling final against Abdusattorov, Carlsen fought back after losing the first game to win 2.5-1.5, claiming a record-extending ninth world blitz title.
Indian Contingent and Women's Event Highlights
Other Indian players also made their presence felt. Nihal Sarin finished joint fourth with 13 points but missed the knockout due to a poorer tiebreak score. In the women's section, Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy were the top Indian finishers, ending in 15th and 16th places respectively.
The Women's World Blitz title was won by Kazakhstan's Bibisara Assaubayeva, who defeated Ukraine's Anna Muzychuk 2.5-1.5 to secure her third crown in this format.
Arjun Erigaisi's journey in Doha was a mix of triumph and what could have been. Having narrowly missed bronze in three previous World Rapid Championships, he finally secured a world medal in the rapid event earlier in the tournament. His blitz performance proved he belongs at the very top, and the chess world will eagerly watch his next attempt to turn bronze into gold.
