Arjun Erigaisi Secures Rs 1.2Cr Payday With Fourth Place Finish At Esports World Cup
Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi narrowly lost to Hikaru Nakamura in the Esports World Cup chess event in Riyadh. Nakamura won bronze with a 3.5–2.5 victory.
Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi narrowly lost to Hikaru Nakamura of the United States in a dramatic third-place playoff at the Esports World Cup chess event in Riyadh on Friday.
Nakamura clinched the bronze medal with a 3.5–2.5 victory in a closely contested six-game match that went down to the wire.
Throughout the playoff, both players stayed evenly matched for most of the encounter. The match reached its decisive moment in the sixth and final game, where Erigaisi, playing with the black pieces, faltered during a tense endgame.
Facing immense time pressure, the 21-year-old Indian star committed a series of blunders, which allowed Nakamura—currently the world No. 2 and one of the strongest rapid and blitz players ever—to capitalize and secure the win.
Career-Best Payday for Erigaisi
Despite missing out on the podium, Erigaisi walked away with a career-high prize of $115,000 (approximately ₹1 crore) for his fourth-place finish in the knockout-format tournament. A third-place finish would have earned him $145,000 (around ₹1.26 crore), but even so, this result marks a financial and competitive milestone in his young career.
Arjun's journey in the Esports World Cup saw him defeat Russian Grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi in the quarterfinals, after which he faced French-Iranian prodigy Alireza Firouzja in the semifinals, where he was narrowly defeated.
India's other young talent, Nihal Sarin, also turned heads in Riyadh. The 20-year-old reached the quarterfinals, where he faced former World Champion Magnus Carlsen. Although he lost the match, Sarin pocketed a commendable $85,000 (approximately ₹74 lakh) for his efforts.
Reflecting on the experience, Nihal said: 'I'm just very happy to play against Magnus; he's my biggest inspiration. It's my first time getting to play him in a match," he said with a smile after the match.
All eyes now shift to the grand final between Magnus Carlsen and Alireza Firouzja, set to be one of the most anticipated showdowns of the year. The winner will take home a staggering $2.5 million (roughly ₹20.8 crore)—an unprecedented prize pool in competitive chess.
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