Latest news with #ArjunErigaisi
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First Post
3 days ago
- Sport
- First Post
Freestyle Chess Las Vegas: Heartbreak for Arjun as Indian GM suffers 0-2 semi-final loss against Aronian
Arjun Erigaisi, who had finished fifth in the Paris Grand Slam, will now await the winners of the lower-bracket clashes as he sets his sights on finishing third in Freestyle Chess Las Vegas. Levon Aronian, meanwhile, squares off against Hans Niemann in the final. read more indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi in action during the semi-finals of the Las Vegas leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. Image credit: Freestyle Chess Arjun Erigaisi's hopes of becoming the first Indian to be crowned champion in the ongoing Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour were dashed on Friday with a defeat at the hands of Levon Aronian in the semi-finals. Arjun, who had finished fifth in the Paris Grand Slam in April after defeating French Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the playoff, suffered a 0-2 loss at the hands of the veteran Armenian-American GM, losing both 30+30 games. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Arjun, however, can still register the best finish by an Indian at the inaugural Freestyle Chess Grand Slam as he will be eligible to fight for the third spot along with other players from the lower bracket – which includes compatriot R Praggnanandhaa as well as the likes of Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura. Aronian, who had finished at the bottom of the group stage in the Weissenhaus leg of the tour, continued his fairytale run in 'Sin City' – where he defeated Carlsen in the fourth-spot tie-breaker in the group stage to advance to the quarter-finals, where he beat Hikaru. Niemann defeats Weissenhaus runner-up Caruana Also continuing his stellar run in the ongoing tournament is fellow American GM Hans Niemann, who defeated Weissenhaus runner-up Fabiano Caruana in the other semi-final to reach the final in his maiden appearance in the Grand Slam Tour. Niemann, who had backed out of the Paris leg in the last minute without offering an explanation, defeated Caruana 2-5-1.5 – winning Game 4 with black pieces after a hat-trick of draws. Niemann and Aronian will face off the in the first of two 30+30 games in the Las Vegas final on Saturday, with the other game taking place on the following day. Arjun and Caruana, meanwhile, will be awaiting the winners of the lower-bracket clashes – Hikaru vs Praggnanandhaa and Carlsen vs Wesley So – in the battle for the third-place. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
The Hindu
5 days ago
- Sport
- The Hindu
Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, Las Vegas 2025: Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi enter quarterfinals; Magnus Carlsen eliminated from title contention
India's R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi entered the quarterfinals of the Freestyle Chess Las Vegas Grand Slam on Thursday. While Praggnanandhaa finished joint-top of Group White with 4.5 points, Erigaisi was placed third in Group Black. Five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen could only finish fifth in Group White and is now out of the race for Las Vegas title. ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW - Freestyle Chess Grand Slam, Las Vegas 2025 Praggnanandhaa's qualification was enabled by a stunning fourth-round win over Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tournament leader Carlsen with white pieces. Carlsen had a chance to make a final push for a quarterfinal spot, after finishing level on points with Levon Aronian. But, the Norwegian stumbled in the playoff and can now only finish as high as third in Las Vegas. Erigaisi claimed four points from his group, with three wins, including one over compatriot Vidit Gujrathi, who finished last in the standings. The quarterfinals will happen on Thursday, with all knockout matches set to happen in a 30+30 classical time control. Players to qualify for quarterfinals Group White - R Praggnanandhaa, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Javokhir Sindarov and Levon Aronian Group Black - Hikaru Nakamura, Hans Niemann, Fabiano Caruana and Arjun Erigaisi
United News of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- United News of India
Praggnanandhaa, take on Carlsen at Las Vegas Freestyle Tour
Las Vegas, July 16 (UNI) The fourth leg of the Freestyle Grand Slam Tour kicked off in Las Vegas today, featuring a stellar 16-player lineup, including three of India's brightest chess stars — R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, and Vidit Gujrathi — who are set to clash with world champions Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Fabiano Caruana. In a major first, the tournament has expanded to include 16 players and sees the debut of a woman competitor, Grandmaster Bibisara Assaubayeva of Kazakhstan, a two-time World Blitz Women's Champion. The event, which runs till July 20, follows a unique round-robin-cum-knockout format with rapid time controls of 10 minutes plus 10 seconds increment in the initial phase. The participants are split into two groups — White and Black. The top four from each will progress to the Upper Bracket Quarterfinals, while the remaining will head to the Bottom Bracket. The knockout rounds will use a slower 30+30 format. The tournament features six of the world's top chess players, including World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen, No. 2 Hikaru Nakamura, No. 3 Fabiano Caruana, and India's top trio — No. 4 R Praggnanandhaa, No. 5 Arjun Erigaisi, and No. 26 Vidit Gujrathi. Other notable players in the fray include Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan), Wesley So (USA), Levon Aronian (USA), Hans Niemann (USA), Vincent Keymer (Germany), and Leinier Dominguez Perez (USA). Ray Robson and Samuel Sevian of the US have stepped in as late replacements for Iran's Parham Maghsoodloo and Russia's Ian Nepomniachtchi, who withdrew due to visa and personal reasons respectively. The tournament boasts a massive prize fund of $750,000, continuing its appeal as one of the most lucrative and innovative events in modern chess. The Freestyle format also includes promotional activities like the Chesstival, where top players engage with NBA legends in crossover challenges, underlining the sport's expanding entertainment dimension. The tournament has gained a global following not just for the caliber of competition, but for its fresh, engaging presentation — blending sport, spectacle, and star power. UNI BDN GNK
Time of India
6 days ago
- Sport
- Time of India
Where is D Gukesh? World Champion skips Vegas Freestyle Chess
D Gukesh (Image credit: FIDE) NEW DELHI: R Praggnanandhaa has been drawn in the same group as world number one Magnus Carlsen for the upcoming 16-player Freestyle Chess tournament set to begin here on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Arjun Erigaisi and Vidit Gujrathi will feature in the opposite group. Carlsen, the reigning world No.1, enters the event as the favourite yet again in a tournament that has already generated buzz through several pre-event activities, including participation from NBA players. The main event gets underway late on Wednesday. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! The tournament boasts a total prize fund of USD 750,000, with USD 200,000 earmarked for the winner. Each group consists of eight players, with the top four advancing to the next stage. The bottom four will compete separately in classification matches. World Champion D Gukesh will not feature in this edition, choosing instead to prepare for the upcoming Grandmaster Tour's main event scheduled in about a month. The 19-year-old Praggnanandhaa will open his campaign against Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Abdusattorov, who had a difficult outing in the recent Grand Chess Tour leg in Zagreb, Croatia. Carlsen, on the other hand, will take on Germany's Vincent Keymer, the winner of the inaugural edition of the Freestyle Chess event. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Redefine Your Future with a Top Online MBA SRM Online Enquire Now Undo Making his debut in the tournament, American Hans Niemann is set to face Arjun Erigaisi in the opening round, while Vidit Gujrathi will lock horns with fellow elite Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana of the United States. Inside Lord's: Exclusive Stadium Tour & Must-Do Experiences In a first, the tournament will also feature a woman participant—Kazakhstan's Bibisara Assaubayeva—competing alongside the world's top male players. Freestyle Chess, also known as Fischer Random or Chess960, is a variant where the starting positions of the pieces are randomized. With minimal opening theory available, the format has gained popularity for encouraging dynamic and combative games right from the outset, reducing the frequency of draw-heavy encounters seen in classical formats. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
Time of India
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Arjun Erigaisi slams British Airways over flight downgrade, delayed baggage – ‘You've lost a customer'
Arjun Erigaisi from India during the first game of Norway Chess in Finansparken in Stavanger, Norway. (AP/PTI) India chess player Arjun Erigaisi, in a number of posts on X, has slammed British Airways for delaying his luggage for 48 hours. Arjun was on his way to Las Vegas for the Freestyle Grand Slam Tour in the USA, which will start later this week. "Terrible experience flying with you. Got involuntarily downgraded at the last moment with no explanation," Arjun wrote on X, tagging British Airways. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW! "After speaking with your rude staff, I was told that I'm eligible for reimbursement. No explanation on why I was downgraded. "Oh, and getting my bags a day later is the cherry on top! Unfortunately, I've to fly back to India with you this time, but you've lost a customer.' The luggage of the Indian Grandmaster has now been delayed for 48 hours. A day later, Arjun lashed out at the airline again and wrote on X: "Worst experience flying with British Airways. Involuntary downgrade, rude employees, no communication, bags delayed for over 48 hours. "This is frustrating. Messages, emails, forms—everything done and submitted. It's been over two days and still no word. "I don't know how an airline can afford to treat its customer this way. The even worse part is I've to fly back with you,' wrote Arjun. Besides Arjun, Vidit Gujrathi and R Praggnanandhaa are the other Indians who will be in action at the Las Vegas Freestyle event, along with Magnus Carlsen , Hikaru Nakamura and Fabiano Caruana. Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
