Published on: Jul 31, 2025 09:50 pm IST
Arjun Erigaisi sealed a 2.5-1.5 win vs Ian Nepomniachtchi in the semi-finals of the chess tournament at the Esports World Cup.
Arjun Erigaisi defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi in the quarter-finals at the chess tournament of the ongoing Esports World Cup, in Riyadh. The win saw Erigaisi reach the semi-finals, and now he has serious chances of winning gold. In his quarter-final match, he had use all his grit and determination to seal a 2.5-1.5 victory in a four-game thriller against the Russian GM.
The encounter began with a draw and then the Indian GM got the win in the second game with black pieces. Then his opponent won the third, setting up a decider. In the fourth game, the Indian found some good moves in the middle game, which gave him the advantage and Nepomniachtchi resigned after the 41st move.
Who will Arjun Erigaisi face next?
In the semi-finals, Erigaisi will face Alireza Firouzja, who beat Nodirbek Abdusattorov 3-1 in his quarter-final match. Meanwhile, Magnus Carlsen will face Hikaru Nakmura in the semi-finals too. Carlsen crushed Indian GM Nihal Sarin, taking a 2.5-0.5 victory, winning the second and third games. On the other hand, Nakamura defeated his countryman Fabiano Caruana 2.5-1.5 in his quarter-final fixture. Unlike the group stage, the knockout stages are all four-game matches.
Speaking after his defeat to Carlsen, Sarin conceded that he was totally overpowered by the world No. 1. “Of course, I just got completely crushed today, but yeah, I mean, I for sure could have played better. I think for the first one and a half game, I was matching him or maybe playing even better,” he said.
“I mean, he’s Magnus for a reason.
“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. I wish him good luck,” he further added.
There was also a point in the second game when Carlsen offered a draw by repetition, which Sarin rejected.
