Top Indian Grandmaster Erigaisi demonstrated strong endgame technique and quick calculation to hand the reigning champion the biggest upset so far in the ongoing World Blitz Championship, as Carlsen lost on time.
Fresh from his bronze-medal finish on Sunday, the 22-year-old Indian, known for his pragmatic yet aggressive style, recorded eight wins, two draws and just one loss, a run that put him firmly in pole position. His victory over Carlsen in Round 9 proved decisive, as Erigaisi won with the black pieces before following it up by defeating highly rated Uzbek grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov in Round 10 to open up a half-point lead at the top of the standings. It was also the second time this year that Erigaisi had beaten Carlsen, having earlier held the upper hand against the Norwegian at the Norway Chess tournament in classical format.
As for the decisive encounter, Carlsen opened with the French Variation of the Sicilian Defence. However, the position began to tilt after his bishop retreated to c2 and the knight was developed to d2, allowing Erigaisi to snap up the b2 pawn. Although Carlsen later regained the material, the initiative had slipped away. Under mounting time pressure, the Norwegian eventually collapsed, triggering the frustrated table-bang that followed.
In Round 11, Erigaisi was held to a draw by Fabiano Caruana, forcing the players to split the point. The Indian has now emerged as a joint leader alongside renowned Uzbek grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov, with both players sitting on nine points after 11 rounds of the FIDE World Blitz Championship.
Close on their heels are Daniil Dubov, American GM Caruana and China’s Yu Yangyi, all on 8.5 points. A further eight players, including Carlsen, leading title contender Alireza Firouzja and India’s Sunilduth Narayanan, are tied for sixth place on eight points.
R Praggnanandhaa and reigning classical world champion Gukesh are further down the standings on 7.5 points, part of a large group of 21 players tied for 14th position.
