INDIAN Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi made chess history by winning a bronze medal at the World Blitz Championships in Doha on Tuesday (30), becoming only the second male Indian player after legendary Viswanathan Anand to claim the honour.
The 22-year-old's achievement came even as world No.1 Magnus Carlsen extended his dominance in the format by defeating Uzbek's Nodirbek Abdusattorov 2.5-1.5 in the final to win a record-extending ninth Blitz title.
Prime minister Narendra Modi congratulated Erigaisi on Wednesday (31), saying his feat mirrored India's rapid strides in chess.
"India's strides in chess continue! Congratulations to Arjun Erigaisi for winning the Bronze at the FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship in Doha, following his bronze medal in FIDE Rapid Chess Championship recently. His skills, patience and passion are exemplary," Modi wrote on X, adding that Erigaisi's successes would continue to inspire the nation's youth.
Erigaisi's path to the podium was marked by brilliance followed by heartbreak. The Indian GM topped the 19-round Swiss qualification with an impressive 15 points, defeating several top contenders including Carlsen himself.
His stunning form saw him win four and draw two of his final six rounds on Tuesday, securing sole leadership and a semifinal berth.
However, things unraveled dramatically in the semifinals against Abdusattorov. Despite having beaten the Uzbek during the Swiss rounds and entering as favorite, Erigaisi suffered what observers called a "massive meltdown."
He failed to convert an advantage with white pieces in the opening game, losing in 47 moves. Abdusattorov seized control in the second game with a brilliant 'Rc5' move on the 75th turn, finishing in 83 moves.
With victory in sight, the Uzbek settled for a quick 33-move draw in the third game to seal a crushing 2.5-0.5 victory.
For Carlsen, the victory was sweet redemption after a troubled Swiss round that included a controversial incident. In the 14th round, the Norwegian accidentally knocked pieces off the board with just two seconds remaining on his clock.
As he scrambled to reset them, he pressed the clock—gaining two seconds illegally. Arbiters declared his opponent, Armenia's Haik Martirosyan, the winner. Carlsen accepted the decision gracefully, shaking hands with Martirosyan.
"This was a very tough event for me. It could have gone either way. But when we got to the knockouts, I thought I should really enjoy it, and it worked out," Carlsen told FIDE after his victory.
The Norwegian struggled through the Swiss rounds, securing a semifinal spot only after drawing with Abdusattorov in Round 19. He then defeated American Fabiano Caruana 3-1 in the semifinals before showcasing his endgame genius in the final, refusing a draw and producing a unique pawn move to clinch victory.
(PTI)
