Arjun Erigaisi Stuns Chess World with Wins Against Carlsen, Caruana

Indian grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi achieved a remarkable feat in the online chess community by defeating World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen and World No. 2 Fabiano Caruana in the Titled Tuesday weekly blitz competition conducted by Chess.com. This competition, held in the early hours of Tuesday, was fiercely contested, and Erigaisi’s performance stood out as he finished with 10 points out of 11 rounds, marking his dominance in the event.

Key Highlights

• Titled Tuesday Competition: A prestigious online chess event for titled players, where participants compete in blitz matches.
• Defeats in Titled Tuesday: Arjun defeated Magnus Carlsen in round 10 and Fabiano Caruana in round 11 to secure his spot at the top.
• Loss to Nakamura: His only loss came against American grandmaster Hikaru Nakamura in round 7.
• Final Points: Arjun finished with 10 points, tied with Nakamura, but had better tiebreaks to secure the top spot.
• Competition Participation: Over 900 players participated, with Nakamura calling it “the world’s strongest tournament.”

Achievements of Arjun Erigaisi in 2024

• Chess Olympiad Victory: Arjun contributed to India’s victory at the Chess Olympiad.
• WR Chess Masters Cup Win: He clinched the prestigious WR Chess Masters Cup in London.
• Elo Rating Achievement: Arjun became the second Indian, after Viswanathan Anand, to break the 2800 Elo rating barrier.
• FIDE Rapid Championship Performance: Although Arjun had a strong year, he missed out on qualifying for the 2026 Candidates tournament after finishing fifth in the 2024 FIDE Rapid Championship.
• Despite his incredible victories, Arjun’s hopes of competing in the 2026 Candidates tournament were dashed as he fell behind in the FIDE Circuit standings.