Las Vegas, USA– Indian Grandmasters R Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi have successfully advanced to the quarterfinals of the prestigious Freestyle Chess Las Vegas Grand Slam on Thursday, July 17, 2025. Their strong performances in the group stages set them up for a shot at the title, while a major upset saw five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen exit the main competition.
Praggnanandhaa Tops Group White, Ends Carlsen’s Title Hopes
R Praggnanandhaa, 19, delivered a sensational performance, finishing joint-top of Group White with 4.5 points. His qualification was dramatically secured by a stunning fourth-round victory over tournament leader and chess icon, Magnus Carlsen. This crucial win, achieved with white pieces, directly contributed to Carlsen’s surprising elimination from the title race.
Carlsen, who had been a dominant force in previous Freestyle Chess Grand Slam events (winning in Paris and Karlsruhe), could only manage a fifth-place finish in Group White. After concluding the group stage tied on points with Levon Aronian, the Norwegian stumbled in the subsequent playoff, losing both tie-break games to Aronian. This means Carlsen can now finish no higher than third in the Las Vegas tournament.
From Group White, the players advancing to the quarterfinals are R Praggnanandhaa, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Javokhir Sindarov, and Levon Aronian.
Erigaisi Secures Third Spot in Group Black
Arjun Erigaisi also demonstrated his prowess, securing his spot in the quarterfinals by finishing third in Group Black with 4 points. His campaign included three crucial wins, notably one against fellow Indian Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi, who unfortunately finished last in the group standings.
The qualifiers from Group Black are Hikaru Nakamura (who topped the group with an impressive 6 out of 7 points), Hans Niemann, Fabiano Caruana, and Arjun Erigaisi.
The quarterfinals are scheduled to take place on Thursday, with all knockout matches featuring a 30+30 classical time control, setting the stage for intense strategic battles.
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