Riyadh, Saudi Arabia – Indian chess prodigy Arjun Erigaisi has made a strong statement at the Esports World Cup 2025 chess event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, successfully progressing to the quarterfinals on Tuesday, July 29, 2025. Erigaisi emerged as one of the four group winners to advance directly to the last-eight stage of the prestigious 16-player tournament, which boasts a substantial USD 1.5 million prize pool.
Erigaisi’s Path to the Quarterfinals
Competing in Group B, Erigaisi kicked off his campaign with a decisive 2-0 victory over fellow Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin. The group also saw Maxime Vachier-Lagrave defeat Anish Giri 1.5-0.5. The decisive match for the group winner pitted Erigaisi against the formidable Vachier-Lagrave.
The clash was intense, with Erigaisi winning the first game with the black pieces. However, Vachier-Lagrave fought back to win the second game, forcing an exciting armageddon tiebreak. In the high-stakes decider, Erigaisi ultimately emerged victorious with the white pieces, securing his spot in the quarterfinals.
Other Group Winners and Tournament Structure
Joining Erigaisi in the quarterfinals as group winners are chess luminaries Levon Aronian (Group A), Alireza Firouzja (Group C), and the reigning World Champion Magnus Carlsen (Group D).
The remaining four spots in the quarterfinals will be filled by winners from the fiercely contested Losers Bracket, ensuring that only the strongest players continue their quest for the title. All games in the tournament are played with a rapid time control of 10 minutes with no increment, and each fixture consists of a two-game match, with an armageddon tiebreak used to decide drawn encounters.
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