Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi, the last remaining competitor from India, played a swift draw against China's Wei Yi in the first quarterfinal game of the FIDE World Cup 2025, currently being held at the Hotel Resort Rio in Goa. The match concluded in just 31 moves and under an hour, showcasing a risk-free approach from both players.
Arjun, playing with black pieces, demonstrated exceptional accuracy, achieving 99.5%, while Wei Yi, with white pieces, mirrored this with 99% accuracy. The game saw exchanges at regular intervals, with neither side pushing for a decisive advantage, indicating a strategy of testing the waters. Arjun's strategy likely involves capitalizing on opportunities with the white pieces in the next game, avoiding unnecessary risks in the first.
The opening saw Arjun employ the Ruy Lopez Closed system, a comfortable and well-prepared position for the Indian grandmaster. He maintained a time advantage throughout the game, reflecting his confidence and preparation. The game simplified into a drawn rook-and-pawn ending by move 27, leading to the draw agreement by threefold repetition after the 30-move threshold. Remarkably, Arjun finished the game with more time on his clock than he started with.
A win in the World Cup would secure Arjun a spot in the Candidates Tournament 2026, a goal he narrowly missed in the 2024 cycle. The winner of the Arjun-Wei match will face the winner of the Andrey Esipenko vs. Sam Shankland match. In other quarterfinal results, Nodirbek Yakubboev defeated Alexander Donchenko, while Sam Shankland and Andrey Esipenko, and Sindarov Javokhir and Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara, drew their respective games.
Arjun's journey to the quarterfinals included a victory over Levon Aronian in the previous round. Arjun, born in Warangal, Telangana, earned the Grandmaster title at the age of 14. By September 2024, he became India's top-rated player. In December 2024, he achieved a peak rating of 2801, making him the second Indian, after Viswanathan Anand, to cross the 2800 threshold.
With the second classical game approaching, Arjun will have the advantage of playing with the white pieces. The Indian chess community will be keenly watching, hoping he can continue his progress and secure a place in the Candidates Tournament.
