2 weeks ago
Indian Grandmasters Arjun, Nihal Secure Top-Eight EWC Chess Finishes
The Esports World Cup is a big tournament for video game competitions, and it also has a chess event.
Two chess players from India, Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin, played very well and reached the last eight players in the world.
That is the best India has ever done in this tournament.
Arjun's four games all ended in draws, so he had to play a special tiebreaker called Armageddon.
In that tiebreaker, his opponent Hikaru Nakamura beat him, so Arjun finished in the top eight.
Nihal played against Magnus Carlsen, the champion who had won last year and is one of the best chess players ever.
Magnus won the first two games and then drew the third, so he won the match 2.5 to 0.5.
Even though they lost, Arjun and Nihal each won $75,000 in prize money.
The semifinals will now be Nakamura against Lazavik and Carlsen against Firouzja.
India can be proud of Arjun and Nihal for doing so well against the best chess players in the world.
Indian Grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin reached the quarterfinals of the Esports World Cup Chess tournament, marking India's strongest-ever showing in the event.
Arjun Erigaisi was eliminated by Hikaru Nakamura in an Armageddon tiebreak after all four regulation games ended in draws.
Nihal Sarin lost 2.5-0.5 to defending champion Magnus Carlsen, who won the first two games before a draw in the third.
Both players earned USD 75,000 each from the tournament's USD 1.5 million prize pool.
The semifinals will see Nakamura face Denis Lazavik and Carlsen meet Alireza Firouzja in a rematch of last year's final.
- Who
- Indian Grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi (Gen.G Esports) and Nihal Sarin (S8UL Esports), eliminated by Hikaru Nakamura and defending champion Magnus Carlsen respectively.
- What
- Both Indians reached the quarterfinals and finished in the top eight of the Esports World Cup Chess tournament, ending India's campaign in the quarterfinals.
- Where
- Paris.
- When
- Friday, August 14, 2026 (Esports World Cup 2026).
- Why
- They were competing in the Chess tournament of the Esports World Cup, which carries a USD 1.5 million prize pool.
Key facts
- Event
- Esports World Cup 2026 – Chess tournament
- Venue
- Paris
- India's Best Result
- Quarterfinals / top-eight finish, strongest showing ever at the event
- Arjun Erigaisi's Result
- Eliminated by Hikaru Nakamura in Armageddon tiebreak
- Nihal Sarin's Result
- Lost 2.5-0.5 to Magnus Carlsen
- Prize Money per Player
- USD 75,000 (~Rs 71.5 lakh)
- Total Prize Pool
- USD 1.5 million (~Rs 14.3 crore)
- Semifinal Line-up
- Nakamura vs Lazavik; Carlsen vs Firouzja
Quotes
Arjun Erigaisi
Indian Grandmaster and Gen.G Esports player
“"I got a great position out of the opening. I took his bishop and I was in an extremely good situation. To be honest, I didn't see how I could lose this, because he's the one who had to try and make a draw in such a position ... at that point, I was only maybe one and a half or two minutes behind on a draw. So this was the first moment where it went wrong."”
rediff.com
CNBC TV 18






