New Delhi: Indian grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi showed grit and resilience on Friday despite suffering a narrow defeat against Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov in Round 11 of the Tata Steel Chess Masters 2026 in Wijk aan Zee.
Playing with the white pieces, Erigaisi applied sustained pressure and remained competitive for most of the contest. He found a long sequence of strong moves and kept the game balanced deep into the middlegame, according to reports.
A slip around the 40th move shifted the advantage towards Sindarov. However, Erigaisi refused to fold. He continued to pose problems and briefly unsettled his opponent before the Uzbek grandmaster eventually converted his edge.
The loss ended Erigaisi’s hopes of joining the tournament lead, but his fighting performance underlined his growing maturity at the elite level.
Sindarov’s victory lifted him to the top of the standings alongside compatriot Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Both Uzbek players now share the lead on seven points with two rounds remaining.
Abdusattorov, meanwhile, drew his Round 11 game against Dutch grandmaster Jorden van Foreest. The result allowed him to retain his position but opened the door for Sindarov to catch up.
With the final rounds approaching, Erigaisi remains an important presence in the tournament, continuing to test the world’s best and gaining valuable experience on one of chess’s biggest stages.
