Doha: Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi ended his World Blitz Championship campaign in Doha with a bronze medal after a disappointing semifinal loss on Tuesday, missing out on a place in the final despite a dominant run in the earlier stages of the tournament.
The 22-year-old, who had topped the Swiss rounds with an impressive 15 points, was among the standout performers of the event. Erigaisi showcased remarkable consistency, winning four games and drawing two on the final day of the league phase to finish as the sole leader and comfortably qualify for the semifinals, according to media reports.
However, his momentum stalled in the last-four clash against Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Despite having beaten the Uzbek Grandmaster earlier in the tournament and entering the match in strong form, Erigaisi failed to capitalise on early opportunities. He lost the opening game after being unable to convert an advantage with the white pieces and slipped further behind when Abdusattorov prevailed in a long, tense second game. With the Uzbek needing only a draw to advance, the semifinal was effectively decided, leaving Erigaisi to settle for third place.
Even so, the bronze medal capped a highly successful outing for Erigaisi, who had also finished third in the World Rapid Championship earlier in the week. His performance made him only the second Indian male player, after Viswanathan Anand, to win a medal at the World Blitz Championship in the Open category.
The title, meanwhile, went to world No.1 Magnus Carlsen, who defeated Abdusattorov in the final to claim a record-extending ninth World Blitz crown. Carlsen added the Blitz title to the Rapid gold he had secured just two days earlier, underlining his continued dominance in fast-paced formats.
For Erigaisi, the twin bronze medals represent a significant milestone in his young career, reinforcing his status as one of India’s brightest chess prospects on the global stage.
