Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi’s spectacular run at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam came to an end after he was defeated 0-2 by Levon Aronian in the semifinals.
Aronian, representing the United States, displayed vintage form to edge past Erigaisi, who had earlier stunned Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura in earlier rounds.
Erigaisi entered the semifinals with momentum but failed to capitalise on key opportunities in the first game. Aronian held firm under pressure, eventually turning the tide as Erigaisi’s advantage slipped. In the return game, with Aronian only needing a draw to advance, the seasoned campaigner played with precision, provoking risky responses from Erigaisi that proved costly.
With this loss, Erigaisi became the first Indian to reach the last-four stage of the Grand Slam, marking a milestone in Indian freestyle chess. Meanwhile, Hans Moke Niemann secured a spot in the final by defeating Fabiano Caruana 2.5-1.5 in an all-American clash.
Indian prodigy R. Praggnanandhaa registered a playoff win against Germany’s Vincent Keymer to place within the top 8, while World No.1 Magnus Carlsen also claimed victory in his classification match.
The finals promise an exciting showdown as Aronian faces Niemann for the prestigious title.
