Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi stunned the chess world on Monday by defeating Magnus Carlsen in the round-robin stage of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Finals at the Grootbos Private Nature Reserve in South Africa.
With this victory, Arjun finished third in the standings with 4.5 points after seven rounds.
Meanwhile, Javokhir Sindarov, the FIDE World Cup winner, topped the table with 5.5 points, followed by Levon Aronian with 5 points. Since the top three finishers earned the right to choose their opponents in the quarterfinals, Sindarov exercised the first pick. Consequently, Arjun will face Vincent Keymer, while Carlsen will battle Fabiano Caruana.
The knockout pairings are as follows:
- Javokhir Sindarov vs. Parham Maghsoodloo
- Levon Aronian vs. Hans Niemann
- Arjun Erigaisi vs. Vincent Keymer
- Magnus Carlsen vs. Fabiano Caruana
This tournament marks the fifth event in the year-long tour, which previously held legs in Germany, France, and the U.S. The winner of the finals will be crowned the 2025 Freestyle Chess Champion.
Carlsen continues to lead the overall tour standings. Importantly, he only needs to finish fourth in the finals to secure victory in the entire tour, along with a $100,000 bonus prize.
Arjun’s triumph over Carlsen not only boosted his confidence but also underscored India’s rising presence in global chess. As the knockouts begin, fans eagerly await whether the young Grandmaster can carry his momentum into the next stage.
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