Arjun Erigaisi delivered a commanding performance at the FIDE World Blitz Championship 2025 in Doha, sharing the lead with Fabiano Caruana and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave after 13 rounds.
Erigaisi, who has lost only one game and drawn four so far, sits on 10 points. Earlier in the day, he shocked top seed Magnus Carlsen with the black pieces in the ninth round, strengthening his position among the leaders.
Trailing half a point behind are six players, including India’s rising talents M. Pranesh, H. Goutham Krishna, R. Praggnanandhaa, Raunak Sadhwani, and S.L. Narayanan, all on nine points. World champion D. Gukesh endured a disappointing start, losing to 12-year-old Sergey Sklokin in the third round and finishing the day 26th with 8.5 points.
Six rounds remain in the league phase, with semifinals and finals scheduled for Tuesday.
Women’s Event
India’s campaign in the women’s section has been less encouraging. Divya Deshmukh, the best-placed Indian after 10 rounds, stands 34th with six points. Leader Eline Roberts of the Netherlands holds 8.5 points, followed closely by Aleksandra Goryachkina, Umida Omonova, and Antoaneta Stefanova. Koneru Humpy, who claimed bronze in the rapid event a day earlier, has five points.
The championship continues to showcase thrilling battles, with Erigaisi’s form raising hopes for India as the tournament heads into its decisive rounds.
