India's Arjun Erigaisi claimed a bronze medal at the World Rapid Championship. (PHOTO: Anna Shtourman via FIDE)
India’s Arjun Erigaisi claimed a bronze medal at the FIDE World Rapid Championship in Doha, finishing on 9.5 points, one point behind World Rapid Champion Magnus Carlsen. Arjun lost just two out of his 13 games in the event, to silver medallist Vladislav Artemiev and to young Turkish phenom Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus. Arjun was among the four players who had 9.5 points at the end, with Hans Niemann and Leinier Dominguez Perez unlucky to miss out on a medal.
Arjun thus became the only male player from India to end up with a podium finish at a World rapid Championship since five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand. In the women’s section, the veteran Koneru Humpy also won a bronze medal while there Savitha Shri B ended fourth, Vaishali Rameshbabu was fifth and Divya Deshmukh was eighth.
The third place finish for Arjun also earns him a quota at the pilot tournament of the Total Chess World Championship Tour, that will take place in October next year.
The highlight of the tournament for Arjun was his stoic defence against Carlsen when outnumbered in terms of material on the board to grind out a draw.
After Arjun, Aravindh, Chithambaram was the top ranked Indian player in the World Rapid Championships, ending on the 16th spot while Nihal Sarin and world champion Gukesh Dommaraju were 19th and 20th in the final standings. R Praggnanandhaa could only manage 28th spot.
Arjun has been smarting after missing out on making it to the Candidates for the second time in a row.
Despite courting controversy once again by shoving a cameraman after a defeat on day 2 of the World Rapid Championship, world no 1 Carlsen claimed the title with a lead of a full point over the rest of the field.
Carlsen did have the satisfaction of defeating arch-rival Hans Niemann in a rapid game on the final day of the event.
All the players will be back for the World Blitz Championship that starts from Monday in Doha.