Top-ranked Indian across all formats, Arjun Erigaisi is described by his mother as a jhala prasantamaina abbayi, a very calm boy (In Telugu). Yet that same calm boy transforms into a destructive beast the moment he steps up to the chessboard.
Having finished third in the Rapid event of the 2026 Tata Steel Chess India tournament in Kolkata, Arjun began the Blitz portion with a blitzkrieg of his own. On Saturday, he took down five opponents one by one, starting with five straight wins, many of which were swindled in his favour at the very last second.
Facing the Russian teenager and 2024 World Rapid Champion, Murzin, Arjun found himself in a precarious position after holding equality for 51 moves. Both players were down to mere seconds on the clock, and Arjun was hanging by a thread. In a sharp position, Murzin needed to find a winning sequence, but against a resourceful Arjun, that was never going to be easy. A pawn down, Arjun managed to snatch back a pawn and steer the game toward a draw by perpetual checks. Then, as Arjun tightened the screws, Murzin blundered with only two seconds left, missing a mate-in-six. With just six seconds left, the double bronze medallist at the recently-concluded 2025 World Rapid and Blitz in Doha, pounced and delivered a rare checkmate on the board.
Though not exactly revenge, Arjun’s next victory carried its own satisfaction. Just weeks earlier, China’s top player, Wei Yi, had defeated him in a World Cup quarterfinal tiebreak in Goa, denying Arjun a Candidates spot. Here, however, Arjun outwitted Wei Yi to have a 2–0 scoreline in the event, having also beaten him in the Rapid segment. It felt as if Arjun was sending a message that the Goa loss was merely a blip, and he still is hungry for more.
Viswanathan Anand and Arjun Erigaisi at the Tata Steel Chess India Blitz at Dhono Dhanyo Auditorium. (Express Photo | Partha Paul)
Blitz is a format driven by momentum and endurance. It requires relentless focus to play round after round with little respite, both taxing and unforgiving. A single win can hold you in good stead for a long time. Heading into the third round, Arjun carried that momentum with two consecutive wins, but his opponent was Nihal Sarin, the winner of the Rapid segment, playing with extra resolve to honour his grandfather, who had passed away just days before.
For 50 moves, Nihal gave Arjun no quarter. The game remained balanced in an endgame where Arjun had a bishop against Nihal’s tricky knight. With time running low, Arjun was up against one of India’s finest speed chess players. Yet, ever the creative genius, he found an opening after Nihal misplaced his knight. The piece could not be saved and once again, Arjun had worked his magic. The resignation followed soon with the fall of the knight.
That script didn’t change when Arjun faced Viswanathan Anand. Having lost to Arjun in the Jerusalem Masters final and again in the Rapid portion, Anand was in no mood to let him escape with another victory. But Arjun had other plans as he managed to draw a critical mistake from the five-time World Champion. And in a Ruy Lopez game that seemed destined for a draw, Anand had to resign after just two more moves.
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Nihal’s observation about Arjun, made on the previous day, was right on target. He pointed out that it’s not luck that causes so many losing games to go in Arjun’s favour but it’s his extraordinary skill that makes it seem as though he is lucky.
“It’s massive… the manufacturing of luck itself is a massive skill. Arjun is one of the very best in the world, absolutely the best, when it comes to hanging on and posing as many practical problems as possible,” Nihal had said after his Rapid win on Friday.
“This is something Arjun does incredibly well. Like his next game against Anand, it was even more unbelievable. Most players would have resigned, I believe. And of course, some things have to go your way to pull that off. But it’s for sure not just luck when it keeps happening,” he added.
Aravindh Chithambaram, who has struggled throughout the event, failed to pose a serious challenge to Arjun in the fifth round, as the latter secured his fifth consecutive victory. Arjun’s winning streak finally ended when American-Filipino grandmaster Wesley So broke through his defences in a clean Queen’s Gambit Declined game in the sixth round.
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Bolstered by Wesley’s result, Hans Moke Niemann managed to hold Arjun to a draw before Praggnanandhaa capitalised on Arjun’s fading momentum to hand him his second loss of the day. This allowed others to catch up in a tight field, and despite Arjun defeating Vidit Gujrathi in the final round, Wesley finished the day half a point ahead. Arjun ended in second place with 6.5 points.
