IMAGE: Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi sealed a spot in the last 16 of the Chess World Cup with a win over Peter Leko of Hungary, in Panaji on Thursday. Photograph: Michał Walusza/FIDE
Grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi and P Harikrishna had another good day at the Chess World Cup as they beat Peter Leko of Hungary and Swede Nils Grandelius respectively in the fourth-round tiebreaker, in Panaji on Thursday.
Arjun defeated Leko 3-1 in the first set of tiebreaker itself while Harikrishna drew the first and then won the second for an overall 2.5-1.5 victory that took him to round of 16.
However, R Praggnanandhaa lost to Daniil Dubov of Russia to make an exit from this year’s World Cup. In the previous edition held in 2023, the young Indian had made it all the way to the final before losing to Magnus Carlsen of Norway.
For Arjun, the next round will be crucial as he will take on in-form Levon Aronian of United States. Aronian has been peaking at the right time and could be a tough opponent for anyone in the event.
The former Armenian is the only player in history to have won the title twice.
German Frederic Svane, meanwhile, continued with his brilliant run and ousted Shant Sargsyan of Armenia 2.5-1.5.
Svane, who had earlier defeated world champion D Gukesh, did not disappoint his fans and scored another important victory to be in contention for a berth in the Candidates.
The $2 million prize money tournament also saw a big upset when Aleksey Grebnev defeated Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France 2.5-1.5.
The exit of Vachier-Lagrave also means that the road ahead could be easier for the last two remaining Indians if they cross the next hurdle.
Arjun played a solid game with black pieces and took advantage as Leko got ambitious and went for some unwarranted complications.
The Indian pocketed one pawn and then the ensuing rook and minor piece endgame was just a walk in the park.
Leko lost to the second game when he again tried to push hard to level scores. Arjun got a fine position with his better placed pieces out of a Nimzo Indian defense and did the needful in style.
Harikrishna showed why he is a class act yet again.
Having won two matches under standard-time control, the Indian was stretched in to the tiebreaker first time in the event and outplayed Grandelius in the second game played under 15 minutes in the rapid section.
Praggnanandhaa, for once, did not get the complexities in his favour as Dubov is a known expert in the faster time control.
After a draw in the first game wherein Dubov played it safe as white, the onus was on Pragg to showcase his preparation with white pieces.
However, the Indian fell short of time when he needed it and lost a pawn and a rook for a minor piece to end his campaign in the knockout event.
While Peter Leko had started as an underdog against Arjun, the Hungarian’s protégé Vincent Keymer was the favourite against Russian Andrey Esipenko.
The uncertainties involved in a tiebreak was on display against as the current World No. 4 lost 2-4 against Esipenko.
In other important results, Sam Shankland of the US ousted the remaining Hungarian Richard Rapport while another American Awonder Liang found his nemesis in Gabriel Sargissian of Armenia.
Round 4 results:
Arjun Erigaisi beat Peter Leko (Hun) 3-1; P Harikrishna beat Nils Grandelius 2.5-1.5; R Praggnanandhaa lost to Daniil Dubov (Fid) 1.5-2.5; Frederic Svane (Ger) beat ShantSargysyan (Arm) 2.5-1.5; Matthias Bluebaum (Ger) lost to Alexander Domchenko (Ger) -0.5-1.5; V Pranav lost to NodirbekYakubboev (Uzb) 0.5-1.5;
Andrey Esipenko (Fid) beat Vincent Keymer (Ger) 4-2; Wei Yi (Chn) beat playing Parham Maghsoodloo (Iri) 5-3; Alexey Sarana (Fid) lost to Jose Eduardo Martinez Alacantra (Mex) 0.5-1.5; Samuel Sevian (Usa) playing Lorenzo Lodici (Ita); Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra) lost to Aleksey Grebnev (Fid) 1.5-2.5; Awonder Liang (Usa) lost to Gabriel Sargissian (Arm) 1.5-2.5; Le Quang Liem (Vie) beat V Karthik 1.5-0.5; Sam Shankland (Usa) beat Richard Rapport (Hun) 3-1; Levon Aronian (Usa) beat RadoslavWojtaszek (Pol) 1.5-0.5; Yu Yangyi (Chn) lost to JavokhirSindarov (Uzb) 1.5-2.5.
