IMAGE: Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi, seeded second, lost to seventh seed China’s Wei Yi in the second game after drawing the first with black in the first set of tiebreaks. Photograph: FIDE/X
Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi was knocked out of the FIDE World Cup, losing to Wei Yi of China 1.5-2.5 in the first set of tiebreak games, in Panaji on Wednesday.
It was a shocker for Arjun who ran out of luck in the rapid tiebreak games wherein the Chinese put pressure in the first game before eventually drawing while in the second Arjun just lost control and had to pack his bags.
Having drawn both the games under Classical chess, Arjun was black in the first game of rapid and employed the French defense. It did not turn out to be a great choice though as he was soon on the backfoot losing a rook for a minor piece.
The Chinese had huge advantage according to the computers but Arjun posed stiff resistance despite being low on material. Eventually, Yi fumbled in the ensuing endgame and Arjun drew.
In the second rapid game, the Indian did not have much luck despite playing with white pieces. Yi got into a tangible position in the middle game and had his light squared Bishop firmly posted on the sixth rank that eventually caused a lot of problems.
Arjun lost one pawn in the endgame and even though the complications remained, Yi got the technicalities in his favour with some timely pawn advances. Arjun was finally checkmated.
Andrey Esipenko defeated Sam Shankland of the United States 4-2 when the latter lost both the games in the second set of tiebreaker after trading a victory each in the first set.
In the other quarterfinal, Javokhir Sindarov became the second Uzbek after Nodirbek Yakubboev to entere the semis after defeating Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara 3.5-2.5. It finally boiled down ton battle of nerves and Sindarov was clearly the superior player.
In the semifinals, Esipenko will take on Yi while Yakubboev will meet Sindarov.
Arjun’s exit means that there can be only one Indian in the Candidates in R Praggnanandhaa, who will likely make it to the premier event with his well-rounded performances throughout this year.
Quarterfinals results:
Nodirbek Yakubboev (Uzb) beat Alexander Donchenko (Ger) 1.5-0.5; Arjun Erigaisi (Ind) lost to Wei Yi (Chn) 1.5-2.5; Andrey Esipenko (Fid) beat Sam Shankland (Usa) 4-2; Javokhir Sindarov (Uzb) beat Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara 3.5-2.5.
