World Blitz Championship: Arjun Erigaisi Loses To Uzbek GM In Semis, Settles For Bronze
World Blitz Championship: Arjun Erigaisi suffered a shattering semifinal loss to top Uzbek player Nodirbek Abdusattorov as the ace Indian settled for a bronze medal
- Arjun Erigaisi lost the World Blitz semifinal to Nodirbek Abdusattorov 2.5-0.5
- Erigaisi secured bronze medals in both rapid and blitz World Championships
- Erigaisi led qualification rounds with 15 points from 19 games before knockouts
Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi suffered a shattering semifinal loss to top Uzbek player Nodirbek Abdusattorov as the ace Indian settled for a bronze medal on a day when defending champion Magnus Carlsen stormed into the final from an unlikely situation at the World Blitz Championship in Doha on Tuesday. Eight-time world blitz champion Carlsen set up a title showdown with Abdusattorov after defeating American Fabiano Caruana 3-1 in the other semifinal.
Erigaisi, 22, can take heart from the fact that he will return home with two World bronze medals - in rapid and blitz - a feat that very few players in the world have achieved.
The Indian ace was in sublime form on day two of the qualification rounds.
After stunning the likes of global icon Carlsen and his eventual semifinal opponent Abdusattorov on the opening day, emerging as sole leader with 10 points from 13 games, Erigaisi went through the remaining six rounds on day two with steely resolve.
He won four rounds and drew two to remain sole leader with 15 points, thereby securing a place in the knockouts.
Erigaisi was drawn against 2021 World Rapid champion Abdusattorov, who scraped into the last four by the skin of his teeth, barely managing to nudge Frenchman Maxime Vachier-Lagrave into fifth spot on the best tie-break rule after both ended on 13 points.
With Erigaisi in stunning form and having already beaten Abdusattorov on day one of the competition, the Indian was expected to go full steam.
But things took a difficult turn for Erigaisi, who lost the semifinal 2.5-0.5. He could not convert the advantage with white in the opening game of the knockout, losing in 47 moves to go 0-1 down.
A resurgent Abdusattorov turned things decisively his way in the second game by playing Rc5 on the 75th move, eventually ending the game in 83 moves.
With the Uzbek needing only half a point to seal his place in the final, Abdusattorov settled for a quick draw with the black pieces after 33 moves despite being in a winning position, rendering the fourth game pointless