5 months ago
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Top Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi demonstrated beardown endgame method and speedy calculation to stun Magnus Carlsen and look associated leader, with the Norwegian satellite No.1 slamming the array successful frustration, connected time 1 of the World Blitz Championships successful Doha
Erigaisi past went connected to decision different apical GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan and drew 3 different games to look associated person precocious connected Monday (December 29, 2025).
With Erigaisi — who ended time 1 connected 10 points from 13 games and was tied for the apical spot with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana — successful menacing form, it was Carlsen who mislaid a tense endgame successful Round 9.
Erigaisi had conscionable 9 seconds connected his timepiece portion Carlsen was down to three. Just arsenic the Norwegian — who had besides slammed the array aft losing to India's D. Gukesh successful Norway Chess earlier this twelvemonth — was astir to marque a queen move, it slipped from his manus and flew disconnected the table.
Alexander Grischuk, who happened to beryllium passing by astatine that moment, jumped and tried to determination retired of the mode quickly. By the clip Carlsen picked up his queen and enactment it backmost connected the board, his clip had already tally out. The Norwegian couldn't fell his choler and slammed his fist connected the array to springiness it a mighty tremor, though Erigaisi remained unruffled by the drama.
The leaders are trailed by six players connected 9.5 points. The co-champions successful the 2024 variation of World Blitz, Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi, beryllium connected 9/13.
Dutchman Jorden van Foreest emerged arsenic the archetypal sole person successful the 'Open' conception aft Round 6. The 26-year-old, who won the Dutch title this year, defeated the likes of Alireja Firouzja and Erigaisi, who suffered his lone nonaccomplishment connected Monday to the Dutch player.
However successful Round 7, van Foreest fell to Abdusattorov, who concisely joined a six-way necktie for the pb astatine 6/7. But things didn't spell good for them aft that, and some finished the time connected 8/13.
By the extremity of Round 10, Erigaisi stood unsocial astatine the apical with 8.5/10, having drawn lone erstwhile (with Firouzja) and mislaid erstwhile (to van Foreest). Entering the last circular of the day, 3 players were tied astatine 9.5/12.
Carlsen finished connected 9/13, suffering a 2nd setback connected the time against Caruana aft overlooking a rook.
Six much rounds volition beryllium played connected Tuesday to scope the semifinals, followed by the final. Carlsen, who is aiming for his ninth World Blitz rubric to spell with his sixth Rapid crown helium won connected Sunday (December 28), would beryllium keen to flooded the setbacks with his never-say-die attitude.
Humpy, Divya Deshmukh gaffe successful women's Blitz
Two-time World Rapid champion Koneru Humpy could not recreate the signifier she displayed connected mode to the bronze connected Sunday successful the Rapid section, slipping to associated 61st presumption aft 10 round, concluding her time connected 5 points with starring Chinese GM Tan Zhongyi for company. The 38-year-old Indian mislaid 5 games.
Teenage women's World Cup victor Divya Deshmukh was associated 30th with six points, portion GMs D Harika and R Vaishali were further down connected 5.5 points.
Dutch International Master Eline Roebers emerged arsenic an improbable sole person with 8.5/10 points, portion Aleksandra Goryachkina, victor of the Women's World Rapid crown connected Sunday, was associated 2nd with 2 others connected 8 points.
Five much rounds volition beryllium played connected Tuesday with the top-four players moving into the semifinals, followed by the final.
