New Delhi: Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi’s remarkable run at the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam came to an end in the semifinals, following a 0-2 loss to Levon Aronian, the Armenian-born American veteran, in Las Vegas.
Arjun made history as the first Indian to reach the semifinals of the prestigious event, delivering a series of strong performances throughout the tournament. His campaign included a thrilling win over Magnus Carlsen in the playoff for a top-four spot and an impressive quarterfinal victory over Hikaru Nakamura. However, his dream of reaching the final was cut short by the experienced Aronian, who appears to be rediscovering his top form.
In the first game of the semifinal, Arjun found himself in a promising position but failed to convert his advantage. Aronian remained resilient under pressure and eventually turned the tables as Arjun’s opportunity slipped away.
With Aronian only needing a draw in the second game to secure a spot in the final, he played with subtle precision, gaining a slight edge early on. Arjun, knowing that only a win could save his chances, opted for risky tactics in an otherwise balanced position—moves that ultimately backfired and handed Aronian the match.
On the other side of the draw, Hans Moke Niemann of the United States secured a spot in the final by defeating Fabiano Caruana. Niemann, despite arriving late for the first game, held his ground and forced a draw. After two more drawn games, he broke through in the fourth with sharp middlegame strategy to seal victory.
Elsewhere in the tournament, R Praggnanandhaa bounced back after missing out on the title race by defeating Vincent Keymer of Germany in the playoff for 3rd–8th place. Praggnanandhaa drew the first game as Black and outplayed Keymer in the return leg to claim a 1.5-0.5 win.
Magnus Carlsen also posted a win in the placement rounds, defeating Javokhir Sindarov of Uzbekistan with the same 1.5-0.5 margin.
In other key results:
• Wesley So of the United States overcame Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan) 3-1
• Hikaru Nakamura dominated fellow American Leinier Dominguez Perez 2-0
As the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam nears its conclusion, all eyes will be on the final showdown between Levon Aronian and Hans Niemann, with the title hanging in the balance.
