New Delhi: Indian grandmasters R Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi and R Vaishali are set for a major test as they compete against some of the world’s leading chess players at the Total Chess World Championship Tour pilot, beginning in Budapest on Tuesday.
The tournament features a star-studded 24-player field led by five-time world champion and World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. The competition will test players across three formats: Fast Classic, rapid and blitz, with consistency and adaptability expected to play a crucial role.
World No. 7 Praggnanandhaa enters the tournament after an impressive season in which he became the first Indian to win both Norway Chess and the Grand Chess Tour title.
The 20-year-old defeated American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana 15-13 in the Grand Chess Tour final in St Louis, overturning a six-point deficit on the final day. He achieved the turnaround by winning both rapid games before holding his nerve in blitz.
Praggnanandhaa also finished runner-up at the Clutch Chess Champions Showdown in October, behind Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov.
Erigaisi Looks To Continue Consistent Form
World No. 12 Arjun Erigaisi will also be among India’s leading contenders. The 23-year-old was part of India’s silver-medal-winning team at the Chess Olympiad in Samarkand.
He recently represented Alkaloid at the European Club Cup in Montenegro, scoring five points from seven games with three victories and four draws.
Known for his aggressive approach, Erigaisi will face a demanding challenge against an experienced international field.
Vaishali Among Leading Women’s Contenders
R Vaishali will be one of only two women competing in the 24-player tournament. She secured her place among the world’s elite after winning the Women’s Candidates Tournament in April, earning the opportunity to challenge China’s Ju Wenjun for the world championship.
The field also includes Fabiano Caruana, Wesley So, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Alireza Firouzja, Vincent Keymer, Ian Nepomniachtchi and Anish Giri.
Unique Three-Format Championship
Conceptualised by Norway Chess and approved by the International Chess Federation (FIDE), the tournament aims to identify the most complete player by combining three different formats.
The competition will begin with a nine-round Blitz Swiss event, played at three minutes plus a two-second increment per move. The results will determine rankings and seedings for the next stage.
The 24 participants will then be divided into four groups of six, competing in a double round-robin format over five days. Group-stage matches will feature Fast Classic games, with 45 minutes and a 30-second increment per move. A victory will earn three points, while a draw will award one point to each player.
The knockout stage will feature four blitz games, two rapid games and one Fast Classic game across two days. Tied matches will be decided through an Armageddon game.
The decisive knockout matches are scheduled for November 19 and 20, with the winner of the top bracket claiming the overall Budapest pilot title.
The event will serve as a trial run before the full global championship tour begins next year.
