Las Vegas became the backdrop for a historic achievement in Indian chess as 21-year-old Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi reached the semifinals of the prestigious Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour. By doing so, he became the first Indian player ever to make it this far in the tournament’s history.
Currently ranked World No. 5, Erigaisi advanced to the final four after a dominant performance against Uzbekistan’s World No. 7 Nodirbek Abdusattorov in the quarterfinals. He clinched the first rapid game and held a draw in the second, sealing a 1.5 – 0.5 victory under a format that emphasizes originality and creative strategy over memorized opening sequences.
Arjun had already impressed during the round-robin phase, racking up 4 points in 7 games. His results included three wins and two draws against a roster of global chess elites. Known for his bold and inventive play, especially in the Chess960 (Freestyle Chess) variant, Arjun’s style has captured the attention of chess fans worldwide.
His next challenge will be against legendary Grandmaster Levon Aronian on July 19, where he will compete for a place in the finals. Alongside Aronian, Fabiano Caruana and Hans Niemann complete the list of semifinalists, positioning Erigaisi among the brightest stars of contemporary chess.
This milestone cements India’s growing influence on the global chess scene, especially in innovative formats like Freestyle Chess. It also marks another highlight in Arjun Erigaisi’s spectacular 2025 season—a year in which he crossed the 2800 rating threshold, an elite benchmark achieved by only a handful of players in chess history.
As the tournament progresses in Las Vegas, Arjun’s breakthrough run not only adds to his personal accolades but also inspires the next generation of Indian chess prodigies to aim for similar global triumphs.
