India’s young chess Grandmaster, Arjun Erigaisi, stunned World Number 1 Magnus Carlsen by defeating him in the World Blitz chess tournament, finishing the first day of the competition as the joint leader.
A video from the final moments of the battle has surfaced online which, interestingly, shows Magnus venting his frustration over the result, slamming the table right before he walked away. Check it out:
He did, however, shake Erigaisi’s hand, underlining the spirit of sportsmanship and mutual respect between the two competitors.
Notably, this is the second time the World No. 1 chess star has slammed the table after losing to an Indian. The last time, it was D Gukesh.
Magnus Turns The Tide To Defend World Blitz Crown
While this defeat to Arjun Erigaisi may have frustrated Magnus Carlsen, he did script a comeback to ultimately win the World Blitz tournament.
The championship match went down to the wire, with the winner eventually prevailing 2.5-1.5 against Uzbek Grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi had entered the knockout stages in imperious form after producing an impeccable run in the 19-round Swiss qualification phase. His consistency and composure throughout the rounds placed him firmly among the favourites heading into the semifinals.
That said, the semifinal proved to be a major stumbling block. Erigaisi suffered a difficult loss at a crucial stage, eventually bringing his title hopes to an abrupt halt.
Despite the setback, the 22-year-old earned the bronze-medal, which has now made him only the second Indian male chess player to win a World Blitz medal after Viswanathan Anand.
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