“We do not want no… invitation,“ to loosely borrow the lyrics from Pink Floyd, could possibly be the hook to GM Arjun Erigaisi‘s theme music within the 12 months 2024. Regardless of enjoying in nearly no closed super-tournaments, that are invitation-only, he has been dominating leagues and open occasions. Since December 2023, he has gained 58 ranking factors, leaping from world number-30 (ranking: 2713) to world number-four (ranking: 2771).
Whereas eyes have been on his fellow Indian GM Gukesh Dommaraju, who received the 2024 FIDE Candidates Match and can play the 2024 FIDE World Championship later this 12 months, in addition to GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, who additionally participated within the Candidates and simply completed enjoying in Norway Chess 2024, Arjun has been grinding. Out of 12 tournaments, he is solely gained ranking apart from a negligible lack of 1.2 factors within the Sharjah Masters.
Nearly each different elite chess participant avoids open occasions—until the highest spots qualify for the FIDE Candidates (the FIDE Grand Swiss), or there’s some huge cash on supply (e.g. the Qatar Masters)—and sticks to closed, invitational tournaments. There is a declare that high chess gamers usually lose ranking factors in the event that they play in open occasions, as a result of even attracts in opposition to lower-rated grandmasters will damage them, however not all people agrees. GM Fabiano Caruana, for instance, is among the highest-rated gamers to disagree with that declare.
In an electronic mail, Arjun defined: “If I had invites to closed tournaments then I wouldn’t be enjoying the opens, however since I don’t have invites I don’t thoughts enjoying opens as a substitute. I can select to take a seat at dwelling and complain about it or I can create my very own path. I selected the latter.”
I can select to take a seat at dwelling and complain about it or I can create my very own path. I selected the latter.
—Arjun Erigaisi
Arjun’s success is attributed to the truth that he is profitable nearly each sport he performs—one thing he has to do to maintain his ranking as excessive as it’s. On the French Workforce Chess Championship, he gained 10 factors, dropping simply three attracts whereas profitable six video games in opposition to nearly all-GM opposition.
Arjun added that enjoying in open tournaments is not supreme, but it surely’s been the one approach for him to remain lively: “In an open event there may be extra draw back than upside. For a 2750+ even a draw after a very good sport leads to ranking loss and a win hardly will get you any factors. I perceive this danger however for me it’s about enjoying often and opens had been the one approach I might do this.”
His current ascension has captured the eye of others on the high. GM Magnus Carlsen spoke about Arjun’s enterprising fashion to The Indian Categorical: “Arjun is only a full madman on the board. He needs to kill you in each single sport. Has loopy preparation and performs extraordinarily ambitiously and that’s what makes him very harmful.”
Arjun is only a full madman on the board. He needs to kill you in each single sport.
—Magnus Carlsen
GM Anish Giri had a extra lighthearted take, expressing the identical sentiment.
I perceive that Arjun Erigaisi is a good menace to chess, however enjoying the Philidor isn’t the answer. pic.twitter.com/y6OlKe9OGO
— Anish Giri (@anishgiri) Could 31, 2024
GMs Parham Maghsoodloo and Levon Aronian joined within the feedback, with the previous writing, “What’s the resolution?” and the latter answering, “Calm down and take the L.”
Arjun earned his grandmaster title on the age of 14 and was a bit slower than a few of his Indian contemporaries, like Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa, to realize public consideration. Considered one of his coaches, Indian GM Srinath Narayanan, known as out the expertise in 2021 when 17-year-old Arjun was rated solely 2567. A 12 months later, as Arjun crossed 2700, he reminded us about it. There isn’t any telling who will win the race between “the kids of GM Viswanathan Anand,” as GM Garry Kasparov known as them.
This aged effectively. https://t.co/uTMXIh5JNH
— Srinath Narayanan (@srinathchess) August 26, 2022
Arjun’s success in open tournaments might pave the highway to the FIDE Candidates Match in 2026, which is able to resolve the following world championship challenger. The participant who scores essentially the most FIDE Circuit factors by the tip of the 12 months qualifies, and Arjun at present leads.
We may even see Arjun invited to extra closed occasions after this meteoric rise. He needs to see the identical: “I perceive my ranking was decrease until a number of months in the past and thus there have been no invites, however that’s now not the case and I’m certain organisers will take discover of that for the following 12 months.”
Lastly, I requested Arjun the way it feels to observe his countryman, Gukesh, play the world championship in opposition to GM Ding Liren later this 12 months. Arjun is, in the meanwhile, the Indian number-one. “There are not any arduous emotions. The actual fact that he could possibly be the world champion at simply 18 makes me root for him. I believe he’s a favourite to win the match if Ding doesn’t come again to his kind.”
