Erigaisi crushes Vokhidov to stay unbeaten in Chess World Cup

Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi continued his impressive run at the Chess World Cup in Panjim, scoring a commanding win over Uzbekistan’s Shamsiddin Vokhidov in the first game of the third round on Friday. The 21-year-old produced a clean attacking display with white pieces, marking his third consecutive victory in the knockout event and taking a major step toward the fourth round.

Meanwhile, world champion D Gukesh had to settle for a draw against Germany’s Frederik Svane after a closely contested battle. Despite pressing with the white pieces, Gukesh couldn’t find a decisive breakthrough and will now look to seal the tie in the second game.

Veteran Grandmaster P Harikrishna also registered a fine win, defeating Belgium’s Daniel Dardha with clinical precision. Playing white, Harikrishna displayed his trademark attacking flair reminding many of the expertise he showcased while assisting Gukesh during the World Championship campaign. Both Harikrishna and Erigaisi now need just a draw in the return leg to secure their spots in Round 4.

Elsewhere, R Praggnanandhaa began his third-round campaign with a steady draw against Armenia’s Robert Hovhannisyan, while Vidit Gujrathi shared points with American GM Sam Shankland in an evenly poised encounter.

Erigaisi’s performance was particularly impressive, as he capitalized on a Queen’s Pawn opening to outplay Vokhidov in a one-sided encounter. The victory further cements his position as India’s most in-form player at the tournament.

Round 3, Game 1 results (Indians unless stated):

• D Gukesh (India) drew with Frederik Svane (Germany)

• P Harikrishna (India) beat Daniel Dardha (Belgium)

• R Praggnanandhaa (India) drew with Robert Hovhannisyan (Armenia)

• Vidit Gujrathi (India) drew with Sam Shankland (USA)

• Arjun Erigaisi (India) beat Shamsiddin Vokhidov (Uzbekistan)