Erigaisi Seizes Opportunity, Enters Chess World Cup Quarters with Thrilling Win

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{ "title": "Erigaisi Seizes Opportunity, Enters Chess World Cup Quarters with Thrilling Win", "article": "Mumbai: Arjun Erigaisi, India's No.1 chess player, made history by becoming the first Indian to enter the quarter-finals of the Chess World Cup in Goa. Erigaisi's impressive victory came after Levon Aronian, the seasoned Armenian player, made a costly mistake in the fifth round. In a closely contested match, Erigaisi and Aronian played out two classical games, with the Indian player applying consistent pressure throughout. Although Aronian defended well in the first game, he cracked under pressure in the second, making a crucial error in the 38th move. Erigaisi, who sat calmly during the decisive moment, seized the opportunity and moved his knight to h3, securing a win and entering the quarter-finals. The 22-year-old from Warangal expressed his delight at the win, stating that it felt good to have played well in both games. Erigaisi's win takes him back into the quarter-final, matching his 2023 performance. The World Cup is his last shot at earning a spot in next year's Candidates tournament, and he needs to finish in the top 3 to achieve his goal. Up next for Erigaisi is a match against Wei Yi, China's 2018 Asian champion. Pentala Harikrishna, the only other Indian player still in contention, played out a second consecutive draw in classical against Mexican GM Jose Eduardo Martinez Alcantara. Harikrishna's match will also go into Sunday's tiebreaks."