Arjun Erigaisi has been making waves in the chess world with his phenomenal performances and rapid rise through the ranks. Born in 2003, Arjun has already established himself as one of the top players globally, and his current form is a testament to his dedication, skill, and continuous improvement.
Recently, Arjun played a crucial part in India's historic Chess Olympiad win. Arjun's performance in Budapest, Hungary, was nothing short of spectacular. Playing on the third board for India, he delivered nine wins and two draws in the 11 rounds, contributing significantly to India's team victory. His performance rating of 2968 Elo was one of the highest in the tournament, and he earned a total of 19.2 rating points. This stellar performance pushed him to a career-high world ranking of No. 3, overtaking Fabiano Caruana, with a live rating of 2797.2 Elo.
Arjun's chess style has evolved significantly over the years. Initially known as a strong positional player, he has developed a more universal and adaptable style. His superlative calculation skills and flexibility in playing different types of positions have been key factors in his success. Arjun has worked diligently on his opening repertoire, addressing earlier weaknesses and developing a more robust and varied approach to the game.
Arjun's journey to becoming a grandmaster began at a very young age. He earned his International Master title in 2017 and achieved his Grandmaster title just a year later, at the age of 14. This swift progression was marked by significant milestones, including being the runner-up in the under-14 division at the 2017 World Youth Chess Championship while still a FIDE Master.
In the early years of his career, Arjun remained in the 2500 rating range in classical chess before experiencing a significant jump in 2021. He achieved a 2600 rating for the first time in September 2021 and continued to see success in rapid, blitz, and online chess tournaments. His victories in the Tata Steel India Rapid tournament and his second-place finish in the Tata Steel India Blitz, where he lost only in the armageddon tie-break to GM Levon Aronian, highlighted his versatility and strength across different formats.
2022 was a breakout year for Arjun. He started the year as a top-10 junior but outside the world top 100 and ended it as a super grandmaster, climbing more than 100 spots in the world rankings. His year began with a victory at the 2022 Tata Steel Challengers tournament, where he scored an impressive 10.5/13 to win by two full points. He followed this up by becoming India's chess champion in March and winning the 2022 Junior Speed Chess Championship in June, ending Nihal Sarin's two-year streak.
Arjun's success extended beyond these tournaments. He won two Tata Steel events in different continents, broke into the top 100, and earned high praise from reigning world champion Magnus Carlsen, who predicted that Arjun would soon reach a 2700 Elo rating. At the Lindores Abbey blitz tournament, Arjun won 13 out of 18 games, gaining over 107 rating points and finishing in third position. These performances solidified his position as one of the world's top juniors and the fourth-highest ranked Indian player after Viswanathan Anand, Vidit Gujrathi, and Harikrishna Pentala.
