Arjun Erigaisi beats Lagrave to win WR Chess Masters Cup but misses out on 2800

GM Arjun Erigaisi beat France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in armageddon to clinch the 2024 WR Chess Masters Cup, picking up the €20,000 top prize and 27.84 FIDE Circuit points.

However, despite the win, Erigaisi could not cross the 2800 mark after his French opponent forced two consecutive two draws in the classical games. 

Erigaisi knew he had to win in classical chess on the final day to cross 2800 for the first time in his career.

With Vachier-Lagrave having drawn all his classical games but winning three of three armageddons, Arjun summed up his strategy as “Basically, I thought I should finish it off in classical!”

Erigaisi, who is world no. 4 with a live rating of 2796.1, beat compatriot Vidit Gujrathi and R. Praggnanandhaa on the way to winning the title.