Freestyle Grand Slam Tour Paris Quarterfinals: Arjun holds firm in draw against Hikaru; Magnus delivers masterclass

Arjun Erigaisi played out a draw against Hikaru Nakamura on the opening day of the quarterfinals of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tournament in Paris on Wednesday

With Arjun being the only Indian left in the knockout stage of the freestyle tournament in Paris, all hopes were pinned on him as he faced Nakamura. The 21-year-old, who became India’s top-rated player after crossing the coveted 2800 Elo barrier in classical chess rating — only the second Indian to achieve this feat after Viswanathan Anand — started strong, advancing his knights aggressively in the opening moves.

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After an early rook sacrifice, a misstep with Arjun’s knight was swiftly followed by a queen exchange. From that point on, the intensity faded into a long, drawn-out battle. Following a prolonged game of cat and mouse with each other’s kings and rooks towards the end, both players agreed to a draw on move 77. They will face off again in the second leg, which will determine who advances to the semifinals.

In the other quarterfinal matches, Magnus Carlsen secured a comfortable win against Nodirbek Abdusattorov, making him the only player to notch a victory on the day, while the rest of the lineup had to settle for draws.

Meanwhile, in the 9th–12th place playoffs, it was a mixed day for the Indians—R. Praggnanandhaa defeated Vidit Gujrathi, while D. Gukesh was beaten by Richard Rapport.

The remaining quarterfinal matches will happen on Thursday (April 10) at 4:30 pm IST.