Magnus Carlsen edges Arjun Erigiasi in playoff to claim TePe Sigeman crown

After going undefeated in the main tournament, Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi faced World No. 1 Magnus Carlsen for the TePe Sigeman & Co Chess 2026 title but went down in sudden death after the two tiebreak games were split one apiece.

It marked the second time Erigaisi fell short of the title, having finished joint-second in 2024.

Arjun had entered the final round as the sole leader on 4.5/6, with Carlsen and Erdogmus half a point behind. A win over Woodward would have given Arjun the title outright, while a draw left the door open for Carlsen to force a playoff.

Earlier, Arjun Erigaisi drew his match against Andy Woodward, securing his spot at the top of the leaderboard, but Magnus Carlsen defeated Yagız Kaan Erdogmus to catch the leader and stretch the tournament.

Arjun had held Magnus to a draw in the first round of the tournament.

Published on May 07, 2026