Jerusalem
Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi defeated five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand in an all-Indian final to clinch the prestigious Jerusalem Masters title. The 22-year-old triumphed 2.5–1.5 in the summit clash, prevailing in the blitz tie-break after both rapid games ended in hard-fought draws.
Erigaisi struck the decisive blow in the first blitz game, converting with the white pieces to seize a 2–1 lead in the mini-match. He also held a winning position in the second blitz encounter before opting for a pragmatic draw, which was enough to seal the championship. The victory capped a strong week for the youngster, who admitted he had to fight through several tense moments.
“It wasn’t easy. There were a lot of challenges. My quality wasn’t the best, but I’m glad I managed to make it through,” Erigaisi said after the win. Reflecting on the pressure of the final, he added: “Both matches today — against Peter Svidler and then Anand — were very tense. In the first game against Anand sir, we both missed our chances. But in blitz, I think I played quite well.”
Erigaisi also spoke about briefly losing control in the opening game of the final despite having an early advantage. “I knew I was winning and I knew I messed it up. I was definitely worried. But all I had to do was fight back, and that’s what I tried to do,” he said.
With the title, Erigaisi pocketed USD 55,000 while Anand received USD 35,000. Earlier, Erigaisi had defeated Russian veteran Peter Svidler in the semifinals, while Anand overcame reigning World Blitz champion Ian Nepomniachtchi. In the third-place playoff, Svidler edged Nepomniachtchi 2.5–1.5.
The Jerusalem Masters is a 12-player invitational round-robin event, with the top four advancing to the playoffs.
