Picture Credit: X
Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi became the world no. 2 in the live classical chess ratings after a chaotic win over GM Alexey Sarana of Russia at the Chennai Grand Masters 2024, to find himself joint-first place in the tournament alongside GM Amin Tabatabaei of Iran. With this big victory, Arjun Erigaisi overtook GM Fabiano Caruana of the USA in the ratings, but he is still a fair way behind GM Magnus Carlsen of Norway, who has been the world no. 1 for a long time in the classical chess.
Notably, Arjun Erigaisi and Alexey Sarana played an impeccable game for the first 23 moves before they both made a few tactical errors, to change the complexion of the game completely. Sarana had sacrificed a pawn in the opening phase, aiming to get the early advantage, but when the game got complicated, he started to struggle.
Arjun Erigaisi is in joint-first place in Chess Grand Masters 2024
Ultimately, Arjun Erigaisi managed to be resourceful in the face of adversity, to win the game against Alexey Sarana, which helped him reach the world no. 2 ratings ahead of Caruana. In the other featured game of the Chennai Grand Masters 2024, Amin Tabatabaei got the better of GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France in a one-sided game, to take the joint lead of the tournament alongside Arjun Erigaisi with 2.5 points.
Meanwhile, GM Levon Aronian, who is Armenian American, defeated GM Parham Maghsoodloo of Iran, to find himself in third place in the tournament standings with two points. Furthermore, GM Vidit Gujrathi of India drew his game against fellow countryman and GM Aravindh, Chithambaram, to score his first points of the Chess Grand Masters 2024.
