Arjun Erigaisi wins Bronze in Blitz Championships, Magnus Carlsen secures Gold with stellar Comeback

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Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi capped off a stellar performance at the FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship in Doha by securing the bronze medal, marking his second podium finish in the prestigious year-end event.

The 22-year-old topped the Swiss standings with an impressive 15 points but fell short in the semifinals, losing 2.5-0.5 to Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Abdusattorov.

Erigaisi's campaign was highlighted by dominant play throughout the 19-round Swiss phase, including a memorable victory over world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen. He finished a full point ahead of the field entering the knockouts, showcasing consistency with multiple wins against top elites. Despite the semifinal setback, his bronze adds to the Rapid bronze he won earlier in the tournament, making him only the second Indian male after Viswanathan Anand to medal in both Rapid and Blitz at the same World Championship event.

Magnus Carlsen staged a remarkable comeback to claim his record-extending ninth World Blitz title, defeating Abdusattorov 2.5-1.5 in a tense final. The Norwegian overcame early struggles in the Swiss to complete a Rapid-Blitz double.

World Blitz Championship 2025 Winners

Gold: Magnus Carlsen (Norway)

Silver: Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan)

Bronze: Arjun Erigaisi (India) and Fabiano Caruana (USA) - shared

How did other Indian Players perform?

Other Indian performances were solid but fell short of the podium. Young talents like D Gukesh, R Praggnanandhaa, and Nihal Sarin competed fiercely among the strong field but did not advance to the knockouts. Veterans such as P Harikrishna and S L Narayanan also contributed to India's strong contingent of over 40 players. Erigaisi's double bronze underscores India's rising dominance in faster formats, providing momentum heading into 2026.