GM Arjun Erigaisi Wins Stepan Avagyan Memorial Chess Tournament 2024

New Delhi, June 18: GM Arjun Erigaisi, India’s top-rated chess player, clinched the Stepan Avagyan Memorial 2024 title in Jermuk, Armenia. He secured the victory with a round to spare, showcasing another dominant performance.

The 20-year-old chess prodigy defeated Russian GM Volodar Murzin in the eighth and penultimate round. The match lasted 63 moves, and Arjun's win brought his total to six points with four wins and four draws. He now holds a 1.5-point lead over the three players tied for second place in the 10-player field.

This triumph also propelled Arjun to a career-high live rating of No. 4. He has earned 9 points from the eight rounds, reaching a total of 2779.9 ELO points. Only Magnus Carlsen, Hikaru Nakamura, and Fabiano Caruana rank higher in live ratings.

Arjun expressed his satisfaction with his performance, saying, "This has been a fantastic tournament for me as I have been able to make the most of my opportunities. These tournaments are never easy as the level of competition is very high but I am happy with the way I played and clinched my second title of the year."

He has been in excellent form this year, challenging himself with more open tournaments. In April, he won the Menorca Open crown. He also secured second place in the TePe Sigeman Chess Tournament in May and finished joint-fifth in the Sharjah Masters Open tournament.

During the match against Murzin, Arjun capitalised on his opponent's error in the rook and minor piece endgame. His victory was assured when USA's GM Samuel Sevian drew against local GM Manuel Petrosyan.

In the final round, Arjun will face Petrosyan. He aims to win and close the ELO points gap with Caruana, who holds 2795.6 ELO points.

Arjun Erigaisi hails from Warangal, Telangana. He is regarded as one of India's most talented chess players. In 2022, he was crowned the National Champion and was part of the Indian team that won the Men's team silver at the Asian Games. Managed by MGD1, he also holds the highest sponsorship deal in chess with Quantbox.

Arjun’s recent achievements underscore his rising status in the chess world. His ability to perform consistently at high levels has made him a formidable player. Chess enthusiasts eagerly anticipate his future performances.