Second-seeded Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi advanced to the quarterfinals of the Chess World Cup in Goa on Saturday, eliminating two-time champion Levon Aronian of the United States with a decisive 1.5-0.5 victory. Arjun, who had been affectionately dubbed the "brightest of the Indian teenagers" by the Armenian-born American GM years earlier, secured the win in the second classical game of their fifth-round match.
The decisive moment came after a tense middlegame where neither player held a clear advantage. Arjun, playing with the black pieces, refused Aronian's draw offer on move 31, a showing intent to seek a win rather than settle for a tie-break. And Aronian eventually blundered on move 38, allowing Arjun to execute a knight move that forced the American's immediate resignation.
Arjun's victory propels him into the quarterfinals, where he will face the seventh seed, Wei Yi of China, beginning Monday. Arjun is now one of only two Indians remaining in the tournament and is two match wins away from securing a coveted spot in the FIDE Candidates Tournament in 2026. This performance is a significant step for the 22-year-old from Warangal, who narrowly missed qualifying for the Candidates in the previous cycle, watching his peers like D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa achieve the feat.
Meanwhile, the other Indian remaining in the Round of 16, P. Harikrishna, played out a draw with his Mexican rival Jose Martinez Alcantara. Harikrishna will now face a tie-break session on Sunday to determine his fate and secure the final quarterfinal spot. Out of the eight matches in the fifth round, four were decided in the classical games, while the remaining four will proceed to the tie-breaks.
The elimination of Aronian follows his takedown of Hungarian veteran Peter Leko in the previous round, both former legends who were high-quality opponents. Arjun remains unfazed by the growing attention, saying he is focused on taking "one match at a time."
His deep run continues amidst the early exits of several other top seeds, including former World Champion D Gukesh and R Praggnanandhaa, underscoring the unpredictable nature of the tournament's knockout format.