The Freestyle Chess Tour Paris Leg started on 7 April and will conclude on 14 April. It was a highly anticipated tournament among Indian audiences due to four Indian chess legends competing in the event in the hope of dominating other nations as a team. However, as Day 2 concluded yesterday, it seems like the Indian contingent failed to make an impact in the tournament.
Gukesh D. Fails To Make It To Knockout Stage
Despite high expectations and strong representation by the reigning world champion Gukesh D, Tata Steel Chess Champion Praggnanandhaa R., Chess.com qualifiers winner Vidit Gujrathi, and World Number 4 Arjun Erigiasi, they fell short of expectations, leaving fans and supporters disappointed.
The event began with a star-studden lineup featuring 12 grandmasters, including eight of the world’s top 10 players. Day 1 and Day 2 concluded the round-robin format, which will be followed by knockout stages for top eight players, which includes only one Indian chess player, Arjun Erigiasi.
Day 1 For Indians At The Freestyle Chess Tour Paris Leg
The Freestyle Chess Tour Paris Leg started on a disappointing note for the Indian players, particularly for World Champion Gukesh D. He had a challenging start on Day 1 in the round-robin format, winning only one game out of six rounds and losing four. This poor start placed him 10th among the 12th participants after Day 1. Vidit Gujrathi also struggled on Day 1 and was placed at the bottom of the table with one point. Arjun and Pragg performed slightly better, finishing in 6th and 7th positions.
Day 2 For Indians At The Freestyle Chess Tour Paris Leg
Day 2 concluded the round-robin format with three of the four Indians finding themselves at the bottom of the table, failing to qualify for the knockout stage. Gukesh D. continued his disappointing run and was eliminated after getting placed in 11th position. Vidit Gujrathi finished in 12th position, while Praggnanandhaa only secured the 9th position.
Arjun Erigiasi Emerges As The Only Hope At The Freestyle Chess Tour Paris Leg
Arjun Erigiasi, on the other hand, had a notable day and continues to be a ray of hope for India as he finished in fourth position, qualifying for the knockout stage. He also beat notable players like Magnus Carlsen, Vincent Keymer, and Fabiano Caruana, further showcasing his dominance in the sport.
He shared his thoughts about the format and said, “In classical games, I sometimes take extra risks and go out of my way to create interesting positions. In Freestyle, those interesting positions arise naturally, even without me taking deliberate risks. Perhaps that suits me.” Arjun will now look to extend his winning streak at the Freestyle Chess Tour Paris Leg in the knockout stage and potentially win the event.
