Arjun Erigaisi Crosses 2800 Rating Milestone, Sets Sights on Candidates Victory
Arjun Erigaisi, the 19-year-old Indian chess prodigy, has etched his name in history by becoming only the second Indian and 16th player globally to cross the coveted 2800 live rating milestone. However, a draw in the final round of the European Club Cup against Vasyl Ivanchuk has temporarily dropped him below the 2800 mark.
In an exclusive interview with HT, Erigaisi shared his thoughts on this remarkable achievement, his performance this year, and his aspirations for the future.
On the 2800 Mark:
“It’s an honor to join a list that includes legendary players like Kasparov, Magnus, and Vishy,” said Erigaisi. “But I didn’t have any specific ambitions for this milestone. My focus was on our team’s success, and we won the silver, which made me very happy.”
On His Performance and Rating Jump:
“I’ve been working on detaching myself from my results, and it’s definitely helped,” explained Erigaisi. “I lost three games this year, but each time, it didn’t affect my next game. In the past, one loss would often spiral into another.”
“I believe that during periods of stagnation, my level is actually increasing even if my rating doesn’t reflect it,” he added. “Once my rating starts to improve, it tends to keep rising.”
On His Risky Style of Play:
“As long as things are working out well, it’s fine,” said Erigaisi. “But against more stable 2750 players, I might need to take fewer risks and play a bit more solidly. I know I’m capable of doing that, so I’m very confident.”
On the Next Candidates:
“Missing out on the last Candidates was painful,” admitted Erigaisi. “But seeing Gukesh win it has certainly had an impact on me and changed how I look at things. Earlier, I really wanted to qualify for the Candidates and believed I could, but I never considered the possibility of winning. Gukesh’s success in his first attempt gives me the confidence that I too can win it on my first attempt.”
On His Current Standing:
“I’m a top player,” said Erigaisi confidently. “There’s mutual respect among the top guys. Of course, Magnus is clearly the best in all three formats.”
On the World Championship and Rivals:
“I’ll be following the match and chilling at home,” said Erigaisi. “I’ve been away from home for a long time, and I’ve played a lot of tournaments this year. Gukesh is definitely the favorite for the match. Pragg seems to be going through a bit of a rough patch, but I’m sure he’ll be back stronger. We are there for each other for emotional support, but at the end of the day, we’re rivals.”