Arjun Erigaisi clinches World Blitz bronze

Indian grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi capped a memorable campaign on the global stage by winning the bronze medal at the World Blitz Championship, completing a rare double podium finish after his third-place result at the World Rapid Championship earlier this week.

Erigaisi produced a standout performance in the Swiss rounds of the blitz event, topping the standings with an impressive 15 points from 19 games. His aggressive yet controlled play ensured qualification for the knockout stage, where he advanced to the semifinals before being halted by Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Erigaisi went down 0.5–2.5 in the semifinal match, settling for a bronze medal.

Despite the defeat, the result marked a significant milestone in the 22-year-old’s career. With this finish, Erigaisi became only the second Indian man, after Viswanathan Anand, to win a medal in the Open category at the World Blitz Championship, underlining his growing stature among the world’s elite.

The semifinal day also featured a dramatic run from defending champion Magnus Carlsen, who recovered from a difficult position to reach the final. Carlsen defeated American Fabiano Caruana 3–1 in the other semifinal, setting up a title clash with Abdusattorov.

Erigaisi will return home with two world championship bronze medals, in rapid and blitz formats, a feat achieved by only a handful of players globally in a single year. The back-to-back podium finishes reflect his consistency across formats and signal India’s growing depth at the highest level of international chess.