In the Tour Pilot event of the Total Chess World Championship being held in Hungary, India’s Arjun Erigaisi finished 6th in the opening blitz category, while R. Praggnanandhaa and R. Vaishali finished 14th and 17th respectively. Norway’s Magnus Carlsen became the champion.
Every year, the ‘Total Chess World Championship Tour’, which includes 4 competitions, is held. It consists of 3 tour events and one tour final.
At the end of the 3 tour events featuring 24 players, those who finish in the top 4 of the points table will qualify for the tour final. The winner will receive the title of ‘FIDE World Combined Champion’.
In that context, the ‘Total Chess World Championship Tour’ for the 2026-27 season began in Hungary on Wednesday night with a ‘pilot’ event. A total of 24 players are taking part in this competition, and from India, R. Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, and R. Vaishali are participating.
Carlsen champion: As the opening stage of the pilot event, the ‘pre-tournament blitz’ was held over two days, Tuesday and Wednesday, with 9 rounds. At the end of it, Norway’s Magnus Carlsen (7 points) emerged champion, while France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (6.5) and the United States’ Levon Aronian (6) took the next two places respectively.
Arjun: India’s Arjun finished in 6th place with 5.5 points.
He recorded victories against Jordan Forrest of the Netherlands, Praggnanandhaa, Vaishali, France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, and the United States’ Fabiano Caruana, and drew against Russia’s Vladislav Artemiev.
Norway’s Magnus Carlsen lost to Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi and the United States’ Levon Aronian.
Praggnanandhaa: Praggnanandhaa, who finished 14th with 4.5 points, defeated Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva, Vietnam’s Liem Le, and the United States’ Andrew Hong.
Against Hungary’s Richard Rapport, the Netherlands’ Anish Giri, and the United States’ Wesley So, he drew, and lost to Arjun, the United States’ Hans Niemann, and Germany’s Vincent Keymer.
Vaishali: Pragnanandhaa’s sister Vaishali finished 17th with 4 points. Vaishali, who impressed by defeating Niemann and Wesley, drew with Poland’s Jan Duda, Rapport, Anish, and Assaubayeva. She lost to Artemiev, Arjun, and Armenia’s Haik Martirosyan.
Next, the group stage: In the next phase of this tournament, the group-stage matches will be held. The 24 competitors are divided into 4 groups of 6 each and will face one another.