Arjun Erigaisi and D Gukesh to face off in Division I ‘Losers Bracket’ quarterfinal of Champions Chess Tour Airthings Masters 2023.
A phenomenal second day of Champions Chess Tour Airthings Masters 2023 saw the stage set for a blockbuster a clash between five-time World Champion Magnus Carlsen and GM Hikaru Nakamura.
The GMs two will face off on Wednesday in the Division I Winners Bracket Final after defeating GMs Arjun Erigaisi and Wesley So respectively.
This will be their first match since Nakamura won their last encounter in the SCC final in December last year.
If this Champions Chess Tour opener has shown us anything, is that Indian GMs Arjun Erigaisi and D Gukesh are set for an incredible season.
Exceeding all expectations, Erigaisi had destroyed World No. 4 Alireza Firouzja 3-0 to enter the semifinal, which he then lost to Carlsen, who by his own admission, played a very good game.
In the semifinal, an armageddon game decided the match. Carlsen won the bid for the black pieces by offering 10 minutes and one second against Erigaisi’s 11 minutes and 59 seconds.
Needing only a draw, Carlsen defended solidly. And a desperate Erigaisi, who complicated the game as much as he could, was never unable to turn the tide. The game ended in a draw, a match win for the world champion.