Arjun Erigaisi showcased his blitz prowess at the Tata Steel Chess India Blitz tournament in Kolkata, securing second place after a thrilling first day filled with upsets and tactical brilliance. American Grandmaster Wesley So emerged as the sole leader after nine rounds, but Erigaisi remained a close contender, finishing just half a point behind.

The opening day of the blitz event was marked by "chaos, creativity, and momentum swings," setting the stage for an exciting competition. Erigaisi, a double World Rapid and Blitz Championships bronze medalist, started strong, capitalizing on an early blunder by former World Rapid Champion Volodar Murzin.

Erigaisi continued his impressive form, securing a memorable victory over veteran Viswanathan Anand in Round 4. He surprised Anand in the Ruy Lopez opening, culminating in a spectacular queen sacrifice. Erigaisi demonstrated his endgame skills by outlasting Nihal Sarin in a long Round 3 encounter. He also defeated Aravindh Chithambaram in Round 5 with strong piece coordination.

Wesley So, however, halted Erigaisi's winning streak in Round 6, exploiting some loose pieces. Erigaisi suffered another setback in Round 8, losing a near-drawn endgame to R Praggnanandhaa. Despite these challenges, Erigaisi bounced back in the final round of the day, defeating Vidit Gujrathi to stay within striking distance of the lead.

So's path to the top spot was not without its challenges. He started with a loss against Nihal Sarin, who had won the rapid title the previous day. However, So quickly recovered, embarking on a five-game winning streak before drawing with Praggnanandhaa in Round 9. Other notable results from the first day included Anand's win over Hans Niemann in Round 6 and Anand checkmating Vidit in Round 8. Praggnanandhaa also secured a significant win against Erigaisi in Round 8.

The Tata Steel Chess India Blitz tournament features a time control of 3 minutes with a 2-second increment per move. The total prize pool for the event is $17,500, with $7,500 awarded to the winner. The tournament's rapid and blitz formats are gaining recognition, with five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand noting that Indian players are making significant progress in these formats. Anand believes that the current ranking system does not accurately reflect this progress due to the limited number of rapid and blitz tournaments.

Arjun Erigaisi's performance at the Tata Steel Chess India Blitz 2026 underscores his potential in the shorter formats of the game. His ability to outmaneuver a legend like Viswanathan Anand highlights his tactical acumen and composure under pressure. With the final nine rounds to be played, Erigaisi will be looking to capitalize on his momentum and challenge Wesley So for the title.