Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi (2773) kept India’s flag flying high as he held Chinese Grandmaster Wei Yi (2754) to a solid draw in 31 moves in the first classical quarterfinal game of the $2 million FIDE World Cup 2026 at Hotel Resort Rio, Goa, on Monday.

A place in the newly christened Viswanathan Anand Cup final and a coveted spot in the Candidates 2026, scheduled for March in Cyprus, await the winner of this prestigious event.

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It goes to the credit of the Andhra boy from Warangal that he drew his game against the dangerous Chinese GM Wei Yi without breaking a sweat. The TATA Steel 2024 champion took the opening battle into a Ruy Lopez Closed system, a position that held no demons for the Indian.

Showing excellent preparation, GM Arjun Erigaisi maintained a time advantage

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