Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi exited the FIDE World Cup after losing to China’s Wei Yi 1.5-2.5 in the first set of rapid tiebreaks in Panaji on Wednesday. The defeat ended India’s challenge in the tournament and closed the door for any late comeback by the top seed in the knockout stage.

Arjun had held Wei Yi to draws in both classical games. But the rapid tiebreaks changed the momentum. The Chinese grandmaster kept consistent pressure and capitalised on small mistakes.

FIDE World Cup 2025: Rapid Tiebreak Turns Against Arjun

Arjun played with the black pieces in the first rapid game and chose the French Defence. The opening did not work well for him. He soon slipped into a difficult position and lost a rook for a minor piece. Wei Yi pushed for a win and held a big advantage on the board.

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