New Delhi, 4 December (H.S.): Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi clinched the prestigious Jerusalem Masters 2025 title on Wednesday after defeating former World Champion Viswanathan Anand in a thrilling final encounter.After the two rapid games ended in draws, Erigaisi seized the advantage in the first blitz game, securing a decisive victory with the white pieces. In the second blitz game, he held a superior position but opted for a safe draw to seal the title.

The 22-year-old star from India earned a prize purse of 55,000 US dollars for his triumph, further cementing his status as one of the brightest young talents in the global chess arena.To reach the final, Erigaisi overcame Russia’s Peter Svidler in the semifinals, while Anand defeated Ian Nepomniachtchi in the other semifinal.

Both Indian players had scored their semifinal wins in the second rapid game of their respective matches.In the third-place playoff, Svidler edged out his compatriot Nepomniachtchi 2.5–1.5, gaining the decisive lead in the second blitz game.Earlier in the round-robin stage, Svidler had topped the table with a score of 8 out of 11, while Nepomniachtchi, Anand, and Erigaisi finished jointly second with 7.5 points each.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar