Chess at Esports World Cup 2026: Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin, Pranesh M vie for Playoffs spots on Day 2 of group stage
Paris, August 13
The battle for the Playoffs at the Esports World Cup 2026 Chess tournament enters its decisive stage on Thursday, with Indian Grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi, Nihal Sarin and Pranesh M set to compete in the Lower Bracket following an eventful opening day in Group A.
With only two players from each group's LB advancing to the Playoffs, the Indian trio will need to navigate the second day of the Group Stage successfully to keep their title hopes alive, according to a press release from EWC.
Arjun, representing Gen.G Esports, began his campaign with a 2-0 victory over fellow Indian and S8UL Esports player Nihal in a repeat of last year's EWC Group Stage opener.
However, his Upper Bracket (UB) run came to an end against Team Falcons' Alireza Firouzja, who prevailed in a closely contested contest after the score was tied 1-1, winning the Armageddon tiebreaker to book his Playoffs spot. Nihal, meanwhile, moved into the Lower Bracket (LB) following his opening-day defeat.
Nihal's S8UL teammate Pranesh also began his campaign with a defeat, falling 2-0 to Natus Vincere's Nodirbek Abdusattorov. The Uzbek Grandmaster followed up the victory with a 2-0 win over Jan-Krzysztof Duda of Weibo Gaming to secure his Playoffs berth.
In Group B, defending champion Magnus Carlsen of Team Liquid began his title defence with a 1.5-0.5 victory over Virtus.pro's Andrey Esipenko before defeating Hans Moke Niemann of GodLike Esports by the same score to secure his Playoffs berth. Joining Firouzja in the next stage, his Team Falcons teammate Hikaru Nakamura also advanced after overcoming Fnatic's Alexey Sarana 1.5-0.5 and AG.AL's Denis Lazavik 1.5-0.5.
The LB matches will decide the remaining Playoffs qualifiers from both groups. In Group A, Nihal will face Team Nemesis' Wei Yi, while Pranesh takes on Team MGD1's Benjamin Bok. Arjun and Jan-Krzysztof Duda will then await the winners in the LB deciders, where the remaining qualification spots will be at stake.
In Group B, Esipenko will face Aurora Gaming's Ian Nepomniachtchi, while Team Stallions' Sina Movahed takes on Sarana. Denis and Hans will then await the winners of those matches in the deciders.
The Playoffs will take place on August 14 and 15 and will feature a single-elimination bracket. The quarterfinals will be played over four games, followed by six-game semifinals, while the Grand Final will be decided through a best-of-three sets format. The first two sets will consist of four games each, with a potential third and final set comprising two games.
With four of the eight Playoffs spots already secured, the remaining players will now battle for the final four berths and a chance to challenge for the title, as well as a share of the $1.5 million (~INR 14.3 crore) prize pool.
— ANI
Reader Comments
The way these young Indians are storming the global chess scene is incredible. Arjun vs Nihal in the opener was like a domestic clash on the world stage! Hope Nihal and Pranesh bounce back today. All the best boys!
Honest take: Our guys need to work on their tiebreaks. Arjun lost the Armageddon after a solid start, and Nihal's loss to Wei Yi today will be tough. The talent is there, but consistency in high-pressure moments is key. Still fully backing them!
Seeing Indians dominate esports-chess is surreal. Arjun, Nihal, Pranesh – you're making us proud! The $1.5 million prize pool is huge, but it's the glory that matters. Keep fighting, the Lower Bracket is just another opportunity! 🙌
The future of Indian chess is bright with these three! Even though they're in the Lower Bracket, the way they're grinding it out is commendable. Nihal vs Wei Yi is a must-watch. Come on boys, show the world what we're made of! 🏆
As an international fan, I've been following India's chess surge closely. Arjun, Nihal, and Pranesh are top-class talents. The Lower Bracket format is brutal, but their fighting spirit is unmatched. Excited to see how the deciders play out!
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