India’s Arjun Erigaisi produced a statement performance on the opening day of the 2025 FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship, finishing joint leader alongside Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Fabiano Caruana after 13 intense rounds in the Open section.
The trio sits atop the standings with 10 points each, setting up a fascinating second day in Doha.
Day one of the championship, which began on Monday, featured 13 rounds in the Open and 10 rounds in the Women’s event. With the fastest time control of the elite chess calendar three minutes plus a two-second increment the day delivered the drama, volatility, and razor-thin margins that define blitz chess at the highest level.
Erigaisi’s run was particularly eye-catching. The 21-year-old Indian surged into the lead in Round 11 and remained there through the end of the day, losing just once to Dutchman Jorden van Foreest while conceding only a single draw earlier against Alireza Firouzja. The defining moment of his day came against Magnus Carlsen, where Erigaisi held his nerve in a chaotic encounter that ended with the Norwegian’s piece flying off the board as his time expired. It was a symbolic moment that underlined Erigaisi’s growing confidence against the world’s elite.
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Vachier-Lagrave, meanwhile, recovered impressively after an early stumble in Round 2. The Frenchman rebuilt his momentum steadily and joined the lead by Round 12, relying on his trademark precision in sharp positions. Caruana’s route to the top was more dramatic. The American closed the day strongly, capitalising on a costly blunder from Carlsen, who overlooked a rook in a critical moment, allowing Caruana to surge into the joint lead.
Chasing the leaders closely are six players on 9.5 points, including the 2024 co-champions Magnus Carlsen and Ian Nepomniachtchi, who both ended the day on 9/13. Carlsen’s day was defined by missed opportunities and uncharacteristic errors. In addition to his losses against Erigaisi and Caruana, he was held to draws by Javokhir Sindarov, Oleksandr Bortnyk, Jorden van Foreest, and Alexander Grischuk. With six Swiss rounds remaining, the Norwegian will need a sharper second day to secure a top-four finish.
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The Open tournament saw early volatility. Van Foreest was the first sole leader after Round 6 with a perfect 6/6 score, defeating top names including Firouzja and Erigaisi. However, his momentum stalled after a loss to Nodirbek Abdusattorov in Round 7, and both players eventually slipped out of contention, finishing the day on 8/13.
In the Women’s Blitz Championship, the spotlight belonged to Eline Roebers of the Netherlands. Roebers emerged as the sole leader with 8.5 points from 10 rounds, defeating Aleksandra Goryachkina in Round 9 to move into a share of the lead before outplaying Candela Francisco Guecamburu with the black pieces in Round 10. Goryachkina, Umida Omonova, and former world champion Antoaneta Stefanova trail Roebers by half a point on 8/10.
The World Blitz Championship follows a two-stage format. The ongoing Swiss stage consists of 19 rounds in the Open and 15 in the Women’s event, after which the top four players advance to the knockout semifinals. The knockout format, introduced in 2024, now features four-game matches, with a single sudden-death game used to break ties if needed.
With over 150 players in the Open, 140 in the Women’s field, and a prize fund exceeding €500,000, the Doha event has already delivered on its promise. For India, the headlines belong to Erigaisi and with six Indians currently inside the top 20, the championship has quickly become a showcase of the country’s growing depth in elite chess.
Day two promises even more volatility, where one blunder or one inspired move could reshape the race for the Blitz crown.
