Panaji (Goa): Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi (2773) represented India admirably by securing a draw against Chinese Grandmaster Wei Yi (2754) in 31 moves during the first classical quarterfinal of the $2 million FIDE World Cup 2026 at Hotel Resort Rio, Goa, on Monday. The winner of this prestigious tournament will earn a spot in the newly named Viswanathan Anand Cup final and a coveted place in the Candidates 2026, set to take place in March in Cyprus. The Andhra native from Warangal managed to draw his match against the formidable Chinese GM Wei Yi with relative ease. The TATA Steel 2024 champion opened the game with a Ruy Lopez Closed system, a position that posed no challenges for the Indian.
Displaying remarkable preparation, GM Arjun Erigaisi maintained a time advantage throughout the game. By move 27, the game transitioned into a drawn rook-and-pawn ending, with both players agreeing to a draw by threefold repetition after surpassing the 30-move mark. Results (Quarterfinal Game 1): Wei Yi drew with Arjun Erigaisi 0.5-0.5, Sam Shankland drew with Andrey Esipenko 0.5-0.5, Sindarov Javokhir drew with Martinez Alcantara Jose Eduardo 0.5-0.5, Yakubboev Nodirbek defeated Donchenko Alexander 1-0.