NAGPUR: Three months after he checked in as the world's youngest blitz master in the elite 2700 Elo club, Arjun Erigaisi scaled a new high in the classical format of chess by becoming country's best junior master and India No 4 in the Open category on Wednesday.
As per the live ratings, the 18-year-old climbed 49 places after becoming the fourth Indian to win the Tata Steel Challengers chess tournament in Wijk Aan Zee, Netherlands.
Arjun's title-winning effort gave him 26.5 rating points and the Grandmaster from Warangal, who had 2633 Elo points, took his tally to 2659.5 to enter the Top-100 club for the first time in his career. He is now India No. 4 after five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand, Vidit Gujrathi and Harikrishna Pentala.
While the World Chess Federation (FIDE) will update the rating points next month, the 129th ranked Arjun moved 49 places up to a career-best 80th position.
Among the junior masters in the world, Arjun jumped five places to become world No 4 and has pipped Nihal Sarin for India's No 1 spot.
Arjun's show earned him praise from none other than world no 1 Magnus Carlsen. While Arjun felt "special while meeting, speaking and taking a picture with Carlsen", the world champion found some similar ways of him and the young Indian GM's style of play.
Much like Carlsen's triumph in the Masters group, Arjun too finished on top of the table in the Challengers category with a round remaining.
"He is going to be 2700 soon. He is by far the best player (in the Challengers) and he really plays chess in a way that I enjoy!" Carlen said about the Indian youngster.
With eight wins and five draws Arjun remained undefeated collecting 10.5 points in 13 rounds and left quite an impression on the Challengers. He has now qualified to play alongside Carlsen in next year's Tata Steel Masters Group.
Coincidently, 18 years ago when Arjun was born, Carlsen scored 10.5 points in the Group C of the same Tata Steel chess tournament.
Mentored by GM Srinath Narayanan since 2018 and Anand as part of the Westbridge Anand Chess Academy, Arjun was elated with his performance. "It's a great feeling to set a goal prior to the tournament and actually get it accomplished," Arjun told TOI.
On his interaction with Carlsen, Arjun said, "I asked him if I can take a picture with him, and he replied 'of course' and later he congratulated me and said 'very well done'."
He signed off by setting his next goal of "entering the 2700 club in the classical format."
