In a first, 4 Indians make it to World Chess Championship quarterfinals

A new generation of Indian chess players has started scripting history with as many as four of them storming into the quarter finals of the World Chess Championship being held at Baku in Azerbaijan.

Vidith Gujarati, D. Gukesh, R. Pragyanand and Arjun Erigesi beat formidable world-class competition to achieve the unprecedented feat of four Indians playing in the last 8 of a World Chess championship.

Vidit Gujrathi, 28, on Monday stunned two-time World Championship finalist Russian grandmaster Ian Nepomniachtchi to reach the quarterfinals of the FIDE Chess World Cup here.

He defeated Nepomniachtchi 2-0 in the 10-minute rapid segment of the tie-break to qualify for the quarterfinals for a second time. He will meet Nijat Abasov of Azerbaijan in the quarterfinals.

Gukesh had won on Sunday to enter the quarterfinal and will now play world No.1 Magnus Carlsen while Praggnanandhaa will meet Erigaisi.

Gukesh D, was born on 29 May, 2006 in Chennai and is the third-youngest person in to get the title of Grandmaster from FIDE, in March 2019. D Gukesh is currently ranked 11th.

Arjun Erigaisi was born on 3 September 2003 in Warangal and earned the title of grandmaster before he turned 15 years old. He is currently ranked 32 in the world, having achieved his highest rank of 21 back in October of last year.

Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa was born on 10 August 2005 in Chennai and got the Grandmaster title at the age of 12. The 18-year-old has already beaten world no.1 Magnus Carlsen multiple times.

Vidit Santosh Gujrathi was born on 24 October 1994 in Nashik and became India’s 30th grandmaster in January 2013. He is currently ranked 23 in the world.