In a monumental achievement, Indian chess prodigy Arjun Erigaisi has etched his name in history. He has become the youngest Indian and only the second from the country, after the legendary Viswanathan Anand, to achieve a coveted Elo rating of over 2800. This remarkable feat, accomplished at the European Chess Club Cup 2024, propels him into the elite ranks of the world’s best chess players.
Playing for team Alkaloid in the fifth round, Arjun, with White pieces, triumphed over Russia’s Dmitry Andreikin, securing this historic milestone. This victory also catapulted him to the prestigious position of World No. 3 in the live rating list. Now, Arjun joins a select group of 16 chess players worldwide who have crossed the 2800-rating barrier.
The youngest player to achieve this extraordinary feat was Frenchman Alireza Firouzja, at the age of 18 years and five months. Five-time World Champion, Magnus Carlsen, sits second on this prestigious list. This achievement follows Arjun’s stellar performance at the 2024 WR Chess Masters Cup, where he secured the top prize of €20,000 and 27.84 FIDE Circuit points. He triumphed over France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in an Armageddon match to claim the title.
Arjun’s exceptional form has been evident in recent months, highlighted by his remarkable performance in the French Team Chess Championship. This success propelled him into the top five of the FIDE standings, making him the highest-ranked Indian player. His consistent excellence also includes securing an individual and team gold medal in the Chess Olympiad 2024 in Budapest, a second-place finish in the TePe Sigeman Chess Tournament, and a joint-fifth position in the Sharjah Masters Open Tournament. Adding to his list of achievements, Arjun claimed the Menorca Open title in April, defeating GMs Kirill Alekseenko and Maksim Chigaev in a close contest.
Arjun Erigaisi’s ascent in the chess world is truly remarkable. He has consistently showcased his talent and determination, making him a force to be reckoned with in the international chess arena. As he continues his journey, the chess world eagerly awaits to witness the next chapter in his extraordinary career.
All-Time Highest Rating List:
1. Magnus Carlsen (NOR) – 2882
2. Garry Kasparov (RUS) – 2851
3. Fabiano Caruana (USA) – 2844
4. Levon Aronian (ARM) – 2830
5. Wesley So (USA) – 2822
6. Shakhriyar Mamedyarov (AZE) – 2820
7. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) – 2819
8. Viswanathan Anand (IND) – 2817
9. Vladimir Kramnik (RUS) – 2817
10. Veselin Topalov (BUL) – 2816
11. Hikaru Nakamura (USA) – 2816
12. Ding Liren (CHN) – 2816
13. Alexander Grischuk (RUS) – 2810
14. Alireza Firouzja (FRA) – 2804
15. Arjun Erigaisi (IND) – 2802.1
*Dutch GM Anish Giri crossed 2800 in the live rating list but not in the official rating list.