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India’s Chess campaign at the Esports World Cup 2026 ended in the quarterfinals as Arjun Erigaisi lost to Hikaru Nakamura in an Armageddon tiebreaker and Nihal Sarin was beaten 2.5-0.5 by Magnus Carlsen. Both Indians finished in the top eight and earned Rs 71.5 lakh each in prize money.

Paris, August 14, 2026: India’s challenge at the Chess tournament of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 came to an end in the quarterfinals, with Gen.G Esports’ Arjun Erigaisi and S8UL Esports’ Nihal Sarin both finishing among the tournament’s top eight players. Arjun was edged out by Team Falcons’ Hikaru Nakamura in an Armageddon tiebreaker, while defending champion Magnus Carlsen of Team Liquid defeated Nihal 2.5-0.5.

Arjun Falls In Armageddon

Arjun’s quarterfinal against Hikaru was a repeat of last year’s third-place match, which the American Grandmaster had won. The two players were closely matched throughout the regulation games, with all four ending in draws as neither could establish an advantage. The deadlock sent the match to Armageddon, where Hikaru, playing with the White pieces, sealed the victory with a checkmate to secure his place in the semifinals.

Nihal Loses To Magnus