Chennai Grand Masters: I’ll play to win, but ensure pressure doesn’t get better of me, says Arjun

CHENNAI: It was a battle to the wire last year. Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi won the final round against Hungary’s Sanan Sjugirov, opening the door for a three-way battle for the title on the final day.

He was tied for points at the top with D Gukesh. But Arjun’s first-round loss to his compatriot Pentala Harikrishna, along with Gukesh’s better tiebreak percentage, ensured that Arjun fell short of the Chennai Grandmasters title and potentially a shot at the Candidates.

Arjun is seeded number one in this year’s edition. Recalling the inaugural tournament in 2023, he noted that as the event progressed, the pressure took a toll on him, affecting his performance in the final rounds. “In terms of my game quality, I won’t have any problem. My priorities last year were to play to win; it’s the same this year, but I’ll make sure that the pressure doesn’t get to me,” Arjun told DT Next.

Arjun enters this year’s tournament as the top-seeded player, having become only the 16th player ever to reach a 2800 Elo rating earlier in October. “To me, the primary focus will be to work on my game, and if it helps me gain more points, I will be happy,” he added, discussing the importance of maintaining his rating.

This year’s edition could also aid Arjun in his journey to the Candidates tournament. The 21-year-old acknowledges that he has learned valuable lessons from the past and intends not to let one particular goal dictate his gameplay. “It was one of my biggest learnings from last year—not just in the Chennai Masters, but in general. I want to avoid letting anything put pressure on me. I just want to give my best and accept the outcome,” he said.

Arjun will take on world number 15 Vidit Gujrathi in the first round on Tuesday.