Controversial GM Niemann reaches final of Carlsen co-owned event in spectacular fashion as Arjun is eliminated

Arjun Erigaisi’s hopes of becoming the first Indian to be crowned champion in the ongoing Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour were dashed on Friday with a defeat at the hands of Levon Aronian in the semi-finals. Arjun, who had finished fifth in the Paris Grand Slam in April after defeating French Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the playoff, suffered a 0-2 loss at the hands of the veteran Armenian-American GM, losing both 30+30 games.

Also continuing his stellar run in the ongoing tournament is fellow American GM Hans Niemann, who defeated Weissenhaus runner-up Fabiano Caruana in the other semi-final to reach the final in his maiden appearance in the Grand Slam Tour.

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Arjun, however, can still register the best finish by an Indian at the inaugural Freestyle Chess Grand Slam as he will be eligible to fight for the third spot along with other players from the lower bracket – which includes compatriot R Praggnanandhaa as well as the likes of Magnus Carlsen and Hikaru Nakamura.

Aronian, who had finished at the bottom of the group stage in the Weissenhaus leg of the tour, continued his fairytale run in ‘Sin City’ – where he defeated Carlsen in the fourth-spot tie-breaker in the group stage to advance to the quarter-finals, where he beat Hikaru.

Niemann defeats Weissenhaus runner-up Caruana

Niemann, who had backed out of the Paris leg in the last minute without offering an explanation, defeated Caruana 2-5-1.5 – winning Game 4 with black pieces after a hat-trick of draws.

Niemann and Aronian will face off the in the first of two 30+30 games in the Las Vegas final on Saturday, with the other game taking place on the following day.

Arjun and Caruana, meanwhile, will be awaiting the winners of the lower-bracket clashes – Hikaru vs Praggnanandhaa and Carlsen vs Wesley So – in the battle for the third-place.