Total Chess 2026: Erigaisi forces three-way tie at top, Magnus Carlsen out of title race

Total Chess World Championship Tour pilot — Arjun Erigaisi joined a three-way tie for the Group D lead while Magnus Carlsen’s title hopes ended after two more draws.

Updated : Nov 15, 2026 11:10 IST , Budapest - 3 MINS READ

Arjun Erigaisi beat Maxime Vachier-Lagrave to force a three-way tie at the top of his group, while Magnus Carlsen remained winless after eight games. | Photo Credit: B. Velankanni Raj/Sudhakara Jain

Arjun Erigaisi beat Maxime Vachier-Lagrave to force a three-way tie at the top of Group D, while Magnus Carlsen’s hopes of winning the Total Chess World Championship Tour pilot ended after two more draws in the Fast Classic stage here on Saturday.

With two games remaining on Sunday, Arjun, Vachier-Lagrave and Hans Niemann had thirteen points each. Carlsen, meanwhile, remained winless after eight games, his seven points leaving him unable to finish first in Group C.

The Norwegian’s difficulties also carried significance beyond the group standings. Fabiano Caruana had entered Saturday just 7.2 points behind him in the live classical ratings, having cut a 40-point deficit through the opening three days. Carlsen has held the world No. 1 ranking continuously since 2011.

Caruana drew both games against his closest Group B challenger, Liem Le, to remain unbeaten on sixteen points, four clear of the Vietnamese. Carlsen also drew twice, against Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, and faces Ian Nepomniachtchi in his final two group games.

Arjun’s four-point return against Vachier-Lagrave revived his challenge for the championship bracket. After drawing with Black, the Indian won their second encounter with White to inflict the Frenchman’s first Fast Classic defeat.

Niemann joined them on thirteen after beating Bibisara Assaubayeva with White and drawing the return. Vachier-Lagrave retained first place on the opening blitz tiebreak, ahead of Niemann and Arjun.

Sunday brings an all-Indian pairing between Arjun and R. Vaishali. Vachier-Lagrave faces Assaubayeva, while Niemann plays Wesley So.

Arjun needs to finish ahead of both fellow leaders on points, as each holds the superior blitz tiebreak.

Vaishali suffered two defeats against So, remaining on four points as the American climbed to ten. Assaubayeva has nine.

R. Praggnanandhaa also had a difficult day in Group B, losing with Black against Richard Rapport before drawing their return encounter. The Indian remained without a Fast Classic victory on five points, while Rapport has nine.

Vincent Keymer registered his first win of the stage, following a draw against Vladislav Artemiev with a White victory to reach eight points. Artemiev has six. Caruana faces Artemiev on Sunday, while Praggnanandhaa takes on Le.

In Group C, Anish Giri took over the lead with a win and a draw against Abhimanyu Mishra. His thirteen points put him two clear of Nepomniachtchi and Haik Martirosyan, who started Saturday as the leader.

Nepomniachtchi drew the opening encounter before winning the return with White. Mamedyarov had nine points and Mishra six. Giri meets Mamedyarov on Sunday, while Martirosyan faces Mishra.

Alireza Firouzja retained the Group A lead on thirteen points after two draws against Jan-Krzysztof Duda. Duda and Jorden van Foreest had eleven, the latter exchanging Black victories with Andrew Hong.

Levon Aronian and Nodirbek Abdusattorov drew twice to reach nine and seven points respectively. Hong had nine. Firouzja faces Aronian on Sunday, while Duda and van Foreest meet.

Only the four group winners enter the championship bracket, with the remaining players continuing in separate knockouts for other placings.