Indian Grandmasters Nihal Sarin and Arjun Erigaisi have advanced to the quarterfinals of the Chess discipline at the [Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026 (https://esportsworldcup.com/). Both players secured their berths after navigating the lower bracket on the final day of the group stage, marking their second consecutive appearance in the EWC playoffs. They will now compete for the championship title and a share of the $1.5 million (approximately INR 14.3 crore) prize pool.
Sarin Secures Playoff Spot After Grueling Matches
Nihal Sarin, representing S8UL Esports, began his qualification bid with a closely contested lower bracket match against Team Nemesis’ Wei Yi. After two draws, Sarin emerged victorious in the Armageddon tiebreaker. He then faced Weibo Gaming’s Jan-Krzysztof Duda in the lower bracket decider, drawing the first game before winning the second to secure his place in the playoffs. This marks another strong performance for Sarin, who reached the quarterfinals at last year’s EWC before being eliminated by eventual champion Magnus Carlsen.
Following his qualification, Sarin stated, “I am pleased to make the top eight again and to have played strong chess in some very tough matches. The format is short, requiring sharpness from the start. Securing a win can significantly impact psychological momentum. I am relieved to have progressed and aim to perform well tomorrow.”
Erigaisi Overcomes Fellow Indian to Advance
Gen.G Esports’ Arjun Erigaisi also secured his quarterfinal spot via the lower bracket. His path included an all-Indian decider against S8UL teammate Pranesh M. Pranesh had earlier defeated Team MGD1’s Benjamin Bok in an Armageddon tiebreaker to stay in contention. However, Erigaisi ultimately prevailed against Pranesh with a 2-0 victory, concluding Pranesh’s campaign and completing Group A’s playoff lineup. Erigaisi, who finished fourth at last year’s event, expressed his determination to improve on that performance.
“I am satisfied with the outcome,” Erigaisi commented after his win. “Winning the trophy will be challenging with strong players like Alireza, Magnus, and others in the field, but my focus is on giving my best.”
Playoff Structure and Contenders
The quarterfinals are set to commence on August 14, featuring a single-elimination bracket. The quarterfinal matches will consist of four games, followed by six-game semifinals. The Grand Final will be decided through a best-of-three sets format, with the first two sets comprising four games each and a potential third set of two games.
Sarin and Erigaisi will join a formidable lineup of players in the playoffs, including defending champion Magnus Carlsen (Team Liquid), Team Falcons’ Alireza Firouzja and Hikaru Nakamura, and Natus Vincere’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov. The final two spots in the eight-player quarterfinal bracket will be decided from Group B matches, which saw Aurora Gaming’s Ian Nepomniachtchi face AG.AL’s Denis Lazavik, and Team Stallions’ Sina Movahed compete against GodLike Esports’ Hans Moke Niemann in respective lower bracket deciders.
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