# India’s EWC 2026 Chess Run Ends in Quarterfinals, But the Payday Is Real

URL: https://technosports.co.in/indias-ewc-2026-chess-run-ends-in-quarterfinals/  
Published: 2026-08-14  
Updated: 2026-08-14  
Author: Reetam Bodhak

*Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin bow out at the quarterfinal stage — but not before pocketing a serious payout each.*

India’s Chess campaign at the [Esports World Cup](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Esports_World_Cup) 2026 in Paris has wrapped up, with both Gen.G’s Arjun Erigaisi and S8UL’s Nihal Sarin finishing in the top 8. Arjun lost a tense Armageddon tiebreaker to Hikaru Nakamura, while Nihal fell 2.5-0.5 to defending champion Magnus Carlsen. Here’s the full breakdown.

## EWC 2026 Quarterfinal Results at a Glance

| Match | Result | Winner Advances |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Arjun Erigaisi vs Hikaru Nakamura | 4 draws, lost Armageddon | Hikaru Nakamura |
| Nihal Sarin vs Magnus Carlsen | 2.5-0.5 | Magnus Carlsen |
| Nodirbek Abdusattorov vs Denis Lazavik | Lost Armageddon | Denis Lazavik |
| Hans Moke Niemann vs Alireza Firouzja | 1.5-2.5 | Alireza Firouzja |

Arjun’s clash with Hikaru was a rematch of last year’s third-place decider. All four regulation games ended in draws, pushing it to Armageddon, where Hikaru’s White pieces delivered a checkmate finish. Nihal’s rematch against Magnus followed a similar script to last year — Magnus took the first two games before a draw sealed the set.

![](https://technosports.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/S8UL-Esports-Nihal-Sarin-in-action-during-the-quarterfinals-of-Chess-at-Esports-World-Cup-2026-1024x683.jpg)

![EWC](https://technosports.co.in/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Gen.G-Esports-Arjun-Erigaisi-against-Team-Falcons-Hikaru-Nakamura-in-the-quarterfinals-of-Chess-at-Esports-World-Cup-2026-1024x683.jpg)

## Prize Money Breakdown

Both Arjun and Nihal earned $75,000 (~INR 71.5 lakh) each for their top 8 finishes — the biggest Indian Chess contingent EWC has seen yet. Pranesh M took home $55,000 (~INR 52.5 lakh) after a Lower Bracket exit, while Aravindh Chithambaram earned $23,000 (~INR 21.9 lakh) following elimination in the Play-Ins, all from a $1.5 million (~INR 14.3 crore) total prize pool.

## What’s Next

Hikaru now faces Lazavik in the semifinals, while Magnus takes on Firouzja in a rematch of last year’s final. The grand final follows a best-of-three-sets format. For more esports and gaming coverage, head to [TechnoSports Esports](https://technosports.co.in/esports/).

### FAQs

### **Q1. How much prize money did Arjun Erigaisi and Nihal Sarin win?**

Both players earned $75,000 (~INR 71.5 lakh) each for their top 8 finishes.

### **Q2. Who will Magnus Carlsen face in the semifinals?**

 Magnus Carlsen will play Alireza Firouzja in a rematch of last year’s final.