Traps, Tricks & Mistakes: Erigaisi’s Painful Blunder
Qatar held in October-2023 the third edition of the important tournament “Qatar Masters Open”. While the first and second editions took place in 2014 and 2015 respectively, an eight-year gap elapsed until the third edition.
158 players participated. Most of the top GMs in the world were among them.
Two Uzbek players finished at the top with 7 points: Nodirbek Yakubboev and Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Yakubboev eventually defeated Abdusottorov 2-0 in a blitz playoff.
But the story is not about Yakubboev, but about Abdusattorov and his opponent, Arjun Erigaisi, in the last round. Before the final round, the Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi was leading with 6,5 points. Behind him, there was a group of 6 players with 6 points and Abdusattorov was in that group. Both players faced in the final round. If Arjun could win, he would be the winner whatever happened elsewhere. However, Abdusattorov unfolded a dangerous home preparation knowing all the intricate details of a complex opening.
While Abdusattorov quickly played his first 20 moves, Erigaisi spent many minutes trying to find the best moves and with one hour behind on the clock, it seemed that his position would collapse at any moment. However, he managed to reach a drawish endgame.
In case of a draw and when one of the players in the runners-up group managed to win, still Erigaisi would have the chance to play in a playoff for first place. But in a moment of relaxation, and after thinking for a minute and a half, Arjun blundered losing a full rook in move 48.
It’s always a pity to finish such a tough and intense game with a blunder. It’s not the only time that such a mistake appears at the top level. In this series we have already seen Nepomniachtchi’s similar blunder in the Sinquefield Cup 2019.
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