MUMBAI: In the unforgiving world of elite chess, every tournament is a lead-up to something. To outsiders, the Global Chess League (GCL), the fast-paced Rapid format now in its third edition, may seem like an ideal pitstop for players to have some fun and experience the joy of featuring in a team sport, something that's still very novel in the board game.
But most of the players are treating the GCL as a sort of training ground for World Rapid and Blitz, scheduled to be held in Doha later this month. "GCL is happening at a great time just before the World Rapid and Blitz," Arjun Erigaisi said during the pre-tournament function on Saturday. "I'm checking my openings.
Erigaisi, part of PBG Alaskan Knights, will be one of the players tasked with stopping Triveni Continental Kings, the two-time defending champions. "GCL has always been great," the 22-year-old said. "Indian chess players look at it as the IPL of chess."
The young Indian player has had a brutal few months as he pushed through qualifying events — the Grand Swiss and the World Cup — for the next edition of the Candidates in 2026. But he fell agonisingly short at the World Cup in Goa, losing in the quarterfinals (if he had advanced to the semis, he would have secured two chances at qualifying to the eight player tournament from where the contender plays the champion in the title match.
In one of his first full interactions with the media since that disappointment in Goa last month, Erigaisi said 'the first few days (post that defeat to Wei Yi in the last eight) were tough'. "Missing out from the previous Candidates itself was tough," he said. "But I know it's not the end of the world. I was close (again)... the next few days I had to pull myself together to work hard again, I had to move on and play other tournaments."
Having some family time — when he wants to wind down, he also plays some 'table tennis with my sister' — also helped In the previous World Championship cycle also he came close to qualifying but couldn't get over the line).
Having back-to-back tournaments has also helped him in forgetting about the what could have been. Post Goa, he played a tournament in Jerusalem. After GCL, he will be in Doha for the World Rapid and Blitz. In January, he will be featuring at Tata Steel India as well as at Wijk aan Zee in The Netherlands.
He had to tell himself words of encouragement to ensure he didn't go down a negative spiral. He spent some time talking with family — his mother is a regular at most of the events he features in — but that process of moving on came from within. "I know that it's not the end of the world. I know that I will play many Candidates and, hopefully, one day become world champion as well. When my chances come, I have to be able to take them. For that, I need to keep working hard."
It's what has made him such a fighter; this belief that he's destined for the game's highest level. It's what made him fight past the pack in the first place, willingly playing in all the open events before he started receiving invitations to Super tournaments.But his ultra attacking style there earned him a lot of rating points but he has had to recalibrate his naturally over-the-board flair because he's facing more Super GMs these days. "I think you have to balance more," he said. "You have to be ambitious but you need to know when to take risks and when not to. In the start, I struggled but I think I'm doing better."
Indian chess is now the epicentre of the world game but it comes with its own challenges. For one, all the top Indian players may feel some pressure to outdo their peers but the 21-year-old said 'it only acts as motivation'. "I only see it as a positive thing."
In the immediate term, though, Erigaisi and D Gukesh, the reigning world champion, will be in the same team as they aim to gun down GCL glory.
