Dutch grandmaster anish giri

Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi: Following a brilliant comeback run, Grandmaster Nihal Sarin, representing S8UL Esports, has qualified for the playoffs at the ongoing Esports World Cup (EWC) 2025 in, Saudi Arabia. He will take on the five-time world champion Magnus Carlsen in the quarterfinals.

After a tough 0-2 loss to fellow Indian Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi on Day 1 of the group stage, Nihal made a strong comeback on Day 2. Showcasing his lightning-fast decision-making, he secured a 2-0 victory over Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri in the lower bracket semi-final.

In the lower bracket final, the 21-year-old faced French Grandmaster Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Despite being in a difficult position in the first game, he salvaged a draw through excellent positional awareness before sealing the match 1.5-0.5 with a decisive win in the second game and secured a coveted playoff spot from Group B.