Magnus Carlsen Arjun Erigaisi: Magnus Carlsen’s fiery reaction to defeat made headlines once again, this time at the FIDE World Blitz Championship in Doha, where India’s Arjun Erigaisi handed the Norwegian superstar a shock loss on Monday.
Erigaisi Outplays Carlsen, Goes Joint Top
Erigaisi showcased sharp calculation and solid endgame technique to defeat the reigning World Blitz champion, winning with the black pieces. The Indian Grandmaster followed it up with another big scalp, beating Uzbek star Nodirbek Abdusattorov, to emerge as joint leader with nine points after 11 rounds alongside France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
The win against Carlsen proved decisive in opening up a half-point lead before Erigaisi was held to a draw by Fabiano Caruana in Round 11.
Table-Banging Moment Goes Viral
The loss appeared to test Carlsen’s composure. Frustrated after the defeat, the world No. 1 was seen banging the table, a moment that quickly went viral on social media, with fans dubbing it “Carlsen outburst 2.0”. The incident followed a similar display of anger after his loss to world champion D Gukesh at Norway Chess earlier this year.
Oops!…He Did It Again#RapidBlitz pic.twitter.com/O5N5CWoO2f
— International Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) December 29, 2025
Despite the setback, Carlsen remains in contention. With eight points, he is part of a large group tied for sixth place and still chasing a record ninth World Blitz title, having already claimed his sixth World Rapid crown on Sunday.
Crowded Standings After Day One
Trailing the joint leaders are Daniil Dubov, Caruana and China’s Yu Yangyi on 8.5 points. A further eight players, including Alireza Firouzja and India’s Sunilduth Narayanan, sit on eight points. R Praggnanandhaa and classical world champion D Gukesh are on 7.5 points, tied with 21 players in 14th position.
Erigaisi’s Rise Continues
Fresh off a bronze-medal finish in the Rapid event, the 22-year-old Erigaisi has been in sublime form. His tally of eight wins, two draws and one loss underlined his aggressive yet pragmatic style. Notably, this year alone, he has beaten Carlsen in classical chess at Norway Chess and now in blitz, a sign of his growing dominance across formats.
With 13 rounds scheduled on the opening day of the 19-round Open event and the remaining rounds set for Tuesday, the battle for semifinal spots remains wide open. The top four after Round 19 will advance to the semifinals, followed by the title clash later in the day.
