‘Arjun generates ways out of skinny air’: Vishy Anand praises India No. 1 Erigaisi after humbling him in match

5-time World Champion Viswanathan Anand rolled again the years with an excellent win over India’s present No. 1, Arjun Erigaisi, in spherical 5 of the
FIDE World Fast & Blitz Staff Championships
in London on Thursday. The sport led to simply 31 strikes, with Anand displaying as soon as once more who’s the actual boss.

🇮🇳 World #3 Arjun Erigaisi arrived three minutes late for his recreation in opposition to 🇮🇳 5-time World Champion Vishy Anand. Vishy capitalized and took the win. ♟️🔥 #FIDERapidBlitzTeams pic.twitter.com/SDhF5908fB

— Worldwide Chess Federation (@FIDE_chess) June 12, 2025

Anand praises Arjun regardless of defeating him in 31 strikes

After the match, Anand shared his ideas and praised Arjun’s inventive model. “I’m clearly delighted with the end result. But it surely was chaotic, and there have been moments the place I wasn’t certain what was happening. By some means, he simply generates ways out of skinny air,” Anand instructed Take Take Take.

Anand was particularly impressed by how Arjun’s items got here collectively on the board. “I don’t even know the way the battery queen d4 acquired arrange. It acquired arrange by itself virtually. How does he even handle? However then I discovered this plan with f6 and performed knight to c5. I wasn’t certain what precisely was happening. There have been numerous particulars,” he defined.

One key second was after Arjun performed bishop to d3. “I had not labored out each element after bishop to d3. I spent like two minutes there and I felt it was a important second. After pondering it by way of, I discovered queen g4. It took me perhaps 20 seconds to consider what I discovered after which I might play it.”

Anand on Arjun arriving late for the sport

Anand was additionally requested whether or not Arjun’s late arrival to the sport had affected his focus. The present India No. 5 mentioned that it didn’t have an effect on him in any respect. “He mentioned he was sorry, and that’s it. It didn’t have an effect on me,” Anand, who is part of Staff MGD1, mentioned. He hasn’t misplaced a single recreation within the occasion to this point.

When requested if taking part in a fellow Indian provides any stress or motivation, Anand admitted that it does really feel a little bit completely different. “Effectively, there’s a little further. I can’t fake in any other case. But it surely’s additionally true that he and Gukesh are on the prime in India proper now. So I’m pleased with the end result. Let’s put it that manner.”