India, Nov. 14 -- In the stoic world of chess, Arjun Erigaisi is a breath of fresh air. At the highest level, where every loss can hit the ELO ratings hard, he is the most expressive player among the new generation of Indian stars. Expressive to the point that, at times, he tends to betray an almost unnoticeable glimpse of emotion.

On Friday, he offered a bit more.

He sat in the grand hall of the venue in Goa, searching the 64 squares of the chess board for his next move. Searching for the slightest of openings in the hope of getting a win with white pieces on Day 1 of his fifth round match against Levon Aronian in the Chess World Cup.

Eventually, he rubbed his eyes and let out a frustrated sigh. There was no masking the disappointment...