Bengaluru, April 8 -- Arjun Erigaisi slipped into demolition mode rightaway on Day 1 of the Paris leg of the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam tour on Monday. The 21-year-old Indian defeated world No.1 and 5 Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana respectively, in the first two rapid rounds. His fine run was briefly halted by compatriot and reigning world champion D Gukesh in Round 3. It was Gukesh's first full point from a Freestyle chess game this year after he went winless through the first leg at Weissenhaus in February. It, however, turned out to be his lone win of the day.
Of the four Indians - Arjun, Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa R and Vidit Gujrathi - who feature in the 12-player event with 10+10 time control, single round robin over the first two da...