Grandmasters Gujrathi and Bok Set for Chess Showdown in Mumbai LAN Finals

Indian Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi and his Dutch counterpart Benjamin Bok have successfully qualified for the India Rising: Road to EWC Chess LAN Finals set to take place in Mumbai. This achievement follows an intense closed playoff stage involving some of the top names in competitive chess today.

The playoffs, hosted on Chess.com and broadcast live on JioBLAST and Chess.com's channels, saw top Indian and international grandmasters battle it out in a knockout format. Gujrathi secured his LAN finals spot after notable victories against up-and-coming Indian Grandmaster M Pranesh and Raunak Sadhwani. Meanwhile, Bok advanced following challenging matches against Karthikeyan Murali and World No. 11 Arjun Erigaisi.

As the esports ecosystem continues to grow, Vidit Gujrathi expressed his excitement about competing in Mumbai and the meaningful opportunities this tournament presents for Indian chess players. India Rising: Road to EWC, backed by JioBLAST and the Esports Foundation, aims to bridge the gap between Indian chess and the global esports arena. The LAN finals in Mumbai will decide who among the competitors will progress to the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris with a chance to win a portion of the $1.5 million prize pool.

(With inputs from agencies.)