Exciting Semifinals Set for 2024 WR Chess Masters Cup: Firouzja vs. Vachier-Lagrave and Praggnanandhaa vs. Arjun

The 2024 WR Chess Masters Cup has been full of surprises and intense battles, with GM Alireza Firouzja securing a spot in the Semifinals after a unique turn of events. Firouzja was gifted a win in his first game against GM Raunak Sadhwani, who overslept and missed the match due to his AirPods not ringing. Despite this setback, Sadhwani managed to draw the second game, but it was not enough to stop Firouzja from advancing.

In the other quarterfinal matches, GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave defeated GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov to set up a Semifinal clash with Firouzja. On the Indian front, GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu overcame his mentor GM Viswanathan Anand, while GM Arjun Erigaisi beat GM Vidit Gujrathi to secure their spots in the Semifinals.

The Semifinals of the WR Chess Masters Cup are set to begin on October 16 at 5 a.m. ET/11:00 CEST/2:30 p.m. IST. The matchups promise to be thrilling, with an all-French showdown between Vachier-Lagrave and Firouzja, as well as an all-Indian battle between Praggnanandhaa and Arjun.

Fans can catch all the action on the WR Chess YouTube Channel or follow the games on the Events Page. The tournament, held at the Langham Hotel in London, features a unique format with short classical time controls and an armageddon tiebreaker in case of a draw. With a prize fund of €58,000, including €20,000 for the winner, the stakes are high for the players vying for the title.