Make your best moves in the heart of Karlsruhe – where innovation meets tradition, and Freestyle Chess brings a fresh twist to the royal game.
Arjun Erigaisi after winning three consecutive Freestyle Fridays
“I didn’t have any expectations—I surprised myself”
The Indian superstar shares his mindset and preparation ahead of his Grand Slam debut
After winning three consecutive Freestyle Fridays, Arjun Erigaisi reflects on his unexpected success and growing confidence in this unique format. In this interview, he discusses how his unconventional and daring style from traditional chess translates into Freestyle. He also shares his thoughts on the differences between blitz and classical time controls, especially ahead of his Grand Slam debut in Paris.
Arjun, three Freestyle Friday wins in a row against world-class competition! How good are you in this new format?
First of all, I’m really happy about these wins. I went into these tournaments with absolutely no expectations because, apart from watching as a fan, I had little Freestyle experience so far. I just wanted to get some practice before the Paris Grand Slam. But I surprised myself by doing well in my first event in February, and that gave me more confidence and raised my expectations for the following events. The absence of the opening phase helps me; my games enter directly into the middlegame, where I seem to navigate a bit better than some of my opponents.
In traditional chess, you are known as a daring, unconventional player in the opening. Do you think this trait translates well into Freestyle?
Maybe it does. In classical games, I sometimes take extra risks and go out of my way to create interesting positions. In Freestyle, those interesting positions arise naturally, even without me taking deliberate risks. Perhaps that suits me. We will see how it goes in Paris, because at the end of the day, this was blitz, and Paris will be different. When you have a lot of time, it makes an enormous difference.
Three in a row for Arjun!
You followed the Weissenhaus Grand Slam closely. Let’s talk about Vincent’s win: On the one hand, surprising; on the other, his games were incredibly convincing. How do you rate his performance?
Vincent was in exceptional form—not only winning but also the quality of his play was impressive, especially his game with White against Fabi. It was a clean game from start to finish, which is very difficult even in normal chess. In Chess960, it’s even tougher because you aren’t familiar with the openings or structures. But Vincent navigated it incredibly well. It shows his deep strategic understanding. He is definitely one of the best in Freestyle. And, as we have seen in classical tournaments, whenever Vincent has enough time to think, he clearly understands all implications of a position.
What do you expect from Paris? It is your first Freestyle Grand Slam.
I don’t consider myself either a favorite or an underdog—I just don’t want to think about that. I will simply try to enjoy myself. One thing I love about Freestyle, and I think most players agree, is there’s no opening preparation. You don’t need to constantly check lines just before the game. I really love that aspect. My main goal is just to enjoy that part, go without much preparation, qualify for the knockout, and then take it step by step.
Do you do anything specific to get in shape?
Currently, I am just looking at some random Freestyle starting positions and see how they could be played out, or how they should be approached. But it’s no guarantee that this preparation helps. There are so many different positions. It’s more about improving my general feel for these positions.
Can you offer a piece of advice for chess players encountering a Freestyle position for the first time? What is something important to keep in mind, a practical tip perhaps?
Something I recently discovered is this: Initially, I thought in Freestyle you often need to quickly open diagonals for bishops or queens. But I have noticed center control—like playing e4 or d4—still matters greatly, even if these moves don’t immediately open lines. More often than not, having strong center control turns out to be critical. So, yes, controlling the center still matters in Freestyle.
Vidit’s Grand Slam debut will also be a part of his honeymoon.
When Vidit qualified for Paris, it turned out that his marriage is almost clashing with the tournament. Are you attending the wedding as well?
Yes, I will be at the wedding like many other Indian chess players. My plan is to go home briefly after the wedding and then fly to Paris. It is just a couple of days apart.
Finally, what’s 2025 about for you? Candidates and Freestyle—are those your two main chess goals this year?
Definitely. Qualifying for the Candidates and the World Championship cycle, and then this big project with Freestyle Chess. I closely followed the Weissenhaus knockouts and learned a lot just by watching. I enjoyed watching it so much, even back in 2024, and always wanted to participate. Now I finally get to play my first event in Paris, and hopefully, I will do well enough to qualify for the next one and keep going.
