Vidit Gujrathi and Benjamin Bok Secure Spots in India Rising Chess Finals

Indian Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi and Dutch Grandmaster Benjamin Bok have qualified for the India Rising: Road to EWC Chess LAN Finals in Mumbai. This event will determine who advances to the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris. Gujrathi's impressive victories over fellow Grandmasters highlight the competitive spirit of the playoffs, which featured top talent from around the globe. The initiative aims to connect Indian chess with the expanding esports landscape, creating new opportunities for players. With a significant prize pool at stake, the excitement is palpable as these elite competitors prepare for the finals.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 27, 2026, 02:07 IST

Exciting Developments in Indian Chess

Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], May 26: Indian Grandmaster Vidit Gujrathi, a two-time Olympiad Gold medalist, along with Dutch Grandmaster Benjamin Bok, have successfully qualified for the India Rising: Road to EWC Chess LAN Finals in Mumbai. This follows a thrilling playoff stage that showcased some of the most prominent figures in competitive chess.

The upcoming LAN Finals in Mumbai will determine which player progresses to the final round of the Esports World Cup (EWC) 2026, set to take place in Paris.

These playoffs, conducted on Chess.com and broadcast live via JioBLAST and Chess.com channels, featured elite Indian and international Grandmasters competing in a knockout format after advancing from earlier Swiss-format qualifiers.

Gujrathi, who earned a silver medal at the Asian Games, secured his spot in the LAN finals by defeating fellow Indian Grandmaster M Pranesh in the quarterfinals and Raunak Sadhwani in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Bok advanced by overcoming Karthikeyan Murali and World No. 11 Arjun Erigaisi in a tightly contested bracket.

Reflecting on his achievement, Gujrathi stated, “The Swiss stage was incredibly demanding because every round felt like a battle against world-class opposition. Formats like these really test your consistency, preparation, and mental resilience over a sustained period. Qualifying for the LAN Finals from such a strong field makes this especially rewarding, and as a Mumbai player, I’m particularly excited to compete in front of a home crowd. What also makes India Rising exciting is that it is creating meaningful global pathways for Indian chess players by connecting competitive chess with the rapidly growing esports ecosystem.”

India Rising: Road to EWC is an initiative by JioBLAST and the Esports Foundation aimed at establishing a competitive pathway that links Indian chess and esports talent to the global Esports World Cup ecosystem.

The playoffs followed a nine-round Swiss-format qualifying stage that included top Indian Grandmasters such as Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, Raunak Sadhwani, Karthikeyan Murali, Divya Deshmukh, V Pranav, M Pranesh, Pranav Anand, and Aravindh Chithambaram, who has already qualified as the first Indian Grandmaster for the Esports World Cup 2026.

Commenting on the growing excitement surrounding the competition, Charlie Cowdrey, CEO of JioBLAST, remarked, “The level of competition throughout the India Rising: Road to EWC qualifiers and playoffs reflects both the strength of Indian chess and the increasing crossover between chess and the esports ecosystem. Bringing together Tier 1 talent alongside emerging grassroots on one unified platform, India Rising: Road to EWC stays true to the JioBLAST and EWC’s shared ethos of creating inclusive, long-term pathways for players and fans to rise, compete, and be recognized.”

The India Rising LAN Finals in Mumbai will ultimately determine which player advances to the final stage of the Esports World Cup 2026 in Paris, where competitors will vie for a share of the impressive $1.5 million prize pool.