FIDE Circuit: Erigaisi regains lead, Caruana moves to second

Only two tournaments counted toward the FIDE Circuit 2024 race in October, but both brought significant changes to the standings.

Arjun Erigaisi earned 25.4 circuit points following his strong performance at the WR Chess Masters Cup, overtaking Nodirbek Abdusattorov to regain the lead. Meanwhile, newly crowned U.S. champion Fabiano Caruana picked up 25 points from his victory and moved up to second place, pushing Abdusattorov down to third.

It’s worth noting that Erigaisi’s total is based on seven tournament results, with room for improvement. Two of his results, from the Grenke Chess Open and Sharjah Masters, contributed only 6.99 and 5.24 points, respectively. Abdusattorov, Caruana, and Alireza Firouzja are close behind Erigaisi but have played fewer tournaments, giving them a potential advantage. Most likely, one of this quartet will punch a ticket to the Candidates 2026.

Looking ahead, the upcoming Chennai Grand Masters Tournament (November 5-11) is crucial for Erigaisi. A strong performance there could help him solidify his lead. Similarly, Abdusattorov might be focused on the 3rd President Cup to stay in the race, while Firouzja may aim for the point-heavy 2024 European Championship.

With all this in play, the FIDE Circuit 2024 race remains wide open, and the winner could very well be decided in the final days of the year at the 2024 Rapid and Blitz Championship.

We maintain a dedicated page on our website for the FIDE Circuit, offering the latest information on eligible tournaments, the current standings, and regulations.
Visit: FIDE Circuit 2024.