Chennai Grand Masters: Arjun Erigaisi & Vincent Keymer make strong starts in 2025 opener

Diptayan Ghosh, Leon Luke Mendonca, and M Pranesh registered opening round wins.

World No. 5 Arjun Erigaisi and German Grandmaster Vincent Keymer got off to a winning start at the Chennai Grand Masters 2025, as the prestigious classical tournament began on Wednesday at the Hyatt Regency, Chennai.

Erigaisi delivered a commanding performance against American GM Awonder Liang, while Keymer showed flawless technique to defeat India’s Nihal Sarin. The two victories stood out on an otherwise balanced day in the Masters section, with all other games ending in draws.

Among the most anticipated contests was the all-Chennai face-off between local Grandmasters Pranav V and Karthikeyan Murali, which ended in a well-fought draw. The top-board clash between former World No. 6 Anish Giri and American GM Ray Robson also ended level, as did the duel between India’s Vidit Gujrathi and Dutch GM Jorden van Foreest.

Masters – Round 1 Highlights:

• Arjun Erigaisi (1) def. Awonder Liang (0)
• Vincent Keymer (1) def. Nihal Sarin (0)
• Anish Giri (½) drew Ray Robson (½)
• Vidit Gujrathi (½) drew Jorden van Foreest (½)
• Pranav V (½) drew Karthikeyan Murali (½)

In the Challengers section, Indian GMs also made their presence felt. Diptayan Ghosh, Leon Luke Mendonca, and M Pranesh registered opening round wins, setting the early pace in a tightly packed field.

WGM Vaishali Rameshbabu, GM Abhimanyu Puranik, and GM Iniyan Pa were held to draws, while experienced names Harika Dronavalli, Aryan Chopra, and Harshavardhan GB suffered opening round defeats.

Challengers – Round 1 Highlights:

• Diptayan Ghosh (1) def. Harika Dronavalli (0)
• Leon Luke Mendonca (1) def. Harshavardhan GB (0)
• M Pranesh (1) def. Aryan Chopra (0)
• Adhiban Baskaran (½) drew Abhimanyu Puranik (½)
• Vaishali Rameshbabu (½) drew Iniyan Pa (½)

Now in its third edition, the Chennai Grand Masters has cemented its place as India’s strongest classical-format chess tournament.

The ten-day, nine-round event features 20 elite players across two sections, Masters and Challengers, and offers a prize pool of ₹1 Crore along with FIDE Circuit points crucial for 2026 Candidates qualification.

Organised by MGD1, the tournament runs from August 6 to 15, with all matches starting at 3:00 PM IST (final round at 1:00 PM IST). Matches are broadcast live on YouTube and other major chess platforms.

Tickets are available on BookMyShow, starting at ₹750. VIP access, priced at ₹3,500, includes full-day entry, priority seating, and complimentary high-tea snacks.

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