Top five Indian players to watch out for at Chennai Grand Masters 2025

Arjun Erigaisi will lead India’s challenge at the Chennai Grand Masters 2025.

The Chennai Grand Masters 2025 will take place from August 6 to 16, bringing together some of India’s best chess talent alongside strong international names. With both the Masters and Challengers sections offering critical exposure and high-stakes matchups, Indian players will be keen to make their mark in front of a home audience.

The 2025 lineup features a strong mix of top-rated Indian players and international talents. On that note, let’s take a look at the top five Indian players to watch at Chennai Grand Masters 2025.

5. Karthikeyan Murali

Karthikeyan Murali brings a rare mix of fearless play and deep experience. A two-time national champion and former World Youth gold medallist in both U12 and U16 categories, Karthikeyan has beaten elite players throughout his career, including a historic classical win over Magnus Carlsen in 2023.

In 2025, he finished third at the Menorca Open and won the prestigious Biel Masters Open with a score of 8/10. Now promoted from last year’s Challengers section, where he finished fourth, Karthikeyan enters the Masters field as a dangerous dark horse capable of rattling higher-seeded opponents.

Also Read: Top five players to watch out for at Chennai Grand Masters 2025

4. Pranav Venkatesh

At just 18, Pranav Venkatesh is already making history. He became India’s 75th Grandmaster at age 15 and made headlines again in March 2025 by winning the World Junior Chess Championship in Montenegro. He broke through in Chennai last year, going undefeated and winning the Challengers bracket with a score of 5.5/7.

That triumph earned him promotion to this year’s Masters event. Pranav plays with a maturity beyond his years and has demonstrated consistent nerves in high-stakes situations. The 2025 edition will be his toughest challenge yet and perhaps his biggest opportunity to rise on the global radar.

3. Nihal Sarin

Making his Chennai Grand Masters debut, Nihal Sarin has steadily built his reputation beyond blitz and rapid formats. In 2023, he crossed the 2700 mark in live ratings for the first time after a win at the European Club Cup. In 2025, Nihal lifted the Tashkent Open with a stunning 8/10 unbeaten run and followed it up with a second-place finish at the Asian Individual Chess Championship.

His recent performance at the Esports World Cup also raised eyebrows, where he defeated Anish Giri and MVL 2-0 without conceding a single game, advancing to the quarterfinals. Chennai presents a golden opportunity for Nihal to solidify his place in India’s classical elite.

2. Vidit Gujrathi

Vidit Gujrathi will hope to start a new chapter after a tough outing in the 2024 edition, where he finished at the bottom of the table alongside Parham Maghsoodloo and Alexey Sarana with just 2.5 points.

The result was uncharacteristic for a player of Vidit’s caliber, who had previously qualified for the Candidates and won the 2023 FIDE Grand Swiss. That said, he remains a key figure in Indian chess.

Known for his solid style and deep preparation, Vidit will approach Chennai 2025 with renewed focus, aiming to remind everyone of his classical strength and big-game temperament.

1. Arjun Erigaisi

Arjun Erigaisi returns to Chennai as the top seed and one of the pre-tournament favorites. But for Arjun, this event holds unfinished business. In both 2023 and 2024, he finished tied for first place after seven rounds, only to be edged out by tie-breaks. In 2023, he and Gukesh were level on 4.5 points before the Sonneborn-Berger score handed Gukesh the title.

A year later, it was a three-way tie between Arjun, Levon Aronian, and Aravindh Chithambaram. Again, Arjun narrowly missed the crown as Aravindh claimed victory. Now among the top 10 players in the world, Arjun will be determined to convert strong performances into a Chennai title finally.

Apart from the five spotlighted names, Chennai Grand Masters 2025 will also see several other Indian players in action.

The Challengers section features strong Indian representation, Abhimanyu Puranik, Aryan Chopra, Leon Luke Mendonca, Pranesh M, Diptayan Ghosh, Iniyan P, Adhiban Baskaran, and Harshavardhan G B, alongside top women players Vaishali Rameshbabu and Harika Dronavalli.

For more updates, follow Khel Now on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram; download the Khel Now Android App or IOS App and join our community on Whatsapp & Telegram