Top five things we learned from Chennai Grand Masters 2025

Indian Grandmasters faced a tough challenge full of ups & downs at Chennai Grand Masters 2025.

The Chennai Grand Masters 2025 delivered everything from fighting spirit shown by underdogs to title-clinching masterclasses. For India’s brightest stars, it was a tournament of flashes of brilliance sprinkled with some hard lessons.

Vincent Keymer, who was part of the team that helped Gukesh Dommaraju prepare for the World Championships, stole the spotlight completely, winning the title with a round to spare. 

In this pursuit, he also became the first non-Indian champion in the event’s short history. Keymer’s triumph also propelled him into the world’s top ten, marking a significant career milestone.

Things we learned from Chennai Grand Masters 2025-

5. Arjun Erigaisi’s flashes of brilliance could prove insufficient to win tournaments consistently

Arjun Erigaisi began strongly, defeating Awonder Liang in Round 1, and remained in contention. But his position wavered: he suffered a shock loss to Nihal Sarin in Round 4, and though he ended tied for second with 5/9, he was ultimately placed third on tiebreaks behind Anish Giri.

His performance shows talent and fighting spirit, but also an inconsistency that may hinder him from clinching top titles unless addressed.

4. Anish Giri’s nonchalance is a great lesson for everyone

Anish Giri struggled to convert opportunities into wins. He remained winless throughout most of the event, including being held to draws consistently, even as others faltered, highlighting his resilience.

Despite this, Giri finished strong as the runner-up on a tiebreak, edging past peers on consistency. His display of calm under pressure and the ability to avoid losses in a grueling field offer an invaluable lesson in composure and steadiness at the elite level. 

3. Pranav faces the reality of top-level chess

V. Pranav had emerged as a rising star, winner of last year’s Challengers section and World Junior Champion. At the Masters section, he attracted attention with a good performance against Anish Giri. But his total score of 3/9 saw him finish low in the field, underscoring the steep learning curve at top-level classical super-tournaments. 

2. Nihal Sarin and Vidit Gujrathi continue to be underwhelming

Nihal Sarin had a mixed campaign in this tournament. He began with a loss to Keymer in Round 1, but did notch a notable win over Arjun Erigaisi in Round 4, ultimately finishing around mid-pack with 4.5/9.

Vidit Gujrathi‘s impact was limited; his only reported win was against Nihal in Round 3, and he ended tied 7th with 4/9. Overall, neither delivered standout results relative to expectations. 

1. Chennai Grandmaster 2025 could be Vincent Keymer’s turning point

Vincent Keymer delivered a near-perfect performance at the Chennai Grand Masters 2025, claiming the Masters title with one round to spare, becoming the first non-Indian sole champion in the tournament’s history, and breaking into the world top 10 in live ratings during the event.

This impressive performance marks a clear turning point in his career, having established him as a top chess player after recently winning the German Championship.

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