Chennai Grand Masters 2025: More rounds, biggest-ever prize pool, and what more?
NEW DELHI: The chess capital of India is once again set to host a world-class event as the Chennai Grand Masters 2025 returns for its latest edition from August 6 to 15, featuring an expanded format, an elite lineup, and its biggest-ever prize pool of Rs 1 crore.
For the first time, the Masters and Challengers section will be contested over nine rounds of classical round-robin chess, an upgrade from the seven rounds in previous editions.
The Masters lineup boasts an impressive mix. Headlining the field are Dutch No. 1 Anish Giri, American Grandmasters Ray Robson and Awonder Liang, Indian spearheads Vidit Gujrathi, Arjun Erigaisi, Karthikeyan Murali, and Nihal Sarin, as well as Germany's Vincent Keymer, the Netherlands' Jorden Van Foreest, and local hopeful Pranav V.
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This year, however, all eyes will be on Pranav V, the 2024 Challengers winner and the reigning FIDE World Junior Champion, who makes his much-anticipated debut in the Masters section.
But is he feeling the pressure?
'Not really, I am playing Masters this year, but I don't have any pressure because I will just go and have fun,' said the Grandmaster in an interaction with TimesofIndia.com.
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'I think it is the other guys who would take the pressure because I don't think I have played the likes of Anish Giri, Vincent Keymer over the board. Even against Arjun, I haven't played recently in the classical. I played him a few years back in the National Championships.'
The Chennai Grand Masters will follow a round-robin format, where every participant faces each other once in classical time control games.
And if the tournament heads into a tiebreak after nine rounds, players will face a two-game blitz match with a 3+2 time control, followed by an Armageddon if needed.
Poll
Which aspect of the Chennai Grand Masters are you most excited about?
Expanded format with nine rounds
Largest prize pool of Rs 1 crore
Presence of top international players
Challengers section talent
And that's why 18-year-old Pranav has been preparing for the physical and psychological rigours of the tournament.
'Yes, since the players are very tough and in every game you are going to face a 2700-rated player, I think it is going to be a different challenge for me. I have been training physically and mentally for it. It would be interesting to see how I would play.'
Meanwhile, the Challengers section will carry a plethora of Indian talent, with Abhimanyu Puranik, Leon Mendonca, Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali R, Adhiban Baskaran, and others competing.
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With Russia's Vladimir Fedoseev withdrawing from the tournament just days before its start, GM Karthikeyan Murali was promoted to the Masters section.
His vacated spot in the Challengers section has been filled by Harshvardhan GB, who finished third in last month's Chess.com online qualifiers. Harshvardhan now becomes the first International Master (IM) ever to compete in the Chennai Grand Masters.
As with previous editions, a strong showing in the Challengers could open doors to the Masters next year, a path Pranav has already walked.
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
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