Chennai Grandmasters: Arjun Erigaisi Faces Challenge From Vidit Gujrathi, Anish Giri
Arjun Erigaisi will face tough competition from Vidit Gujrathi and Anish Giri in the Chennai Grandmasters chess tournament starting Monday.
India's top player Arjun Erigaisi will face tough competition from seasoned compatriot Vidit Gujrathi and the Netherlands' leading player Anish Giri during the expanded third edition of the Chennai Grandmasters chess tournament, beginning on Monday.
The event, offering a winner's purse of Rs 1 crore, will be competed for the first time over nine rounds in a classical round-robin format across the Masters and Challengers segments.
Previously played over seven rounds, this edition will feature 19 Grandmasters and offer crucial FIDE Circuit points. These points are essential for securing a spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, similar to how they helped eventual world champion D Gukesh enter the Candidates.
Erigaisi, who has broken into the elite 2800 FIDE rating club, will also face challenges from promising Nihal Sarin and Germany's 20-year-old Vincent Keymer, who was Gukesh's second during last year's World Championship. However, his toughest competitor will be Giri, whose wealth of experience and super-solid style make him one of the tournament favourites.
Apart from the established names, India's Pranav V and Karthikeyan Murali are also capable of achieving some stunning results.
This edition marks a significant expansion, growing into a 20-player event split into two distinct 10-player sections: the Masters and the Challengers. This new structure provides a direct pathway for rising stars to compete at the highest level, with the Challengers winner earning a guaranteed spot in the 2026 Masters.
Meanwhile, the Challengers section features equally exciting talents, including D Harika, who was part of the gold-winning women's team at the 45th Chess Olympiad last year. R Vaishali, Harshvardhan GB, Abhimanyu Puranik, and experienced Grandmaster Adhiban Baskaran, known for his aggressive style, will also be in contention.
(With PTI Inputs)
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