Latest news with #ChessBaseIndia
Mint
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
Praggnanandhaa on rivals, Samay Raina, and the chess world in Raj Shamani's podcast: ‘Why do you apply Vibhuti?'
Podcaster Raj Shamani, who has over 12 million subscribers on YouTube and recently made headlines for his highly discussed interview with fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, has now hosted Indian chess Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa. Praggnanandhaa, who achieved the Grandmaster title at the age of 12, discussed a host of topics on the podcast — from his early journey, starting with his first encounter with chess, to training with legends like Viswanathan Anand, and the sacrifices his family made to help him compete at the highest level. Shamani began the podcast by asking the chess prodigy about the first time he saw chess, to which he replied:'I was around three years old, and I played my first state championship at the age of five.' The astonished YouTuber then remarked: 'And you became a Grandmaster at 12?' Nodding at the mention of his milestone achievement, Praggnanandhaa admitted it was a remarkable accomplishment but added that he 'was too young to handle the pressure that comes with such a title.' Shamani — a YouTuber and four-time TEDx speaker — then asked him about the application of vibhuti, the sacred ash used mainly in Hindu religious practices, on his forehead. Praggnanandhaa explained: 'It's basically ash. We come from ash and return to it, so there's nothing to be arrogant about.' The chess sensation was later asked about his competitors and friends who have made him feel 'insecure.' 'Do you have many chess friends? Who has made you feel insecure in the past?' the YouTuber asked. 'Mostly people from my generation. If Gukesh or Arjun do well — or not as well — I feel like I can do it too, and I try to put pressure on myself,' the chess master replied. The conversation then shifted to stand-up artist Samay Raina, who previously made headlines for his appearance on the controversial show India's Got Latent and received backlash for his remarks. 'What do you think is the contribution of Samay Raina and Sagar to the chess world?' Shamani asked. 'Samay brought new audiences to the game. Sagar, through ChessBase India, covers almost every tournament possible. Both have been great for chess,' Praggnanandhaa replied. Samay had gained popularity for his chess streams, which he started during the pandemic, but later stopped after his show ran into controversy. Praggnanandhaa was also asked about the financial aspects of playing chess — 'Is there money in chess?' — to which the chess prodigy responded:
Mint
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Mint
On Raj Shamani's podcast, chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa opens up about rivals, early career, and Samay Raina
Podcaster Raj Shamani, who has over 12 million subscribers on YouTube and recently made headlines for his highly discussed interview with fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, has now hosted Indian chess Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa. Praggnanandhaa, who achieved the Grandmaster title at the age of 12, discussed a host of topics on the podcast — from his early journey, starting with his first encounter with chess, to training with legends like Viswanathan Anand, and the sacrifices his family made to help him compete at the highest level. Shamani began the podcast by asking the chess prodigy about the first time he saw chess, to which he replied:'I was around three years old, and I played my first state championship at the age of five.' The astonished YouTuber then remarked: 'And you became a Grandmaster at 12?' Nodding at the mention of his milestone achievement, Praggnanandhaa admitted it was a remarkable accomplishment but added that he 'was too young to handle the pressure that comes with such a title.' Shamani — a YouTuber and four-time TEDx speaker — then asked him about the application of vibhuti, the sacred ash used mainly in Hindu religious practices, on his forehead. Praggnanandhaa explained: 'It's basically ash. We come from ash and return to it, so there's nothing to be arrogant about.' The chess sensation was later asked about his competitors and friends who have made him feel 'insecure.' 'Do you have many chess friends? Who has made you feel insecure in the past?' the YouTuber asked. 'Mostly people from my generation. If Gukesh or Arjun do well — or not as well — I feel like I can do it too, and I try to put pressure on myself,' the chess master replied. The conversation then shifted to stand-up artist Samay Raina, who previously made headlines for his appearance on the controversial show India's Got Latent and received backlash for his remarks. 'What do you think is the contribution of Samay Raina and Sagar to the chess world?' Shamani asked. 'Samay brought new audiences to the game. Sagar, through ChessBase India, covers almost every tournament possible. Both have been great for chess,' Praggnanandhaa replied. Samay had gained popularity for his chess streams, which he started during the pandemic, but later stopped after his show ran into controversy. Praggnanandhaa was also asked about the financial aspects of playing chess — 'Is there money in chess?' — to which the chess prodigy responded: 'Yes, and more than there used to be.'
News18
5 days ago
- Sport
- News18
Chennai Grand Masters Back With Record-Prize Pool: Where, When, Player List And All You Need To Know
Last Updated: Chennai will host the 2025 Chennai Grand Masters from August 7 to 15. The tournament features top Grandmasters like Arjun Erigaisi and Anish Giri, with a prize pool of ₹1 crore. India's chess capital is once again in the spotlight as Chennai prepares to host the 2025 edition of the Chennai Grand Masters — a tournament that has quickly become a landmark fixture in the global chess calendar. Running from August 7 to 15, this year's edition promises to be bigger and bolder, with an enhanced format, a star-studded field, and a record prize pool of ₹1 crore. For the first time in the tournament's history, both the Masters and Challengers sections will feature nine rounds of classical round-robin chess — a step up from the seven-round structure used in previous editions. The stakes are higher than ever, not just in terms of prize money but also for what's on the line: crucial FIDE Circuit points that count toward qualification for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. With some of the world's top Grandmasters — including Arjun Erigaisi, Anish Giri, Vidit Gujrathi, and Nihal Sarin — in the fray, the competition is expected to be intense from the very first round. The event was initially slated to begin on Wednesday, August 6, but had to be postponed by a day following a minor fire incident at the Hyatt Regency, the official venue in Chennai. Thankfully, no one was harmed, and organisers quickly moved to reschedule. The tournament will now kick off on Thursday, August 7. When will the third edition of Chennai Grand Masters take place? The 2025 Chennai Grand Masters will be held from August 7 to 15. Games begin daily at 2 PM IST, with an earlier start on the final day. Where will the event be held? The tournament will take place at the Hyatt Regency, Chennai. Who are the players competing in the Masters section? The 10-player round-robin features: GM Arjun Erigaisi (India) GM Anish Giri (Netherlands) GM Vincent Keymer (Germany) GM Vidit Gujrathi (India) GM Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands) GM Awonder Liang (USA) GM Nihal Sarin (India) GM Ray Robson (USA) GM Murali Karthikeyan (India) GM Pranav Venkatesh (India) What format will the tournament follow? It's a single round-robin with Classical time controls — 90 minutes per player with a 30-second increment per move. If players are tied at the top after nine rounds, the winner will be decided through blitz tie-breakers (two 3+2 games), followed by an Armageddon if needed. What is the prize money? The total prize pool is as follows: Beyond the money and the trophy, players will also earn valuable FIDE Circuit points — critical for qualification to the 2026 Candidates Tournament. top videos View all Where can I watch Chennai Grand Masters 2025 LIVE? ChessBase India will be streaming the tournament live on YouTube, with expert commentary, post-game analysis, and interviews. News18 Sports brings you the latest updates, live commentary, and highlights from cricket, football, tennis, badmintion, wwe and more. Catch breaking news, live scores, and in-depth coverage. Also Download the News18 App to stay updated! tags : Arjun Erigaisi Chess chess news view comments Location : New Delhi, India, India First Published: August 07, 2025, 16:20 IST News sports Chennai Grand Masters Back With Record-Prize Pool: Where, When, Player List And All You Need To Know Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
NDTV
6 days ago
- Sport
- NDTV
Fire Disrupts Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters: Players Safe, Event Postponed by a Day
A fire at the Hyatt Regency Chennai on Tuesday night forced the emergency evacuation of all players and officials of the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2025, India's premier classical chess tournament. According to reports, an electrical fire on the ninth floor led to thick smoke spreading through the hotel, making it difficult to breathe. All players in both the Masters and Challengers sections, along with coaches and officials, were quickly evacuated. A fire and rescue station officer said "Yes, there was a fire late night and our night teams rushed and extinguished. Ther was no loss of life". "Close to midnight, the entire hotel became smoky and everyone had to evacuate. Initially there was confusion, but once it was clear that smoke clearing would take hours, the organisers took swift action," ChessBase India reported on X. A fire broke out in the Hyatt Regency Hotel where the Chennai Grand Masters was due to take place. All the players are safe and have been moved to another hotel, but the 1st round has been postponed until Thursday, August 7 — chess24 (@chess24com) August 5, 2025 The organisers postponed Round 1 from August 6 to August 7, utilizing the originally planned rest day of August 11. As a result, there will be no rest day in the revised schedule. All players and officials were shifted to Hotel Pullman for the night. The players are expected to return to Hyatt Regency today, once the hotel is fully cleared and deemed safe. "We are relieved that all players are safe. We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused and assure everyone that safety remains our top priority," stated the tournament communications team in a statement. Despite the disruption, anticipation remains high for the third edition of the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters, which will see 10 Masters and 10 Challengers compete for Rs 1 crore in prize money and critical FIDE points between August 6 and 15.
Indian Express
6 days ago
- Sport
- Indian Express
Chennai Grand Masters postponed by a day after fire breaks out at tournament venue
The start of the third edition of the Chennai Grand Masters 2025 event was postponed by a day after a fire broke out at the Hyatt Regency hotel, the venue of the tournament, late on Tuesday night. While the players will return to the venue on Wednesday, the tournament will officially begin on Thursday, August 7, with the first round utilising the allotted rest day. The 20-player event will now proceed without the previously scheduled break on August 11. 'Fire at Hotel Hyatt Regency last night, the venue of the Chennai GM. All the players are safe and shifted to another hotel nearby. Tournament postponed by a day,' wrote Indian GM and tournament director Srinath Narayanan on X. 'Close to midnight there was an emergency in Hotel Hyatt Regency in Chennai. Due to an electric fire on the 9th floor, the entire hotel became smoky and everyone had to evacuate the hotel before it became difficult to breathe,' reported ChessBase India. The Chennai Grand Masters sprung into the Indian chess calendar in late 2023 to offer young stars like D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi a chance to qualify for the Candidates. Chennai boy Gukesh later capitalised on the opportunity to etch his name in the history books as he became the youngest world chess champion, aged 18 in December 2024. 'We hope the Chennai tournament will become a permanent fixture in the calendar, but we are still figuring that part out,' Srinath told the Indian Express. 'It's moving strongly towards being a permanent fixture in the calendar and a traditional annual tournament. The Chennai event will see 20 players competing in its third edition. While the main field comprise GM Arjun Erigaisi, GM Anish Giri, GM Vincent Keymer, GM Vidit Gujrathi, GM Nihal Sarin, GM Karthikeyan Murali, GM Jorden van Foreest, GM Awonder Liang, GM Ray Robson and GM Pranav Venkatesh competing, the Challengers event will see players like GM Abhimanyu Puranik, GM Adhiban Baskaran, GM Harika Dronavalli, GM Vaishali Rameshbabu, GM Pranesh M, GM Leon Luke Mendonca, GM Aryan Chopra, GM Diptayan Ghosh, GM Iniyan P and IM Harshavardhan GB in the fray. The tournament offers a significant prize pool of Rs 1 crore besides providing crucial FIDE Circuit points, vital for qualifying for the 2026 Candidates event.
