Grandmasters Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi and Anish Giri will headline the third edition of Chennai Grand Masters, starting here on August 6.
India’s most prestigious classical chess tournament will feature 20 players from across the Masters and Challengers categories.
The 2025 edition of the tournament will have a prize pool of Rs 1 crore as competitors chase FIDE Circuit points, which are vital for qualifying for next year’s Candidates Tournament.
The tournament will be split into two categories: Masters and Challengers.
Who will compete in the Masters category?
Besides Erigaisi, Gujrathi and Giri, the Masters field will comprise Jorden Van Foreest, Liang Awonder, Vincent Keymer, Ray Robson, Vladimir Fedoseev, and Pranav V, who steps up after winning the Challengers in 2024.
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“Playing such a high-stakes tournament at home is always special. As the top-rated player here, I know the expectations are high, but the field this year is extremely competitive, and every game will demand my absolute best,” Erigaisi said.
Who will compete in the Challengers category?
The Challengers category, introduced last year, will feature Karthikeyan Murali, Leon Mendonca, Vaishali R, Harika Dronavalli, Abhimanyu Puranik, Aryan Chopra, Adhiban Baskaran, Iniyan P, Diptayan Ghosh, and Pranesh M.
What is the prize money breakdown?
The Masters champion will win Rs 25 lakh, while the second and third place players will get richer by Rs 15 lakh and Rs 10 lakh, respectively.
The Challengers’ winner will receive Rs 7 lakh and a guaranteed place in the 2026 Masters. The tournament also carries FIDE Circuit points, with the winner earning 24.5 points towards the 2026 Candidates qualification.
In the case of joint winners, each will receive 22.3 points, while second and third place finishers will earn 17.8 and 15.6 points, respectively..
(inputs from PTI)