CHENNAI: The Chennai Grand Masters 2025, beginning on August 6, will see a record seven players from Tamil Nadu in the fray, marking a significant moment for the state’s growing chess presence.
Grandmasters Karthikeyan Murali and Pranav V will compete in the Masters category, while Pranesh M, Vaishali R, Pannerselvam Iniyan, Adhiban Baskaran, and Harshavardhan GB are part of the Challengers line-up. The tournament runs until August 15.
Karthikeyan was drafted into the Masters section following the withdrawal of Vladimir Fedoseev and will now take on the likes of Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, Nihal Sarin, and Anish Giri.
“It’s an honour to play in the Masters event of the Chennai Grand Masters. Competing in my home city is always a special feeling, and I’m looking forward to playing some exciting games,” he said.
Pranav returns to the tournament after winning the Challengers section last year. This will be his debut appearance in the Masters field.
In the Challengers, a strong local contingent will aim to make a mark in what is expected to be a closely fought event. Harshavardhan GB, who qualified for the FIDE World Cup earlier this year, called it a valuable step forward.
“This will be the strongest championship I’ve played in so far, and I’m grateful for the opportunity. I see this as the perfect acid test for my game,” he said.
Adding to the home interest, five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand will join the tournament commentary on one of the match days.
The tournament is set to hold added importance in the international calendar, with a Rs 1 crore prize pool and FIDE Circuit points up for grabs. In 2023, D Gukesh used the points earned here to qualify for the Candidates, which he went on to win before becoming World Champion.