New Delhi, June 8 (IANS) Day 2 of the 21st Delhi International Open Grandmasters Chess Tournament 2025 brought double the drama as players faced off in Rounds 2 and 3 at Tivoli Gardens, Chattarpur. With two classical-format games scheduled for the day, stamina and precision were put to the test as early leaders began to emerge.

India’s top seed GM Narayanan S L (2600) continued his flawless run, moving to 3/3 after defeating Arnav Agarwal (2096) in Round 3. Joining him at the top of the table are GM Deepan Chakkravarthy (2410), GM Vitaly Sivuk (2522), GM Mihail Nikitenko (2520), GM Karthik Venkataraman (2550), GM Abhijeet Gupta (2538), and IM Arsen Davtyan (2402), all of whom registered three wins in three rounds. The leaderboard remains tightly packed heading into an exciting Day 3.

IM Aronyak Ghosh (2510) also maintained his perfect score with a composed win over Guru Prakash, keeping pace with the front-runners in a fiercely competitive field.

The day was equally memorable for India’s emerging crop of players. Vairaj Sogerwal, still riding high on his Round 1 upset over GM Karen H Grigoryan, continued to showcase resilience against stronger opponents. Singh Arshpreet (2075) moved to 2/3 with another composed showing, while FM J Ramakrishna (2036) and CM Akila Kavinda (2010) also stood at 2 points.

Adding to the surprises, Sai Kuchibhotla (2014) delivered a gritty performance to hold GM Tornike Sanikidse (2425) to a draw, a result that exemplifies the rising standard of India’s grassroots chess talent.

Now in its 21st edition, the Delhi GM Open has cemented its place as Asia’s largest classical-format open chess tournament. With over 2,500 players from 20+ countries, including 24 Grandmasters, and a record prize pool of ₹1.21 crore, the tournament continues to offer a platform for India’s brightest prospects to take on global heavyweights.

Organized under the aegis of the All India Chess Federation, the event remains a cornerstone of India’s competitive chess calendar and a true celebration of the sport’s growing appeal.

–IANS

aaa/