Chennai, Aug 5 (IANS) The third edition of Chennai Grandmasters 2025, India’s most prestigious classical chess tournament, kicks off at the Hyatt Regency on Wednesday with a marquee opening round clash between World No. 5 Arjun Erigaisi and American prodigy Awonder Liang.

The nine-round, ten-day event, featuring 19 top GMs and an International Master (IM) from India and around the world, will run until August 15, offering a total prize pool of ₹1 crore and valuable FIDE circuit points.

In its third edition, the tournament is split into two elite round-robin sections, Masters and Challengers, each comprising 10 players.

This year’s Masters field includes a powerful mix of global and Indian talent. Alongside Erigaisi and Liang, the opening round will see top-seeded Dutch GM Anish Giri face American GM Ray Robson, while Vidit Gujrathi, Vincent Keymer, Nihal Sarin, and others are all set for high-stakes matchups.

The Challengers section features a highly competitive lineup of experienced Grandmasters and emerging Indian talent. Round 1 will see Indian stars clash in some exciting matchups.

The section winner will take home ₹7 lakh and secure a direct berth in the 2026 Masters, reinforcing the tournament’s commitment to nurturing India’s next generation of Grandmasters.

Sreeker Channapragada, Co-Founder of MGD1, said, “Indian chess is at its most exciting juncture. We have a World Champion, multiple 2700+ players, and a wave of young talent pushing boundaries. The Quantbox Chennai Grandmasters was created to fuel this momentum. By bringing top global names to compete alongside India’s brightest, we’re not just hosting a tournament, we’re building a launchpad for the next generation of champions.”

Since its inception, the Chennai Grandmasters has played a pivotal role in the Indian chess ecosystem, notably serving as a launchpad for Gukesh D, who won the inaugural edition in 2023 and used it to climb toward the Candidates and the World Championship match. Last year, Aravindh Chithambaram secured the title in a dramatic finish.

Fixtures:

Round 1 – Masters Pairings

Arjun Erigaisi vs Awonder Liang

Anish Giri vs Ray Robson

Vidit Gujrathi vs Jorden Van Foreest

Vincent Keymer vs Nihal Sarin

Pranav V vs Karthikeyan Murali

Round 1 – Challengers Pairings

Leon Luke Mendonca vs Harshavardhan GB

Abhimanyu Puranik vs Adhiban Baskaran

Vaishali Rameshbabu vs Iniyan Pa

Dronavalli Harika vs Diptayan Ghosh

Pranesh M vs Aryan Chopra.

–IANS

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