After a dramatic 24-hour delay caused by a fire at the players’ hotel, the 3rd Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters began in Chennai on August 8, 2025.
With the world’s eyes on the “Chess Capital of India,” the first rounds delivered sharp wins, tense draws, and the promise of a thrilling tournament ahead.
A Short History of the Chennai Grand Masters
Launched in 2023, the Chennai Grand Masters quickly became one of Asia’s top chess events. Gukesh Dommaraju won the inaugural edition, while Aravindh Chithambaram took the 2024 title after a three-way tie with Levon Aronian and Arjun Erigaisi.
By its third year in 2025, the tournament had firmly established itself as a stage for elite global talent and India’s rising stars.
The 2025 Line-Up
This year’s field is one of the strongest yet:
- Arjun Erigaisi (India, 2776) – India’s top-rated player, known for fearless attacks.
- Vincent Keymer (Germany, 2730) – One of Europe’s brightest stars, famed for precision play.
- Anish Giri (Netherlands, 2748) – A master of positional strategy.
- Plus Grandmasters from the US, Netherlands, and across Asia, each hungry for the title.
Masters
| Player | Country | Rating |
| Vincent Keymer | Germany | 2730 |
| Arjun Erigaisi | India | 2776 |
| Pranav V | India | 2597 |
| Anish Giri | Netherlands | 2748 |
| Vidit Gujrathi | India | 2720 |
| Jorden van Foreest | Netherlands | 2697 |
| Ray Robson | USA | 2687 |
| Karthikeyan Murali | India | 2658 |
| Awonder Liang | USA | 2696 |
| Nihal Sarin | India | 2692 |
Challengers
| Player | Country | Rating |
| Diptayan Ghosh | India | 2576 |
| Leon Luke Mendonca | India | 2606 |
| Pranesh M | India | 2589 |
| Abhimanyu Puranik | India | 2635 |
| Vaishali Rameshbabu | India | 2476 |
| P. Iniyan | India | 2586 |
| Adhiban Baskaran | India | 2534 |
| Harika Dronavalli | India | 2487 |
| Aryan Chopra | India | 2634 |
| Harshavardhan G B | India | 2454 |
Chennai Grand Masters 2025 Standings:
Standings After Round 7 (Masters)
| Player | Rating | Points |
| Vincent Keymer | 2730 | 5.5 |
| Arjun Erigaisi | 2776 | 4 |
| Karthikeyan Murali | 2658 | 4 |
| Anish Giri | 2748 | 3.5 |
| Awonder Liang | 2696 | 3.5 |
| Jorden van Foreest | 2797 | 3.5 |
| Vidit Gujrathi | 2720 | 3 |
| Nihal Sarin | 2692 | 3 |
| Pranav V | 2597 | 2.5 |
| Ray Robson | 2687 | 2.5 |
Standings After Round 7 (Challengers)
| Player | Rating | Points |
| Pranesh M | 2589 | 5.5 |
| Leon Luke Mendonca | 2606 | 5.5 |
| Abhimanyu Puranik | 2635 | 5 |
| Adhiban Baskaran | 2534 | 4 |
| P. Iniyan | 2586 | 4 |
| Diptayan Ghosh | 2576 | 3.5 |
| Harshavardhan G B | 2454 | 3 |
| Aryan Chopra | 2634 | 2 |
| Harika Dronavalli | 2487 | 1.5 |
| Vaishali Rameshbabu | 2476 | 1 |
After seven rounds in the Masters, Vincent Keymer continues his dream run, defeating Awonder Liang to reach 5.5 points and break into the world top-10 for the first time. Arjun Erigaisi trails by 1.5 points after a quiet draw with Anish Giri, who is now tied on 4 points with Karthikeyan Murali—the latter winning a thriller against Vidit Gujrathi. Other notable results saw Nihal Sarin beat Ray Robson, while Jorden van Foreest missed a win against Pranav V in a tricky queen endgame.
In the Challengers, Pranesh M and Leon Luke Mendonca now share the lead with 5.5 points after beating Vaishali Rameshbabu and Diptayan Ghosh respectively. Former leader Abhimanyu Puranik is just half a point back on 5 after drawing with Aryan Chopra. With the standings so tight, the battle for the top remains intense.
