The Chennai Grand Masters 2025 is all set to light up the chess calendar from August 6 to 15. Backed by a record prize pool of ₹1 crore and crucial FIDE Circuit points, this year’s edition features an expanded format and a stronger-than-ever lineup.
The tournament returns to Chennai, India’s chess capital, and will host 20 players across two sections Masters and Challengers, battling it out over nine classical round-robin rounds. Top names like Anish Giri, Vidit Gujrathi, Arjun Erigaisi, and Vincent Keymer headline the Masters section, while local star Pranav V makes his much-anticipated debut.
Karthikeyan Murali steps in for Vladimir Fedoseev, and Harshvardhan GB joins the Challengers. Expect high-stakes drama, fierce rivalries, and a tournament that could shape the road to the 2026 Candidates.
Chennai Grand Masters Chess 2025 tournament format
The Chennai Grand Masters 2025 will feature a 10-player round-robin format in both the Masters and Challengers sections. Each player will compete in nine classical games, facing every other participant once. Matches will begin daily at 3:00 PM IST, offering a consistent viewing experience for fans both at the venue and online.
This year marks a significant upgrade for the tournament. Now a 20-player event, it’s split into two highly competitive sections. The big incentive for those in the Challengers? A direct spot in the 2026 Masters awaits the winner.
On top of the chess action, fans can look forward to an enhanced experience at the venue, including a commentary hall, fan zones, interactive displays, and exclusive merchandise stalls.
Who won the last Chennai Grand Masters 2024?
GM Aravindh Chithambaram clinched the 2024 Chennai Grand Masters title after a dramatic three-way tie at the top with GMs Levon Aronian and Arjun Erigaisi.
The title was decided through a tiebreak playoff, where Aravindh defeated Aronian 2-0 in the final to seal the win. Aronian had earlier edged past Arjun in an armageddon decider after their blitz playoff ended 1-1.
In the Challengers section, GM Pranav Venkatesh secured the title with a solid final-round draw against GM Leon Mendonca. Holding a half-point lead going into the round, Pranav played with white and kept things under control throughout. His victory earned him a promotion to the Masters category for the 2025 edition.
List of players 2025: Grand master and challengers
Grand master section
No. | Player | Country | FIDE Rating | World Ranking |
1 | Anish Giri | Netherlands | 2740 | 16 |
2 | Arjun Erigaisi | India | 2745 | 14 |
3 | Vidit Gujrathi | India | 2723 | 19 |
4 | Nihal Sarin | India | 2701 | 30 |
5 | Jorden van Foreest | Netherlands | 2695 | 34 |
6 | Vincent Keymer | Germany | 2690 | 36 |
7 | Awonder Liang | USA | 2670 | 50 |
8 | Ray Robson | USA | 2675 | 47 |
9 | Karthikeyan Murali | India | 2653 | 66 |
10 | Pranav V | India | 2602 | 125 |
Challengers section
S.No. | Player | Country | Fide Rating | World Ranking |
1 | Harshvardhan GB | India | 2555 | 190 |
2 | Abhimanyu Puranik | India | 2590 | 140 |
3 | Aryan Chopra | India | 2582 | 145 |
4 | Leon Luke Mendonca | India | 2575 | 150 |
5 | Adhiban Baskaran | India | 2560 | 170 |
6 | Harika Dronavalli | India | 2470 | 12 (Women) |
7 | Vaishali Rameshbabu | India | 2485 | 14 (Women) |
8 | Iniyan P | India | 2567 | 175 |
9 | Diptayan Ghosh | India | 2585 | 143 |
10 | Pranesh M | India | 2550 | 200 |
Chennai Grand Masters 2025 betting
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How to watch the Chennai Grand Masters 2025 live
Chess fans can catch all the action from the Chennai Grand Masters 2025 across multiple platforms:
- ChessBase India (YouTube): Watch live coverage with expert commentary in both English and Hindi on their official channel.
- Chess.com: Follow every move with live PGN coverage, game analysis, and detailed breakdowns.
- Lichess and Chess24: Track games in real time through interactive boards, engine evaluations, and complete move histories.
Chennai Grand Masters 2025 prize money breakdown
The 2025 edition has a record ₹1 crore prize pool, making it the richest Chennai Grand Masters yet. The winner will receive ₹25 lakh, while the rest of the prize fund will be shared among the top finishers across both the Masters and Challengers sections.
Place | Masters (INR) | Challengers (INR) |
1st | ₹25,00,000 | ₹7,00,000 |
2nd | ₹15,00,000 | ₹4,00,000 |
3rd | ₹10,00,000 | ₹3,25,000 |
4th | ₹7,50,000 | ₹2,50,000 |
5th | ₹5,00,000 | ₹2,25,000 |
6th | ₹3,50,000 | ₹1,75,000 |
7th | ₹3,00,000 | ₹1,50,000 |
8th | ₹2,40,000 | ₹1,25,000 |
9th | ₹1,80,000 | ₹1,00,000 |
10th | ₹1,80,000 | ₹1,00,000 |