The 2025 Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters has delivered drama, upsets, and top-tier chess in equal measure.
Over the last few days at the Hyatt Regency Chennai, Indian Grandmaster Nihal Sarin claimed a morale-boosting win over compatriot Arjun Erigaisi, while German prodigy Vincent Keymer has remained unbeaten and in sole possession of the Masters lead after six rounds.
Now in its third edition, the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters has established itself as India’s premier classical chess event. Organised by MGD1, the tournament features two elite 10-player round-robin sections Masters and Challengers contested over nine rounds in ten days. The ₹1 crore prize pool is split between the two sections, with ₹25 lakh for the Masters champion and ₹7 lakh for the Challengers winner, along with a coveted berth in the 2026 Masters and valuable FIDE Circuit points towards 2026 Candidates qualification.
Day 6: Keymer Holds Arjun, Awonder Closes In
Two rounds later, the Masters section’s headline clash saw Arjun Erigaisi take on leader Vincent Keymer. The German opened with the Queen’s Pawn, transposing quickly into the Queen’s Gambit, while Arjun responded with the Slav Defence. Keymer seized early initiative, but Arjun fought back to secure the draw enough for the German to retain his one-point cushion at the top.
The round also featured a much-anticipated “wonderkid” showdown between 22-year-old Awonder Liang and 18-year-old V Pranav. Awonder prevailed with white, joining Arjun on 3.5 points, just behind Keymer. In other results, Vidit Gujrathi and Anish Giri shared the spoils, Jorden van Foreest defeated Nihal Sarin with black, and Murali Karthikeyan held Ray Robson.
Round 6 Masters Results:
- Arjun Erigaisi ½–½ Vincent Keymer
- Awonder Liang 1–0 V Pranav
- Vidit Gujrathi ½–½ Anish Giri
- Jorden van Foreest 1–0 Nihal Sarin
- Murali Karthikeyan ½–½ Ray Robson
Masters Standings after Round 6:
- Keymer – 4.5
- Arjun, Awonder – 3.5
- Murali, Giri, Vidit, Van Foreest – 3.0
- Robson – 2.5
- Nihal, Pranav – 2.0
Challengers: Three-Way Tie Emerges
In the Challengers, M Pranesh handed Abhimanyu Puranik his first defeat of the tournament, forcing a three-way tie at the top of the table. Leon Luke Mendonca’s win over Aryan Chopra brought him level with both leaders on 4.5 points.
GM Harika Dronavalli scored her first win of the tournament, beating WGM Vaishali in an all-women clash, while Adhiban Baskaran overcame Diptayan Ghosh. P Iniyan and Harshavardhan GB settled for a draw.
Round 6 Challengers Results:
- M Pranesh 1–0 Abhimanyu Puranik
- Leon Luke Mendonca 1–0 Aryan Chopra
- Harika Dronavalli 1–0 Vaishali Rameshbabu
- Adhiban Baskaran 1–0 Diptayan Ghosh
- P Iniyan ½–½ Harshavardhan GB
Challengers Standings after Round 6:
- Pranesh, Puranik, Mendonca – 4.5
- Adhiban, Ghosh, Iniyan – 3.5
- Harshavardhan – 2.0
- Chopra, Harika – 1.5
- Vaishali – 1.0
Day 4: Nihal Ends Arjun’s Unbeaten Run
In Round 4, Nihal Sarin secured his first victory of the tournament, toppling Arjun Erigaisi in a tense battle that began with the Reti Opening. Arjun, who had been unbeaten until then, mirrored Nihal’s setup early on, and the game evolved into a slow-burning positional duel. With five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand analysing live for fans, the match saw Arjun strike first, winning a piece on move 15.
However, Nihal found his rhythm in the middlegame, gradually neutralising Arjun’s advantage. By move 70, the 20-year-old had converted his positional gains into a decisive win, reigniting his campaign. Elsewhere in the Masters, Murali Karthikeyan scored an important victory over Dutch GM Jorden van Foreest, while Vidit Gujrathi split the point with V Pranav. The all-American clash between Awonder Liang and Ray Robson also ended in a draw. Keymer, meanwhile, held Anish Giri to maintain his early tournament lead.
Round 4 Masters Results:
- Murali Karthikeyan 1–0 Jorden van Foreest
- Ray Robson ½–½ Awonder Liang
- Nihal Sarin 1–0 Arjun Erigaisi
- V Pranav ½–½ Vidit Gujrathi
- Vincent Keymer ½–½ Anish Giri
Masters Standings after Round 4:
- Keymer – 3.5
- Arjun – 2.5
- Giri, Robson, Liang, Vidit – 2.0
- Murali – 2.0
- Nihal, Pranav – 1.5
- Van Foreest – 1.0
Challengers: Puranik Moves Ahead
Round 4 in the Challengers section saw GM Abhimanyu Puranik move into sole lead with a win over WGM Vaishali Rameshbabu. His success came as M Pranesh, the joint leader at the start of the day, was held to a draw by Adhiban Baskaran. Wins for Diptayan Ghosh over Harshavardhan GB and Leon Luke Mendonca over Harika Dronavalli brought both players level with Pranesh in second place.
Round 4 Challengers Results:
- Diptayan Ghosh 1–0 Harshavardhan GB
- P Iniyan 1–0 Aryan Chopra
- Adhiban Baskaran ½–½ M Pranesh
- Leon Luke Mendonca 1–0 Harika Dronavalli
- Abhimanyu Puranik 1–0 Vaishali Rameshbabu
Challengers Standings after Round 4:
- Puranik – 3.5
- Pranesh, Ghosh, Mendonca – 3.0
- P Iniyan – 2.5
- Adhiban – 2.0
- Vaishali – 1.0
- Chopra, Harika – 0.5
- Harshavardhan – 0.5
Tournament Atmosphere and Fan Engagement
Beyond the chessboard, the Chennai Grand Masters has created an immersive spectator experience. Fans can attend live games daily at 3:00 PM IST (12:00 PM on the final day), with access to expert commentary, interactive fan zones, and exclusive merchandise. Tickets, available on BookMyShow, start at ₹250, while VIP passes priced at ₹3,500 offer full-day premium seating and high-tea service.
With just three rounds to go, the tournament remains wide open in both sections. Keymer’s unbeaten run faces stern tests from a chasing pack led by Arjun and Awonder, while the Challengers are set for a thrilling sprint finish among three joint leaders. The coming rounds promise decisive games that could define not just this year’s winners, but also the future line-up of India’s strongest chess event.
If you’d like, I can also prepare a compact daily bulletin version of this so IndiaSportsHub can push quick updates during each round on social media. That way, the long article works for the website, and the bite-sized format drives engagement on Instagram and Twitter.
