Key Points

The Chennai Grand Masters 2025 is heating up with Vincent Keymer taking the lead in the Masters section after a commanding win. Ray Robson delivered a surprising victory over Vidit Gujrathi, creating excitement in Round 2. Top players like Arjun Erigaisi and Anish Giri engaged in strategic draws, showcasing high-level chess expertise. The tournament continues to offer thrilling matches across Masters and Challengers sections, with a substantial prize pool and valuable FIDE Circuit points at stake.

Key Points: Keymer Leads Chennai Grand Masters 2025 Amid Tactical Battles

  • Vincent Keymer emerges as tournament leader after defeating V. Pranav
  • Ray Robson stuns Vidit Gujrathi in unexpected tactical victory
  • Arjun Erigaisi and Jorden van Foreest play strategic draw
  • Iniyan Pa impresses with clinical win in Challengers section
2 min read

Chennai Grand Masters 2025: Vincent Keymer takes sole lead; Robson stuns Vidit in Round 2

Germany's Vincent Keymer takes sole lead in intense chess tournament, with surprise wins and strategic draws in Round 2

"The Chennai Grand Masters continues to showcase world-class chess talent - Tournament Organizer"

Chennai, Aug 8

Germany's Vincent Keymer emerged as the sole leader in the Masters section of the Chennai Grand Masters 2025 with a commanding win over India's V. Pranav, even as three games in the Masters section ended in draws in Round 2, being held at the Hyatt Regency here on Friday.

American GM Ray Robson defeated Vidit Santosh Gujrathi in a sharp tactical battle. While top seed Arjun Erigaisi was held to a draw by Dutch GM Jorden van Foreest, Anish Giri and Nihal Sarin shared the spoils in a well-balanced clash, and the showdown between Karthikeyan Murali and Awonder Liang also ended in a draw.

In the Challengers section, Indian GM Iniyan Pa impressed with a clinical win over GM Harika Dronavalli, while GM Abhimanyu Puranik bounced back with a victory over Leon Luke Mendonca. The remaining games, Diptayan vs Pranesh, Adhiban vs Vaishali, and Harshavardhan vs Aryan, ended in close draws.

Now in its third edition, the Chennai Grand Masters is India's premier classical-format tournament, featuring 20 elite players across two categories (Masters and Challengers). The nine-round, ten-day event offers a prize pool of ₹1 crore and valuable FIDE Circuit points.

Results:

Masters Section - Round 2

Vincent Keymer (1.0) def. V Pranav (0)

Ray Robson (1.0) def. Vidit Gujrathi (0)

Arjun Erigaisi (1/2) drew with Jorden van Foreest (1/2)

Anish Giri (1/2) drew with Nihal Sarin (1/2)

Karthikeyan Murali (1/2) drew with Awonder Liang (1/2)

Challengers section - Round 2

Harshavardhan GB (1/2) drew with Aryan Chopra (1/2)

Diptayan Ghosh (1/2) drew with M Pranesh (1/2)

Iniyan P (1) def Harika Dronavalli (0)

B. Adhiban (1/2) drew with Vaishali R (1/2)

Abhimanyu Puranik (1) def. Leon Luke Mendonca (0).

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Shreya B
Iniyan P's win over Harika was clinical indeed! Great to see Chennai hosting such a prestigious event. The chess culture in South India is truly thriving 🏆
A
Arjun K
Vidit's loss was unexpected but Robson is a strong player. Hope our players bounce back stronger tomorrow. The tournament format is excellent - gives everyone fair chances.
P
Priyanka N
The organizers should consider more coverage in regional languages. Chess is becoming popular in small towns too, but many fans can't follow English commentary properly.
K
Karthik V
Keymer is proving why he's one of the brightest young talents! But don't count out Arjun Erigaisi yet - the tournament has just begun. Long way to go! ♟️
N
Naveen S
₹1 crore prize money shows how far Indian chess has come! Remember when our players struggled for sponsorship? Now we're hosting world-class tournaments. Proud moment!

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