Chennai Grand Masters Back With Record-Prize Pool: Where, When, Player List And All You Need To Know

Last Updated:August 07, 2025, 16:20 IST

Chennai will host the 2025 Chennai Grand Masters from August 7 to 15. The tournament features top Grandmasters like Arjun Erigaisi and Anish Giri, with a prize pool of ₹1 crore.

Arjun Erigaisi. (Photo: Reuters, X/ @NorwayChess)

India’s chess capital is once again in the spotlight as Chennai prepares to host the 2025 edition of the Chennai Grand Masters — a tournament that has quickly become a landmark fixture in the global chess calendar.

Running from August 7 to 15, this year’s edition promises to be bigger and bolder, with an enhanced format, a star-studded field, and a record prize pool of ₹1 crore.

For the first time in the tournament’s history, both the Masters and Challengers sections will feature nine rounds of classical round-robin chess — a step up from the seven-round structure used in previous editions.

The stakes are higher than ever, not just in terms of prize money but also for what’s on the line: crucial FIDE Circuit points that count toward qualification for the 2026 Candidates Tournament.

With some of the world’s top Grandmasters — including Arjun Erigaisi, Anish Giri, Vidit Gujrathi, and Nihal Sarin — in the fray, the competition is expected to be intense from the very first round.

The event was initially slated to begin on Wednesday, August 6, but had to be postponed by a day following a minor fire incident at the Hyatt Regency, the official venue in Chennai. Thankfully, no one was harmed, and organisers quickly moved to reschedule. The tournament will now kick off on Thursday, August 7.

When will the third edition of Chennai Grand Masters take place?

The 2025 Chennai Grand Masters will be held from August 7 to 15. Games begin daily at 2 PM IST, with an earlier start on the final day.

Where will the event be held?

The tournament will take place at the Hyatt Regency, Chennai.

Who are the players competing in the Masters section?

The 10-player round-robin features:

1. GM Arjun Erigaisi (India)
2. GM Anish Giri (Netherlands)
3. GM Vincent Keymer (Germany)
4. GM Vidit Gujrathi (India)
5. GM Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands)
6. GM Awonder Liang (USA)
7. GM Nihal Sarin (India)
8. GM Ray Robson (USA)
9. GM Murali Karthikeyan (India)
10. GM Pranav Venkatesh (India)

What format will the tournament follow?

It’s a single round-robin with Classical time controls — 90 minutes per player with a 30-second increment per move. If players are tied at the top after nine rounds, the winner will be decided through blitz tie-breakers (two 3+2 games), followed by an Armageddon if needed.

What is the prize money?

The total prize pool is as follows:

• 1st: ₹25 lakh
• 2nd: ₹15 lakh
• 3rd: ₹10 lakh
• 4th: ₹7.5 lakh
• 5th: ₹5 lakh
• 6th: ₹3.5 lakh
• 7th: ₹3 lakh
• 8th: ₹2.4 lakh
• 9th: ₹1.8 lakh
• 10th: ₹1.8 lakh

Beyond the money and the trophy, players will also earn valuable FIDE Circuit points — critical for qualification to the 2026 Candidates Tournament.

Where can I watch Chennai Grand Masters 2025 LIVE?

ChessBase India will be streaming the tournament live on YouTube, with expert commentary, post-game analysis, and interviews.

Siddarth Sriram

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...Read More

After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His long-term...

Read More

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First Published:

August 07, 2025, 16:20 IST

News sports Chennai Grand Masters Back With Record-Prize Pool: Where, When, Player List And All You Need To Know

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