The second round of the Chennai Grand Masters 2025, held at the Hyatt Regency in Chennai, was filled with drama and decisive results in both the Masters and Challengers categories.
Germany’s No. 1 chess player, Vincent Keymer, displayed masterful play to secure the sole lead in the Masters category, defeating India’s V Pranav and taking his score to 2/2. Keymer’s victory, coupled with his clinical performance, has placed him in an enviable position at the top of the leaderboard.
The most shocking upset of the day came from American GM Ray Robson, who delivered a stunning victory over Vidit Gujrathi in a sharp tactical battle. Meanwhile, Arjun Erigaisi, the tournament’s top seed, was held to a solid draw by Dutch GM Jorden van Foreest, while Anish Giri and Nihal Sarin also played to a balanced draw. The encounter between Karthikeyan Murali and Awonder Liang ended in yet another draw.
Masters – Round 2 Results:
- Vincent Keymer (1) def. V Pranav (0)
- Ray Robson (1) def. Vidit Gujrathi (0)
- Arjun Erigaisi (½) drew Jorden van Foreest (½)
- Anish Giri (½) drew Nihal Sarin (½)
- Karthikeyan Murali (½) drew Awonder Liang (½)
In the Challengers section, GM Iniyan P impressed with a dominant win over Harika Dronavalli, while Abhimanyu Puranik bounced back with a crucial victory against Leon Luke Mendonca. The remaining games—Diptayan Ghosh vs M Pranesh, Adhiban B vs Vaishali R, and Harshavardhan GB vs Aryan Chopra—all ended in tightly contested draws.
Challengers – Round 2 Results:
- Harshavardhan GB (½) drew Aryan Chopra (½)
- Diptayan Ghosh (½) drew M Pranesh (½)
- Iniyan P (1) def. Harika Dronavalli (0)
- Adhiban B (½) drew Vaishali R (½)
- Abhimanyu Puranik (1) def. Leon Luke Mendonca (0)
Now in its third edition, the Chennai Grand Masters has firmly established itself as one of India’s premier classical-format tournaments. Organized by MGD1, the tournament spans ten days and features 20 elite players across two categories. With a prize pool of Rs 1 Crore and valuable FIDE Circuit points, the event is attracting the best of international chess talent.
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