Chennai Grand Masters 2024: India’s Strongest Chess Tournament Returns

Nov 05th, 2024
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The Chennai Grand Masters continues to reign as India’s premier classical super tournament, boasting an impressive average rating of 2725 in the Masters section – a 14-point increase from its inaugural edition. The Challengers section follows closely with an average rating of 2594.

Masters Lineup:

  • Arjun Erigaisi
  • Levon Aronian (USA)
  • Vidit Gujrathi
  • Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA)
  • Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI)
  • Aravindh Chithambaram
  • M Amin Tabatabaei (IRI)
  • Alexey Sarana (SRB)

Challengers Lineup:

  • Raunak Sadhwani
  • Abhimanyu Puranik
  • Leon Luke Mendonca
  • Karthikeyan Murali
  • Pranav V
  • Pranesh M
  • Harika Dronavalli
  • R Vaishali
A new chapter will be written in the Arjun Erigaisi and Levon Aronian saga
World no.15 and India no.4 - GM Vidit Gujrathi

Tournament Details:

  • Sponsored by Tamil Nadu Government and Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu
  • Total prize fund in Masters: ₹5,000,000 (≈US$ 60,000)
  • Top three prizes: ₹1,500,000 (≈US$ 18,000), ₹1,000,000 (≈US$ 12,000), and ₹800,000 (≈US$ 9,600)
  • Round 1 starts today at 3 p.m. IST
GM R Vaishali drew number one in the Challengers section

Challengers Section:

  • Prize fund: ₹2,000,000
  • Top three prizes: ₹600,000, ₹400,000, and ₹320,000
  • Winner advances to Masters in the next edition

The Chennai Grand Masters 2024 is made possible thanks to the tireless efforts of key individuals, notably Atulya Mishra, Additional Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu Government, and Meghanath Reddy, Member Secretary Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu. However, one person who has truly gone above and beyond is GM Srinath Narayanan.

Srinath’s parents always envisioned him becoming a world-class chess player, but he’s exceeded those expectations by creating multiple champions for India. As captain of India’s gold medal-winning team and trainer to the country’s top budding talents, Srinath has been instrumental in growing chess in India. Now, as organizer of the Chennai Grand Masters 2024, he’s brought the strongest classical tournament to Indian soil.

What’s truly inspiring about Srinath is his work ethic and humility. He lets his results speak for themselves, and his parents’ pride and happiness were palpable as they attended the opening ceremony. Srinath’s contributions to Indian chess are a testament to his dedication and passion.

S. Kailasanathan, the former Managing Director of Microsense Systems, which has supported the Indian chess players heavily

Key Contributors to Chennai Grand Masters 2024:

  • Atulya Mishra: Additional Chief Secretary of Tamil Nadu Government
  • Meghanath Reddy: Member Secretary Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu
  • GM Srinath Narayanan: Captain of India’s gold medal-winning team, trainer, and organizer of Chennai Grand Masters 2024

The Chennai Grand Masters 2024 promises to be an exciting event, featuring top players like Arjun Erigaisi, Levon Aronian, and Vidit Gujrathi. With Srinath at the helm, Indian chess is in good hands.

Opening ceremony