Grandmasters Clash in Chennai: A New Era of Indian Chess

The Chennai Grand Masters event features India's top chess talent including Arjun Erigaisi, who will compete at home after surpassing the 2800 ELO mark. This prestigious tournament adds a Challengers event spotlighting female Indian players for the first time, offering a Rs 20 lakh prize pool.

India's chess sensation Arjun Erigaisi is set to compete in the Chennai Grand Masters, marking his first domestic appearance after surpassing the 2800 ELO threshold. The highly anticipated event kicks off on Tuesday, featuring a formidable lineup of eight grandmasters.

The tournament will see seasoned competitors like Aravindh Chithambaram and Iranian chess prodigy Amin Tabatabaei face off. French grandmaster Vachier-Lagrave Maxime will challenge Parham Maghsoodloo, while American Levon Aronian takes on Alexey Sarana in the opening matches.

This year, for the first time, the event includes a Challengers category, spotlighting female talents such as Harika Dronavalli and Vaishali Rameshbabu. Participants will vie for a Rs 20 lakh prize, with the winner securing Rs six lakh and an automatic spot in next year's Masters.

(With inputs from agencies.)