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Chennai Grand Masters 2026 returns from July 16 to 22 at The Westin Chennai Velachery. It will bring together some of the world’s best chess players at the fourth edition of India’s strongest classical chess tournament. With reigning World Chess Champion Gukesh Dommaraju leading the field, the event has added significance as players compete not only for the title and a prize fund of Rs 75 lakh, but also for valuable FIDE Circuit points, which could prove crucial in the race to qualify for the next Candidates tournament.The tournament features an elite eight-player Masters field, headlined by world champion Gukesh and India’s second-ranked 2800 player Arjun Erigaisi.They are joined by Uzbekistan Grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Alireza Firouzja, India’s Nihal Sarin, Russia’s Dmitry Andreikin, US Grandmaster Hans Niemann and Pranesh M, who earned the promotion after winning last year’s part of the challenge.
Chennai Grand Masters Full Lineup:
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov
- Arjun Erigaisi
- Alireza Firouzja
- Hans Niemann
- Gukesh Dommaraju
- Nihal Sarin
- Dmitry Andreykin
- Pranesh M
A mix of established stars and up-and-coming talent makes this one of the strongest editions of Grand Masters in Chennai yet. As the organizers confirmed to TimesofIndia.com, there will be no Challengers section this year.
Chennai Grand Masters 2026 Format Explained
The Masters tournament will be played in one round, which means that each of the eight players will face each other participant once. Therefore, each result will have a direct impact on the final standings.The matches will be played under the classic time control of 90 minutes per player with a delay of 30 seconds from the first move.Apart from the prize fund of Rs 75 lakh, players will also be chasing FIDE Circuit points, which form an important part of the qualification path to the next candidate tournament. With several of the world’s top grandmasters in action, the Chennai Grand Masters is expected to play a significant role in the international chess calendar this season.
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