Chennai Grand Masters
{{Short description|Annual chess tournament in India}}
{{Infobox tournament
| name = Chennai Grand Masters
| image =
| caption =
| sport =
| location = Chennai, India
| start_date =
| end_date =
| format = 7-round round-robin tournament
| current_champion = Aravindh Chithambaram
}}
Chennai Grand Masters is an annual closed chess tournament held in Chennai, India.
Aravindh Chithambaram is the current champion.
2023
The 2023 Chennai Grand Masters was organized from December 15 to December 21 at the The Leela Palace Chennai.{{Cite news |last=Venkatesan |first=S. Prasanna |date=2024-11-05 |title=Chennai Grandmasters {{!}} Arjun rallies to post a win over Vidit on opening day |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/chennai-grandmasters-arjun-rallies-to-post-a-win-over-vidit-on-opening-day/article68833461.ece |access-date=2024-11-28 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}} It was organized by MGD1, NODWIN Gaming, and ChessBase India, with support from the Tamil Nadu Government and Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-11 |title=Chennai Grand Masters 2023 - India's strongest ever Classical Super Tournament - ChessBase India |url=https://chessbase.in/news/Chennai-Grand-Masters-2023 |access-date=2025-03-17 |website=www.chessbase.in}}
The tournament was announced only 4 days prior to its start, which led to criticism that the tournament was held at the last minute to help Gukesh Dommaraju and Arjun Erigaisi qualify for the Candidates Tournament 2024. However, FIDE deputy president Vishiwanathan Anand explained that the organization of the tournament is within the rules.{{Cite web |last=Venkata Krishna B. |date=2023-12-16 |title=Chess controversy: Is Chennai Grand Masters held just to help Gukesh & Erigaisi make candidates cut? 'Within rules' says Viswanathan Anand |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/sports/chess/is-chennai-grand-masters-to-help-gukesh-erigaisi-make-candidates-viswanathan-anand-9071113/ |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Mayank |date=2023-12-18 |title=Anand weighs in on Chennai Grand Masters controversy, says tournament within FIDE rules |url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/chess/chennai-grand-masters-organised-within-fide-rules-gukesh-arjun-chase-candidates-2024-spot/article67650380.ece |access-date=2024-11-28 |website=Sportstar |language=en}}
After the seventh round, Gukesh and Arjun were tied for the first place with 4.5 points each. The Sonneborn-Berger score was used as the tie-breaker, and Gukesh emerged victorious.{{Cite news |last= |first= |date=2023-12-21 |title=Gukesh wins title on tie-break, becomes frontrunner for FIDE Circuit Candidates berth |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/other-sports/gukesh-wins-title-on-tie-break-becomes-frontrunner-for-fide-circuit-candidates-berth/article67663135.ece |access-date=2024-11-28 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;
|+1st Chennai Grand Masters, 15–21 December 2023, Chennai, India, Category XIX (2711){{cite web |title=Chennai Grand Masters 2023 |url=https://chess-results.com/tnr864875.aspx?lan=1&art=4&turdet=YES&flag=30 |website=Chess-results.com}} ! !Player !Rating !1 !2 !3 !4 !5 !6 !7 !8 !Points !SB |
| style="background:#ccffcc"
|1 |align="left"|{{flagathlete|Gukesh Dommaraju|India}} |2720 |{{CNone}} |½ |½ |½ |½ |½ |1 |1 |4½ |align="right"|13.75 |
| 2
|align="left"|{{flagathlete|Arjun Erigaisi|India}} |2727 |½ |{{CNone}} |0 |½ |½ |1 |1 |1 |4½ |align="right"|13.00 |
| 3
|align="left"|{{flagathlete|Pentala Harikrishna|India}} |2696 |½ |1 |{{CNone}} |½ |½ |½ |½ |½ |4 |align="right"|14.25 |
| 4
|align="left"|{{flagathlete|Pavel Eljanov|Ukraine}} |2691 |½ |½ |½ |{{CNone}} |½ |1 |0 |1 |4 |align="right"|13.25 |
| 5
|align="left"|{{flagathlete|Levon Aronian|USA}} |2723 |½ |½ |½ |½ |{{CNone}} |½ |½ |½ |3½ |align="right"|12.25 |
| 6
|align="left"|{{flagathlete|Parham Maghsoodloo|Iran}} |2742 |½ |0 |½ |0 |½ |{{CNone}} |1 |1 |3½ |align="right"|10.00 |
| 7
|align="left"|{{flagathlete|Sanan Sjugirov|Hungary}} |2703 |0 |0 |½ |1 |½ |0 |{{CNone}} |½ |2½ |align="right"|8.50 |
| 8
|align="left"|{{flagathlete|Alexandr Predke|Serbia}} |2689 |0 |0 |½ |0 |½ |0 |½ |{{CNone}} |1½ |align="right"|5.00 |
2024
The 2024 edition was India's strongest classical super-tournament of the year. It was held between November 5th and November 11th at the Anna Centenary Library.{{Cite web |last=Team Sportstar |date=2024-11-04 |title=Chennai Grand Masters 2024 guide: Preview, player list, pairing, full schedule, FIDE circuit points at stake |url=https://sportstar.thehindu.com/chess/chennai-chess-grand-masters-2024-full-schedule-preview-pairings-fide-circuit-points/article68830279.ece |access-date=2025-03-09 |website=Sportstar |language=en}}
After the seventh round, there was a three-way tie between Levon Aronian, Arjun Erigaisi, and Aravindh Chithambaram. Aravindh was declared the winner after tiebreaks. The challengers section was won by V. Pranav.{{Cite news |last=Venkatesan |first=S. Prasanna |date=2024-11-11 |title=Aravindh stuns Aronian to claim top prize |url=https://www.thehindu.com/sport/aravindh-stuns-aronian-to-claim-top-prize/article68856755.ece |access-date=2024-11-28 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}
= Masters =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;
|+ 2nd Chennai Grand Masters, 5–11 November 2024, Chennai, India, Category XIX (2725){{cite web |title=Chennai Grand Masters 2024 |url=https://chess-results.com/tnr1053415.aspx?lan=1&art=4&turdet=YES&flag=30 |website=Chess-results.com}} ! !Player !Rating !1 !2 !3 !4 !5 !6 !7 !8 !Points |
| style="background:#ccffcc"
|1 |align="left"|{{flagathlete|Aravindh Chithambaram|India}} |2706 |{{CNone}} |½ |1 |½ |½ |1 |½ |½ |4½ |
| 2
|align="left"|{{flagathlete|Levon Aronian|USA}} |2739 |½ |{{CNone}} |½ |½ |1 |1 |½ |½ |4½ |
| 3
|align="left"|{{flagathlete|Arjun Erigaisi|India}} |2799 |0 |½ |{{CNone}} |1 |½ |½ |1 |1 |4½ |
| 4
|align="left"|{{flagathlete|Amin Tabatabaei|Iran}} |2686 |½ |½ |0 |{{CNone}} |1 |½ |1 |½ |4 |
| 5
|align="left"|{{flagathlete|Maxime Vachier-Lagrave|France}} |2737 |½ |0 |½ |0 |{{CNone}} |1 |½ |½ |3 |
| 6
|align="left"|{{flagathlete|Parham Maghsoodloo|Iran}} |2712 |0 |0 |½ |½ |0 |{{CNone}} |½ |1 |2½ |
| 7
|align="left"|{{flagathlete|Alexey Sarana|Serbia}} |2679 |½ |½ |0 |0 |½ |½ |{{CNone}} |½ |2½ |
| 8
|align="left"|{{flagathlete|Vidit Gujrathi|India}} |2739 |½ |½ |0 |½ |½ |0 |½ |{{CNone}} |2½ |
==Tiebreaks==
The tiebreak was a two-game blitz match, followed by an armageddon if necessary. The time control was 3 minutes with a 2-second increment per move.{{Cite web |last=Saravanan (VSaravanan) |first=Venkatachalam |date=2024-11-11 |title=Aravindh Wins 2024 Chennai Grand Masters Through Tiebreak |url=https://www.chess.com/news/view/aravindh-wins-2024-chennai-grand-masters |access-date=2025-03-12 |website=Chess.com |language=en-US}} Aravindh was given a bye because he had a better score in terms of direct encounters, beating Arjun in their game. He then won the final match against Levon Aronian, who proceeded after holding a draw as black in the armageddon game.
{{3TeamBracket
|RD1=
|RD1-team1={{flagicon|USA}} Levon Aronian
|RD1-score1=1½
|RD1-team2={{flagicon|India}} Arjun Erigaisi
|RD1-score2=1½
|RD2=
|RD2-team1={{flagicon|India}} Aravindh Chithambaram
|RD2-score1=2
|RD2-seed2=2
|RD2-team2={{flagicon|USA}} Levon Aronian
|RD2-score2=0
}}
= Challengers =
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;
|+1st Chennai Grand Masters Challengers, 5–11 November 2024, Chennai, India, Category XIV (2594){{cite web |title=Chennai Grand Masters Challengers 2024 |url=https://chess-results.com/tnr1053416.aspx?lan=1&art=4&turdet=YES&flag=30 |website=Chess-results.com}} ! !Player !Rating !1 !2 !3 !4 !5 !6 !7 !8 !Points |
| style="background:#ccffcc"
|1 |align="left"|{{flagicon|India}} Pranav V |2602 |{{CNone}} |½ |½ |1 |1 |½ |1 |1 |5½ |
| 2
|align="left"|{{flagicon|India}} Leon Luke Mendonca |2631 |½ |{{CNone}} |½ |1 |½ |½ |1 |1 |5 |
| 3
|align="left"|{{flagicon|India}} Raunak Sadhwani |2677 |½ |½ |{{CNone}} |1 |½ |½ |½ |½ |4 |
| 4
|align="left"|{{flagicon|India}} Karthikeyan Murali |2625 |0 |0 |0 |{{CNone}} |1 |½ |1 |1 |3½ |
| 5
|align="left"|{{flagicon|India}} Abhimanyu Puranik |2652 |0 |½ |½ |0 |{{CNone}} |1 |½ |1 |3½ |
| 6
|align="left"|{{flagicon|India}} Pranesh M |2580 |½ |½ |½ |½ |0 |{{CNone}} |½ |1 |3½ |
| 7
|align="left"|{{flagicon|India}} Harika Dronavalli |2493 |0 |0 |½ |0 |½ |½ |{{CNone}} |½ |2 |
| 8
|align="left"|{{flagicon|India}} Vaishali Rameshbabu |2490 |0 |0 |½ |0 |0 |0 |½ |{{CNone}} |1 |