The third edition of the Chennai Grand Masters tournament is set to begin on Wednesday, boasting one of the strongest line-ups in Indian chess outside the global stage. With a main field featuring stars like Arjun Erigaisi, Vidit Gujrathi, Anish Giri, and Jorden van Foreest, and a vibrant Challengers section spotlighting emerging Indian talents, the tournament continues its rise as a staple fixture on the chess calendar.
But the absence of two of India’s biggest stars, reigning World Champion D Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa R, has been a talking point in this year’s edition, especially given the tournament’s symbolic stature in Chennai, the home of Indian chess.
Tournament Director and Grandmaster Srinath Narayanan addressed their absence candidly, pointing to unavoidable calendar conflicts as the primary reason. “Ideally, we would have loved to have Gukesh and Pragg playing. But this year, we had to clash our event with the Grand Chess Tour because the calendar was insanely full. And we simply didn’t get any free dates. But in the future, whenever they are available, we would certainly love to have them. And hopefully, we can schedule it at a time when it doesn’t clash with another major event in the future years,” said Srinath.
Gukesh, currently at the peak of his powers after his historic world title win earlier this year, is set to play at the St Louis Rapid and Blitz from August 10-15, a key leg of the Grand Chess Tour. Meanwhile, Praggnanandhaa is also navigating a packed calendar of international commitments, leaving little room for participation in the Chennai event.
Chennai Grand Masters’ rising stature
Despite the scheduling setback, the Chennai Grand Masters continues to gain prestige and relevance. Srinath emphasised the tournament’s role in nurturing India’s next wave of talent.
“Over the last two years, we have already seen a tradition where a young talented player goes on to get world-class recognition after winning here. Happened with Gukesh in 2023, happened with Aravindh Chithambaram also… Similarly, we hope to keep unearthing more talents,” he said.
Even in its third year, the tournament remains ambitious, building on the momentum of India’s chess boom and striving to become a permanent fixture.
