Alireza Firouzja: French GM wins Chennai Masters, Gukesh last. The French Grandmaster claimed the fourth edition of the Chennai Grand Masters title after drawing with Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi in the final round on Wednesday. Alireza Firouzja finished with 4.5 points from seven rounds, including two wins and five draws, securing the winner’s prize of Rs 25 lakh.
Heading into the final round, Alireza Firouzja held a half-point lead over Erigaisi and Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov. He only needed a draw against Erigaisi to seal the championship. Abdusattorov needed a win with black pieces against Dmitry Andreikin but lost in 37 moves, confirming Firouzja’s triumph. Playing white, Erigaisi tried to create winning chances, but Firouzja defended calmly, and the game ended in a draw after 41 moves in a rook-and-pawn endgame.
World champion D Gukesh had a tough tournament, losing three of his seven games and finishing last with just two points. He drew against Hans Niemann in the final round but remained in eighth place. This was a rare low for the 20-year-old, who became the youngest world chess champion last year.
Andreikin finished unbeaten with four points, tying with Erigaisi for second place. Nihal Sarin and M Pranesh shared fourth with 3.5 points. The Chennai Grand Masters featured eight Grandmasters in a round-robin format, with a total prize fund of Rs 75 lakh and FIDE Circuit points at stake. Alireza Firouzja’s consistent performance earned him the title, while Gukesh’s campaign ended in disappointment.