Chennai Grand Masters | Arjun downs Niemann; Nihal holds Firouzja
At the Chennai Grand Masters, Arjun Erigaisi secured his first win by defeating Hans Niemann, while Alireza Firouzja maintained his lead in the standings. Other matches, including Gukesh versus Andreikin, ended in draws as the tournament continues to showcase high-level competitive chess.
Why it matters
The tournament features top-tier international talent, contributing to the growing prominence of India as a global hub for professional chess.
Grandmaster Arjun Erigaisi outwitted American Hans Niemann in the third round of the Chennai Grand Masters at The Westin Velachery on Saturday for his first win.
The top-ranked Indian took his tally to two points with the victory while Frenchman Alireza Firouzja continued to top the table, having logged 2.5 points after a draw with Nihal Sarin.
Arjun, who drew his first two matches, maintained the pressure on Niemann after gaining an advantage in the middle game and forced his opponent to resign after 43 moves.
Firouzja, who started with two victories, survived some anxious moments before holding Nihal to a draw with black in 53 moves.
World champion D. Gukesh could not get past Russian GM Dmitry Andreikin despite trying his best to dismantle his opponent’s defence.
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