Chennai Grand Masters 2024: GM Aravindh Chithambaram Inflicts First Defeat On Arjun Erigaisi

GM Aravindh Chithambaram ended unbeaten run of table topper GM Arjun Erigaisi to throw open Chennai Grand Masters 2024 title race while GM Vidit Gujrathi eked out a draw against GM Levon Aronian in Round 6 here on Sunday.

Arjun and Aronian are w in joint le with four points each with Aravindh, with his first win of competition, and GM Amin Tabatabaei half a point behind.

Organised by MGD1 and sponsored by Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nu, Chennai Grand Masters 2024 features two categories–Masters & Challengers.

With a rating aver of 2729, Masters presents a more competitive field this time around. debuting Challengers, meanwhile, is designed to provide emerging Indian talent chance to compete in a top-class tournament. 

Playing white, Aravindh Chithambaram opted for a queen pawn opening and Arjun, currently second in world in live rankings, was guilty of conceding vant to his compatriot in 16th and 17th move.

Aravindh, who h drawn all his earlier matches, n slowly but surely build on that vant to tighten ose around his opponent’s king and grabbed full points in 48 moves.

On last board, Levon Aronian h a chance to overtake Arjun as he has time vant against Vidit on fourth board. However, Indian pulled out a draw with just two kings left on board after 70 moves.

or two matches ended in a draw with GM Alexy Sarana holding GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave with black pieces while Amin failing to breach defense of GM Parham Maghsoodloo on first board.

In Challengers category, GM Pranav V continues to top standing despite being held to a second successive draw after winning first four rounds. On Sunday, he accepted an offer to share points against GM M Pranesh after just 39 moves and w has five points. match between GM Raunak Shwani and GM D Harika also ended in a stalemate while GM Abhimanyu Puranik returned to winning ways with a victory over GM R Vaishali with black pieces.

GM Leon Mendonca was only one to register a win in Round 6 as he defeated GM Karthikeyan Murali to get within half a point of Pranav.

Chennai Grand Masters 2024 is taking place at Anna Centenary Library in Chennai from vember 5 to 11, 2024, with tickets available for general audience on BookMyShow for INR 100.