New Delhi: French grandmaster Alireza Firouzja was crowned the fourth edition of the Chennai Grand Masters champion on Wednesday after holding a draw with Indian grandmaster Arjun Erigehi in the final round, while world champion Gukesh endured a disappointing campaign to finish last in the elite tournament.Firouzja had two wins and five draws in seven rounds, finishing with 4.5 points. The Frenchman notched back-to-back wins at the start of the tournament and maintained his consistency throughout the round robin to take home the title and Rs 2.5 million in prize money.
Ferruccia has the courage to win the championship
Entering the final round, Firouzha held a crucial half-point lead over nearest challengers Erigesi and Uzbekistan’s Nordibek Abdusatorov.Firouzja only needs a draw with Erigesi to seal the title, while Abdusatorov needs a black-spot victory over Dmitry Andreikin to keep his title hopes alive.However, Abdusatorov’s ambitious approach backfired and he lost to Andrei King in 37 moves. The result meant that a draw between Ferrugia and Erigesi would be enough to seal the title.Eliguesi tried to create a winning chance with white, but Ferougja handled the pressure confidently. The two players finally reached a draw after 41 moves in the rook and pawn endgame, with the Indian master unable to find a realistic path to victory.A total of 8 grandmasters participated in the Chennai Grand Masters in a round-robin format, with a total prize money of 7.5 million rupees and valuable FIDE Tour points.
Gukesh’s difficult journey continues
While Firouzja celebrated a memorable win, it was an unforgettable match for India’s reigning world champion Gukesh.The Chennai youngster struggled to find his rhythm throughout the tournament, losing three out of seven games and finishing bottom of the table with just two points.Gukesh avoided another defeat by drawing with Hans Niemann in the final round, but it was not enough to move him up from eighth place in the final rankings.The result marked a rare low for the 20-year-old, who has experienced historic improvement over the past year after becoming the youngest world chess champion.
Andrei King remains unbeaten, Eligues settles for runner-up
Andrei Kim scored four points after defeating Abdusatorov in the final round, becoming the only unbeaten player besides Firouzdja.Erigesi also scored 4 points, and Abdulsatorov, Nihal Salin and M. Pranesh tied for fourth with 3.5 points.The final round results were Gukesh’s draw with Niemann, Nihal Sarin’s draw with Pranesh, Firouzja’s draw with Erigesi, and Andrei King’s defeat of Abdusatorov.
