The 2026 Chennai Masters will return from July 16 to 22 at the Westin Velachery, Chennai. It will bring together some of the world’s best chess players for the fourth edition of India’s strongest classical chess tournament. With reigning world chess champion Gukesh Dommaraju leading the way, the event is significant as players not only compete for the title and a prize pool of Rs 7.5 million, but also for valuable FIDE Tour points, which are crucial in the fight to qualify for the next Candidates Championship.The event features eight elite Masters players, led by world champion Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi, India’s second-ever 2800-point player.They will be joined by Uzbekistan Grandmasters Nodirbek Abdusattorov and Alireza Firouzja, Indian Grandmaster Nihal Cie, Russia’s Dmitry Andreikin, American Grandmaster Hans Manschmann and Pranesh M who advanced after winning part of the Challenge last year. (Pranesh M).
Complete lineup for the Chennai Masters:
- Nodelbek Abdusatorov
- Arjun Egesi
- Alireza Firouza
- Hans Niemann
- Gukesh Domraju
- Nihal Sarin
- Dmitry Andreikin
- Pranesh M
The mix of established stars and rising stars makes this one of the strongest Chennai Masters to date. As the organizers confirmed to TimesofIndia.com, there will be no challenger section this year.
2026 Chennai Masters Format Explained
The Masters will be played in a single round-robin format, meaning each of the eight players will play each other once. Therefore, the result of each game will directly affect the final ranking.The matches will be played under classic time control, i.e. 90 minutes per player, with an additional 30 seconds starting from the first round.In addition to a prize pool of Rs 75 lakh, players will also be chasing FIDE Tour Points, an important part of the qualification pathway to the next Candidates. With several of the world’s top grandmasters taking part, the Chennai Grandmaster is expected to play an important role in shaping the chess schedule this season.
