Chennai Grand Masters 2026 returns from July 16 to July 22 at The Westin Chennai Velachery. It will bring together some of the world’s best players in the fourth round of India’s strongest chess tournament. With World Chess Champion Gukesh Dommaraju leading the field, the event has added significance as players compete not only for the title but also for a prize pool of Rs 75 lakh and an important FIDE Circuit spot, which could be crucial in the race to qualify for the next Champions tournament.The tournament features eight elite Masters tournaments, led by World Champion Gukesh and India’s second-ranked 2800-rated player Arjun Erigaisi.Joining them are Uzbekistan Grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Alireza Firouzja, India’s Nihal Sarin, Russia’s Dmitry Andreikin, American Grandmaster Hans Niemann, and Pranesh M, who was promoted after winning the Challengers section last year.
Complete list of Chennai Grand Masters:
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov
- Arjun Erigaisi
- Alireza Firouzja
- Hans Niemann
- Gukesh Dommaraju
- Nihal Sarin
- Named Dmitry Andreikin
- Pranesh M
The mix of established stars and rising talent makes this one of the strongest editions of Chennai Grand Masters to date. As confirmed by the organizers at TimesofIndia.com, there will be no Challengers section this year.
The format of Chennai Grand Masters 2026 has been announced
The Masters event will be played in a single round format, meaning that each of the eight players will face the participants once. Each result will have a direct effect on the final standings.Games will be played under the traditional time limit of 90 minutes per player with 30 seconds added from the start.Beyond the prize pool of Rs 75 lakh, players will also be chasing the FIDE Circuit ranking, which is an important step on the way to the next Candidates Tournament. With several world-class grandmasters in action, the Chennai Grand Masters is expected to play a major role in shaping the international chess calendar this season.
