11/12/2024 – The Chennai Grand Masters tournament concluded with a thrilling final round in the Masters section. In a surprising turn, Aravindh Chithambaram emerged victorious after defeating Parham Maghsoodloo and then besting elite players Arjun Erigaisi and Levon Aronian in tiebreaks. Meanwhile, in the Challengers, 18-year-old Pranav Venkatesh maintained his lead by holding Leon Luke Mendonca to a draw, securing first place and a spot in next year's Masters section. | Photos: Aditya Sur Roy and Anmol Bhargav
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Aravindh, Arjun and Aronian tie for first place
Aravindh Chithambaram emerged as the surprise champion of the Chennai Grand Masters after scoring back-to-back wins to force a three-way tiebreaker. The 25-year-old Indian grandmaster then outperformed top-seeded Arjun Erigaisi and Levon Aronian in tiebreaks, clinching the title in the tournament's second edition. Arjun, who had initially set a strong pace with 4 out of 5 points in the tournament, could not hold onto his lead, opening the door for Aravindh to shine in the final rounds.
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With this victory, Aravindh joins the elite group of Indian players with a 2700+ Elo rating, becoming one of six active players from India to achieve this milestone. Hailing from Thirunagar and trained by renowned coach R.B. Ramesh, Aravindh had already made waves domestically by winning consecutive national championships in 2018 and 2019. While his rise through the ranks has been more subdued than some of his Indian counterparts, this victory solidifies his place among India's brightest chess talents.
Aravindh Chithambaram with famed trainer R.B. Ramesh
Going into the final round, Arjun and Aronian were joint leaders, with Aravindh and Amin Tabatabaei close behind, half a point away. Aronian, with the white pieces against Tabatabaei, opted for a swift 15-move draw despite his rating edge, leaving Arjun and Aravindh's games to decide the standings. Aravindh, playing black against Parham Maghsoodloo, slowly edged his way to an extra pawn in the endgame, while Arjun and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave entertained the crowd with a thrilling game that featured two white queens on the board at one point.
Arjun v. Vachier-Lagrave
MVL allowed for two white queens to appear on the board, and still managed to hold a draw!
In an impressive display of tactical awareness, MVL found 29...Bxf2+ to neutralise Arjun's pair of queens and secure a draw. Aravindh, meanwhile, capitalised on his advantage and secured a 64-move victory over Maghsoodloo, setting up a three-way tie for first place with Arjun and Aronian, and propelling himself into the playoff rounds.
Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Arjun Erigaisi
Aravindh's win over Arjun in round 6 granted him a bye to the final tiebreaker match, while Arjun and Aronian contested a 2-game blitz match to determine his opponent. After trading wins with the black pieces, Aronian edged through in the Armageddon decider, setting up a final clash against Aravindh.
A well-rested Aravindh defeated Aronian convincingly with two straight wins in their blitz match, sealing the tournament title. It was a stunning finish for the sixth-seeded Aravindh, who, despite entering as one of the underdogs, overcame two of the world's best players to claim victory at the Anna Centenary Library.
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Pranav wins Challengers, gains spot in 2025 Masters
In the Challengers section, the title was settled in a single game on Monday. Pranav Venkatesh, who had led the standings throughout with a four-game winning streak at the outset, faced second-placed Leon Luke Mendonca in the final round. With only a half-point separating the two, Mendonca needed a win to claim the title outright. However, Pranav kept a firm grip on the game with the white pieces, allowing few chances for his opponent and eventually agreeing to a draw from a position of strength to secure tournament victory.
Pranav v. Mendonca
The final position - White is clearly better
The result left Pranav in sole first place with an impressive 5½/7 score, ensuring his qualification to the Masters section in next year's edition. The 18-year-old, known as "Buddy Pranav", has rapidly made a name for himself on the international circuit. He notably represented Offerspill in the 2023 European Club Cup, helping the team – which included Magnus Carlsen – win the event. Carlsen himself took to X to offer his congratulations to the young star, adding a touch of humour to the celebration.
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Mendonca, who finished second with a strong 5/7 score, also demonstrated steady form throughout the tournament. Raunak Sadhwani rounded out the top three, finishing undefeated with a score of 4/7, including a win in the first round followed by a series of draws.
Aravindh Chithambaram and Pranav Venkatesh
Pranav Venkatesh with his coach, GM Shyam Sundar M
Carlos Alberto ColodroCarlos Colodro is a Hispanic Philologist from Bolivia. He works as a freelance translator and writer since 2012. A lot of his work is done in chess-related texts, as the game is one of his biggest interests, along with literature and music.
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