The 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 chess players for the fourth edition of India’s strongest classical chess tournament. With reigning World Chess Champion Gukesh Dommaraju leading the field, the event will take on added importance as players compete not only for the title and a Rs 75 lakh prize pool but also for valuable FIDE Circuit points, which could prove crucial in the race to qualify for the next Candidates Tournament.The tournament features an elite eight-player Masters field, led by World Champion Gukesh and India’s second 2800-rated player Arjun Erigaisi.Among them are Uzbekistan Grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Alireza Firouzja, India’s own Nihal Sarin, Russia’s Dmitry Andreikin, American Grandmaster Hans Niemann, and Pranesh M, who earned a promotion after winning the Challengers section last year.
Full Chennai Grand Masters line-up.
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov
- Arjun Erigaisi
- Alireza Firouzja
- Hans Niemann
- Gukesh Dommaraju
- Nihal Sarin
- Dmitry Andreikin
- Pranesh M
The mix of established stars and emerging talents makes this one of the strongest editions of the Chennai Grand Masters so far. As confirmed by the organizers to TimesofIndia.com, there will be no Challengers section this year.
Chennai Grand Masters 2026 format explained
The Masters event will be played in a single round-robin format, meaning that each of the eight players will face one participant. So every result has a direct impact on the final standings.The games are played under the classical time control of 90 minutes per player with a 30-second progression from one move.Beyond the Rs 75 lakh prize pool, players will also be chasing FIDE Circuit points, which are a vital part of the qualification path to the next Candidates Tournament. With some of the world’s top grandmasters in action, the Chennai Grand Masters is expected to play a significant role in shaping the international chess calendar this season.