Can Vincent Keymer Secure His Third Consecutive Victory in Chennai Grandmasters?

Chennai, Aug 9 (NationPress) Germany’s Vincent Keymer continued his impeccable performance in the Chennai Grandmasters 2025, achieving his third consecutive win by defeating Karthikeyan Murali in Round 3 at the Hyatt Regency here on Saturday. With this victory, Keymer stands out as the sole competitor in the Masters section holding a perfect score, establishing himself as the frontrunner in India’s most esteemed classical chess event.

The Chennai Grandmasters 2025 comprises two elite 10-player round-robin groups – Masters and Challengers – with a total of nine rounds spread over ten days. The victor from the Challengers will be rewarded with ₹7 lakh and a prized direct entry into the 2026 Masters.

The day also witnessed an impressive performance from Arjun Erigaisi, who triumphed over American GM Ray Robson, keeping him firmly in contention for the top ranking. Vidit Gujrathi made a noteworthy comeback with a crucial win against Nihal Sarin, while Awonder Liang celebrated his first tournament victory by surprising Dutch GM Jorden van Foreest. Young talent V. Pranav showcased his skills again, successfully holding top seed Anish Giri to a draw.

In the Challengers section, Abhimanyu Puranik continued his upward trajectory with a win against Harshavardhan GB, while M Pranesh outplayed Pa Iniyan to keep the standings competitive. Leon Luke Mendonca defeated Vaishali Rameshbabu, and Adhiban Baskaran split the points with Harika Dronavalli. Aryan Chopra and Diptayan Ghosh also finished their match in a draw, showcasing a balanced encounter.

Results:

Masters Round 3:

Vincent Keymer (1) def. Karthikeyan Murali (0)

Arjun Erigaisi (1) def. Ray Robson (0)

Awonder Liang (1) def. Jorden van Foreest (0)

V Pranav (½) drew Anish Giri (½)

Vidit Gujrathi (1) def. Nihal Sarin (0)

Challengers Round 3:

Abhimanyu Puranik (1) def. Harshavardhan GB (0)

M. Pranesh (1) def. Pa Iniyan (0)

Adhiban Baskaran (½) drew Harika Dronavalli (½)

Leon Luke Mendonca (1) def. Vaishali Rameshbabu (0)

Aryan Chopra (½) drew Diptayan Ghosh (½)

Standings after Day 3:

Masters:

1. Vincent Keymer – 3

2. Arjun Erigaisi – 2.5

3. Ray Robson – 1.5

4. Awonder Liang – 1.5

5. Anish Giri – 1.5

6. Vidit Gujrathi – 1.5

7. Jorden van Foreest – 1

8. V Pranav – 1

9. Karthikeyan Murali – 1

10. Nihal Sarin – 0.5

Challengers Points Table after Day 3:

1. M. Pranesh – 2.5

2. Abhimanyu Puranik – 2.5

3. Diptayan Ghosh – 2

4. Leon Luke Mendonca – 2

5. Adhiban Baskaran – 1.5

6. Pa Iniyan – 1.5

7. Vaishali Rameshbabu – 1

8. Aryan Chopra – 1

9. Harika Dronavalli – 0.5

10. Harshavardhan G B – 0.5