India’s Arjun Erigaisi capitalized on errors by world champion D Gukesh to secure a victory, propelling himself to a shared lead after Round 5 in the fourth edition of the Chennai Grand Masters 2026 chess tournament. Grandmaster Nodirbek Abdusattorov also clinched a win, joining the title race. Erigaisi and French GM Alireza Firouzja are tied at 3.5 points, with Abdusattorov trailing by half a point at three points, with just two rounds remaining.
The tournament features eight grandmasters competing in a round-robin format, offering a prize purse of Rs 75,00,000 and valuable FIDE Circuit points. Abdusattorov’s aggressive play against Indian GM Nihal Sarin led to a victory with the black pieces, forcing Sarin to resign after 38 moves. In a match between Erigaisi and Gukesh, Erigaisi, known for his patience, seized the opportunity as Gukesh’s accuracy waned, ultimately leading to Gukesh’s resignation on move 63.
Firouzja, who had a strong start with two wins, settled for a draw against GM Dmitry Andreikin after 41 moves. Notable Round 5 results include GM M Pranesh drawing with GM Hans Niemann, GM D Gukesh losing to GM Arjun Erigaisi, GM Nihal Sarin falling to GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and GM Alireza Firouzja drawing with GM Dmitry Andreikin.
