French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja clinched another hard-fought victory, marking his second consecutive win at the Chennai Grand Masters 2026, India’s esteemed classical chess tournament. Firouzja triumphed over world champion Dommaraju Gukesh after 69 moves, boosting his score to two points in two rounds. The tournament, hosted by MGD1, features eight grandmasters competing in a double-round robin format with a prize purse of Rs 75,00,000 and valuable FIDE Circuit points.
Deepraj Mukherjee, General Manager of Westin Chennai Velachery, initiated the game between Firouzja and Gukesh. Opting for a Ruy Lopez opening with white pieces, Firouzja strategically sacrificed a pawn, leading to a decisive victory over Gukesh. Meanwhile, M Pranesh, after a loss in the first round, secured a draw against GM Dmitry Andreikin in just 18 moves. GM Arjun Erigaisi also settled for a draw against GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov after 43 moves.
In another intense match, GM Nihal Sarin held Hans Niemann to a draw after a grueling 132-move game, showcasing his defensive prowess. Firouzja had earlier emerged victorious on the opening day by defeating Indian GM M Pranesh in a lengthy 79-move game, leveraging his pawn advantage in a rook-pawn ending.
