The Chennai Grandmasters chess tournament has been postponed by one day. The tournament will now begin on Thursday instead of Wednesday. Organizers had to make this decision after a fire broke out at the hotel where the tournament was to be held.
Sports News: For chess enthusiasts, the third edition of the important Chennai Grandmasters tournament has been postponed by one day. The organizers made this decision when a sudden fire broke out on the ninth floor of the Hyatt Regency Hotel, the tournament venue. Fortunately, all players are completely safe and no one suffered any physical harm.
Fire at Hotel, Player Safety Prioritized
The information about the incident was shared by tournament director and Indian Grandmaster Srinath Narayanan on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). He wrote: "There was a fire last night at the hotel where the Chennai Grandmasters was supposed to take place. All players are safe and have been shifted to another nearby hotel. The tournament has been postponed by one day."
After the fire, smoke spread throughout the hotel, causing breathing difficulties for players and other guests. According to a report by ChessBase India, the fire broke out on the ninth floor of the hotel. The fire department quickly brought the situation under control and everyone was evacuated in time.
Tournament Now from Thursday, Slight Change in Schedule
The organizers have informed that the tournament will now begin on Thursday instead of Wednesday. However, the timing of the matches will remain the same, with only a one-day change. Due to this change, the middle rest day has now been removed, and the tournament will now end on its scheduled final day of August 15, 2025. This decision ensures that both the pace and outcome of the tournament are not affected, and players can continue their matches with fair competition.
A total of 19 Grandmasters are participating in the Chennai Grandmasters tournament. This competition is being organized in a classical round-robin format, in which more than 9 rounds will be played in the Masters and Challengers sections. In the previous two editions, only 7 rounds were organized. This year the total prize money of the tournament is ₹1 crore.
Top Indian players Arjun Erigaisi, experienced Vidit Gujrathi, Dutch legend Anish Giri, and American Awonder Liang are participating in the competition. Arjun Erigaisi, who is currently the world number five, will begin his campaign against Awonder Liang. FIDE Circuit points will also be earned through the tournament, which are very important for securing a place in the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
