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Quantbox Chennai GM R2: Nihal misses big against Giri, Keymer wins two in-a-row

by Shahid Ahmed - 09/08/2025

The second round of Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2025 witnessed four decisive games. The reigning Dutch champion, GM Jorden van Foreest (NED) held the World no.5, GM Arjun Erigaisi to a draw. GM Ray Robson (USA) won an exciting rollercoaster game against GM Vidit Gujrathi. GM Nihal Sarin missed quite a few opportunities to beat GM Anish Giri (NED). It ended in a draw. World no.21, GM Vincent Keymer (GER) scored his second consecutive win at the event. This time he got the better of the reigning World Junior champion, GM Pranav Venkatesh. In the Challengers section, GM Iniyan Pa and GM Abhimanyu Puranik scored the full point over GM Harika Dronavalli and GM Leon Luke Mendonca respectively. Round 3 starts today at 3 p.m. IST. Photo: Himank Ghosh

Robson wins a rollercoaster battle against Vidit

Masters: Nihal - Giri: 0.5-0.5

GM Nihal Sarin (2692) played plenty of games against GM Anish Giri (NED, 2748). Yet, this is their first-ever Classical rated game against each other.

Position after 31...Qe6?

31...Qe6? allowed White to open the g-file which he wanted 32.exf5 Qxf5 33.g4 hxg4 34.Rxg4 Bd2 35.Rc2 White needed to keep his rook on the third rank. Thus, 35.Rb3 having the idea of d4 and swinging the rook to g3 would have been more plausible.

Position after 54...Rf7??

54...Rf7?? was the final mistake by Black 55.Rg3 f2 56.Qg4 Rg7 57.Qf5+ Kg8 58.Rf3 would have been winning for White. Instead, the game continued 58.Qd8? Rg7 59.Rxg7+ Bxg7 60.Qg5 e4 61.Qg6+ Kh8 62.c5! was White's final opportunity to push for a win. 58.dxe4?? Qxe4 59.Qg3 d3 60.Qf3 Qxf3 and the game ended in a draw.

Final moments: GM Nihal Sarin - GM Anish Giri | Video: ChessBase India

Nihal Sarin missed a few good chances against Anish Giri (NED) | Photo: Himank Ghosh

GM Karthikeyan Murali - GM Awonder Liang: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Anmol Bhargav

GM Jorden van Foreest (NED) - GM Arjun Erigaisi: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Anmol Bhargav

Robson - Vidit: 1-0

GM Ray Robson (USA, 2687) and GM Vidit Gujrathi (2720) played only one Classical rated game way back in 2011. Vidit was yet to become a GM then. That game had ended in a draw. This time it was a wild game where the American decided to sacrifice his queen for a rook and knight.

Position after 27...Ne3

White opted for the enterprising option 28.Rxc8 Nxc4 29.Rxc4 Qb6 30.Bxg7 Qb3 instead computer recommends 30...Bxg3 31.Bxf8 Bxf2+ 32.Kh1 Kxf8 to be better for Black. 31.Bxf8? Qxc4-+ Black got a decisive advantage, however, he could not capitalize on it. After a bit of erroneous play by Black, White won the game using his rook, bishop and knight.

Ray Robson - Vidit Gujrathi, Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

GM Ray Robson (USA) won an exciting battle against GM Vidit Gujrathi | Photo: Himank Ghosh

GM Vincent Keymer (GER) won his second consecutive game of the event, this time against GM Pranav Venkatesh | Photo: Anmol Bhargav

Challengers: Iniyan and Abhimanyu score

Leon - Abhimanyu

Position after 40...Qe6

In an already difficult position, GM Leon Luke Mendonca (2606) made the mistake of retreating his bishop 41.Be2?? allowing his opponent GM Abhimanyu Puranik's (2635) queen to invade Qe4-+ 42.Bf3 Qc2 43.Qe2 Qxe2 44.Bxe2 Rb6 and Black won in the next few moves.

GM Leon Luke Mendonca - GM Abhimanyu Puranik: 0-1 | Photo: Anmol Bhargav

GM Diptayan Ghosh - GM Pranesh M: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Anmol Bhargav

GM Iniyan Pa defeated GM Harika Dronavalli comfortably | Photo: Anmol Bhargav

GM B Adhiban - GM R Vaishali: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Himank Ghosh

Ceremonial first move was made by Prashant Singh, Founder and CEO of Quantbox Research on GM Pranav Venkatesh and GM Vincent Keymer's (GER) board | Photo: Anmol Bhargav

Spectators following the Round 2 games in person at the venue with commentary | Photo: Anmol Bhargav

For more Round 2 photos, please click here.

Round 2 recap by GM Harshit Raja | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Round 2 live stream

Replay Round 2 live commentary by CM Sahil Tickoo, Kincso Toth (HUN), IM Sagar Shah and GM Sahaj Grover | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Round 2 Masters games

Replay Round 2 Challengers games

Masters Round 2 results

Bo.No.RtgClub/City WhiteResultBlack RtgClub/CityNo.PGN
1102658India
GMKarthikeyan, Murali½ - ½GMLiang, Awonder
2696USA6PGN
272697Netherlands
GMVan Foreest, Jorden½ - ½GMErigaisi, Arjun
2776India5PGN
382687USA
GMRobson, Ray1 - 0GMVidit, Santosh Gujrathi
2720India4PGN
492692India
GMNihal, Sarin½ - ½GMGiri, Anish
2748Netherlands3PGN
512597India
GMPranav, V0 - 1GMKeymer, Vincent
2730Germany2PGN

Details

Standings after Round 2

Rk.SNo NameFEDRtgIClub/CityPts. TB1  TB2  TB3  TB4 
12
GMKeymer, VincentGER2730Germany201,0021
25
GMErigaisi, ArjunIND2776India1,501,0010
8
GMRobson, RayUSA2687USA1,501,0010
43
GMGiri, AnishNED2748Netherlands101,0000
7
GMVan Foreest, JordenNED2697Netherlands101,0000
610
GMKarthikeyan, MuraliIND2658India100,5000
71
GMPranav, VIND2597India0,500,5000
4
GMVidit, Santosh GujrathiIND2720India0,500,5000
6
GMLiang, AwonderUSA2696USA0,500,5000
9
GMNihal, SarinIND2692India0,500,5000

Details

Round 3 pairings

Bo.No.RtgClub/City WhiteResultBlack RtgClub/CityNo.PGN
122730Germany
GMKeymer, VincentGMKarthikeyan, Murali
2658India10
232748Netherlands
GMGiri, AnishGMPranav, V
2597India1
342720India
GMVidit, Santosh GujrathiGMNihal, Sarin
2692India9
452776India
GMErigaisi, ArjunGMRobson, Ray
2687USA8
562696USA
GMLiang, AwonderGMVan Foreest, Jorden
2697Netherlands7

Details

Challengers Round 2 results

Bo.No.RtgClub/City WhiteResultBlack RtgClub/CityNo.PGN
1102454India
IMHarshavardhan, G B½ - ½GMAryan, Chopra
2634India6PGN
272576India
GMGhosh, Diptayan½ - ½GMPranesh, M
2589India5PGN
382586India
GMIniyan, Pa1 - 0GMDronavalli, Harika
2487India4PGN
492534India
GMAdhiban, B.½ - ½GMVaishali, Rameshbabu
2476India3PGN
512606India
GMMendonca, Leon Luke0 - 1GMPuranik, Abhimanyu
2635India2PGN

Details

Standings after Round 2

Rk.SNo NameFEDRtgIClub/CityPts. TB1  TB2  TB3  TB4 
12
GMPuranik, AbhimanyuIND2635India1,501,5011
25
GMPranesh, MIND2589India1,501,2510
37
GMGhosh, DiptayanIND2576India1,500,7511
48
GMIniyan, PaIND2586India1,500,5010
53
GMVaishali, RameshbabuIND2476India101,2500
9
GMAdhiban, B.IND2534India101,2500
71
GMMendonca, Leon LukeIND2606India100,5010
86
GMAryan, ChopraIND2634India0,50,50,2500
10
IMHarshavardhan, G BIND2454India0,50,50,2500
104
GMDronavalli, HarikaIND2487India000,0000

Details

Round 3 pairings

Bo.No.RtgClub/City WhiteResultBlack RtgClub/CityNo.PGN
122635India
GMPuranik, AbhimanyuIMHarshavardhan, G B
2454India10
232476India
GMVaishali, RameshbabuGMMendonca, Leon Luke
2606India1
342487India
GMDronavalli, HarikaGMAdhiban, B.
2534India9
452589India
GMPranesh, MGMIniyan, Pa
2586India8
562634India
GMAryan, ChopraGMGhosh, Diptayan
2576India7

Details

Prize

The total prize fund is ₹1 Crore, for Masters it is ₹7500000, an increase of 50% from previous edition. The top three prizes are ₹2500000, ₹1500000 and ₹1000000. The prize fund in Challengers section is ₹2500000. The top three prizes are ₹700000, ₹400000 and ₹325000.

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