Chennai Grandmasters Day 5: Keymer, Erigaisi Held In Masters; Vaishali And Harika Still In Search Of First Win

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Posted by AI on 2025-08-11 17:39:17 | Last Updated by AI on 2025-08-11 20:06:45

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Another thrilling day in the Chennai Grandmasters had Vincent Keymer and Arjun Erigaisi maintain their proximity to the title as they took their points tally to 3.0. Meanwhile, despite a valiant effort in her final game, Vaishali Rameshbabu fell short of a victory and remains winless alongside Harika Dronavalli in the Women's section.

The final rounds of the Chennai Grandmasters, hosted by the Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis and the Tamil Nadu Chess Association, in partnership with the International Chess Federation (FIDE) and the All-India Chess Federation, were nothing short of exhilarating as some of the brightest young stars in the sport fought for victory.

The day began with Arjun Erigaisi taking on Pranav V, who, with a score of 2.0 going into the final rounds, still had a chance to fight for a podium finish. A cautious start from both youngsters saw them settle for a peaceful draw, with Erigaisi earning a valuable point to take his own score to 3.0, just one point behind the leader, Vincent Keymer.

Later in the day, the spotlight was on the Women's section, where Vaishali Rameshbabu and Harika Dronavalli, both stalwarts of the sport, were yet to secure a victory in the tournament. Vaishali, with a score of 1.5 points from four rounds, faced the challenging Tania Sachdev, who was already on 3.0 and in the running for the title. Despite putting up a valiant fight, Vaishali was unable to breakthrough and secure her first victory of the tournament, settling for yet another draw, her third of the event. With this result, Vaishali remains on 1.5 points, while Harika, also on 1.5 points, is still in search of her first win after four arduous rounds.

In the final game of the day, the focus shifted back to the Men's section, where leader Vincent Keymer took on veteran Vidit Gujrathi. Holding a sole lead going into the final round, Keymer had an excellent chance to secure the tournament victory with a win. However, in a tense battle, the two masters eventually agreed to a draw, allowing Keymer to maintain his 3.0 score and stay on top of the leaderboard, now sharing it with Arjun Erigaisi.

After five thrilling rounds, the Chennai Grandmasters, with its international lineup of young and promising chess masters and veterans, has kept its promise to deliver an exciting competition that has kept fans and enthusiasts on the edge of their seats. With just one round remaining, the tournament has hardly let its intense pace slow down, setting the stage for a climactic final round that will decide the eventual winners of this prestigious event.

Stay tuned for the final round recap, where we will witness the culmination of these battles on the chessboard!

Go!