French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja has clinched the prestigious Chennai Grand Masters title, demonstrating strategic prowess by securing a crucial draw against Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi in the final round.
Key Points
- Alireza Firouzja won the fourth Chennai Grand Masters chess tournament.
- Firouzja secured the title by drawing against Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi in the final round.
- The French Grandmaster finished with 4.5 points, including two wins and five draws.
- Firouzja received a prize purse of Rs 25 lakh for his victory.
- World champion D Gukesh struggled, finishing last in the tournament.
Frenchman Alireza Firouzja was crowned champion of the fourth edition of Chennai Grand Masters after he played out a draw against Indian GM Arjun Erigaisi in the seventh and final round on Wednesday.
Firouzja finished with 4.5 points after two wins and five draws from seven rounds.
Firouzja, who had started the competition with two consecutive wins, had gone into the final round with half a point advantage over his nearest rivals, Erigaisi and GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan.
Firouzja's Path To Victory
In an attempt to push for a win with black pieces to try and claim the title, Abdusattorov lost to GM Dmitry Andreikin in 37 moves.
This meant that Firouzja then needed just a draw against Erigaisi to grab the crown and he did just that in 41 moves with his Indian opponent having little chance of turning the tables in the rook-pawn endgame.
The Frenchman will take home a prize purse of Rs 25 lakh (Rs 2.5 million) for his effort that saw him win two matches and draw the next five.
Andreikin, who was the only unbeaten player in the competition apart from Firouzja, finished with four points along with Erigaisi. Abdusattorov along with GM Nihal Sarin and GM M Pranesh finished fourth with 3.5 points.
World champion D Gukesh's struggles continued as he lost three of his seven matches and finished last with 2 points.
Round 7 Results:
- GM D Gukesh (2) drew with GM Hans Niemann (3)
- GM Nihal Sarin (3.5) drew with GM M Pranesh (3.5)
- GM Alireza Firouzja (4.5) drew with GM Arjun Erigaisi (4)
- GM Dmitry Andreikin (4) beat GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (3.5)
