Alireza Firouzja beats Pranesh as Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2026 begins with lone decisive result

French GM Alireza Firouzja secured the only victory on the opening day of the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2026, defeating M. Pranesh in 79 moves. World champion D. Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi drew their opening-round games in Chennai.

Hyderabad: French GM Alireza Firouzja registered the sole win of the opening day of the fourth edition of the Quantbox Chennai Grand Masters 2026, India’s most prestigious classical chess tournament, against Indian GM M Pranesh in Chennai on Thursday.

Firouzja, playing black, defeated Pranesh in a marathon game that lasted 79 moves with the Frenchman making the most of his pawn on f-file in a rook-pawn ending.

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Organised by MGD1, the tournament witnesses eight grandmasters face-off in a double-round robin format and offers a prize purse of Rs 75,00,000 and valuable FIDE Circuit points.

In the day’s other matches, world champion D Gukesh was held to a draw by GM Nihal Sarin in an all-Indian clash while GM Arjun Erigaisi split the point with GM Dmitry Andreikin after just 42 moves.

The only clash not involving an Indian GM, between Nodirbek Abdusattorov and GM Hans Niemann ended in a draw after 44 moves.

Important results: 1st round: GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov drew with GM Hans Niemann 0.5-0.5; GM Arjun Erigaisi drew with GM Dmitry Andreikin 0.5-0.5; GM M Pranesh lost to GM Alireza Firouzja 0-1; GM D Gukesh drew with GM Nihal Sarin 0.5-0.5.· GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov vs GM Arjun Erigaisi.