Chennai Grand Masters 2024: US’s Levon Aronian Tightened race for top spot

In chess, the Chennai Grand Masters 2024 is being held at the Anna Centenary Library in Chennai from November 5 to 11, featuring both the Masters and Challengers categories.

Grandmaster Levon Aronian of the United States tightened the race for the top spot by defeating GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France in the fifth round.

Aronian’s victory brings him to 3.5 points, closing the gap on leader GM Arjun Erigaisi, who was held to a draw by Iranian GM Parham Maghsoodloo.

 

 Erigaisi continues to lead with 4 points. In other Masters’ matches, all games concluded in stalemates, including Vidit Gujrathi’s 57-move draw against GM Amin Tabatabaei and GM Alexey Sarana’s draw with GM Aravindh Chithambaram.

In the Challengers category, GM Murali Karthikeyan defeated GM Abhimanyu Puranik for the only full point of Round 5.

Pranav V’s winning streak was halted by GM Raunak Sadhwani, with the two Indians sharing the point after 39 moves.