All chess players taking part in the tournament were declared safe after a sudden fire broke out at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Chennai, the venue of the tournament. The incident occurred late on Tuesday night, just before the start of the first round. As a result, the Chennai Grand Masters 2025 Unexpectedly Postponed announcement came from the organizers early the next day.
Thankfully, no one was injured, and all players were quickly evacuated and moved to a nearby hotel. Due to the situation, the Chennai Grand Masters 2025 Unexpectedly Postponed news caught many by surprise, as the tournament was originally scheduled to begin on Wednesday.
Indian Grandmaster and tournament director Srinath Narayanan shared an update via social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating:
“Fire at Hotel Hyatt Regency last night, the venue of the Chennai GM. All the players are safe and shifted to another hotel nearby. Tournament postponed by a day.”
Emergency Fire Incident Delays Start of the Tournament
According to ChessBase India, the fire was caused by an electric short circuit on the 9th floor of the hotel. The fire quickly led to smoke spreading across the building, making it hard to breathe. The fire incident is the main reason Chennai Grand Masters 2025 Unexpectedly Postponed became a trending topic across chess communities.
Close to midnight, hotel staff and emergency services acted swiftly, ensuring all guests, including international and Indian chess players, were safely evacuated. The tournament organizers then confirmed that the Chennai Grand Masters 2025 Unexpectedly Postponed update would result in a new schedule.
Now, the tournament will officially begin on Thursday, August 7, and will continue without the originally planned rest day on August 11. Organizers utilized the rest day to avoid further delay after the Chennai Grand Masters 2025 Unexpectedly Postponed announcement was made.
Top Players Set to Compete Despite Fire Scare
The Chennai Grand Masters 2025 Unexpectedly Postponed news didn’t reduce the excitement around the high-profile player list. The third edition of this event features some of the best Grandmasters from India and around the world. The tournament was launched in late 2023 to help players like D Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi gain valuable FIDE points and qualify for top-tier events like the Candidates.
This year’s event will host 20 players across two categories: the Main event and the Challengers event. Despite the delay, the Chennai Grand Masters 2025 Unexpectedly Postponed situation hasn’t affected the participation of any player.
Main Event Competitors:
- GM Arjun Erigaisi
- GM Anish Giri
- GM Vincent Keymer
- GM Vidit Gujrathi
- GM Nihal Sarin
- GM Karthikeyan Murali
- GM Jorden van Foreest
- GM Awonder Liang
- GM Ray Robson
- GM Pranav Venkatesh
Challengers Event Competitors:
- GM Abhimanyu Puranik
- GM Adhiban Baskaran
- GM Harika Dronavalli
- GM Vaishali Rameshbabu
- GM Pranesh M
- GM Leon Luke Mendonca
- GM Aryan Chopra
- GM Diptayan Ghosh
- GM Iniyan P
- IM Harshavardhan GB
- Rs 1 Crore Prize and Chance to Qualify for Candidates 2026
Despite the Chennai Grand Masters 2025 Unexpectedly Postponed schedule change, the stakes remain high. With a prize pool of Rs 1 crore, players will also earn valuable FIDE Circuit points, essential for qualifying for the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
Tournament director Srinath Narayanan shared in an interview with The Indian Express:
“We hope the Chennai tournament will become a permanent fixture in the calendar, but we are still figuring that part out. It’s moving strongly towards becoming a traditional annual tournament.”
Even though the Chennai Grand Masters 2025 Unexpectedly Postponed update disappointed fans, the tournament’s importance can’t be denied. The event played a major role in shaping the career of D Gukesh, who used his 2023 performance to become the youngest World Chess Champion in December 2024, at just 18 years old.
With world-class players, a prestigious prize, and FIDE points on the line, the Chennai Grand Masters 2025 Unexpectedly Postponed incident only adds more drama to what promises to be an unforgettable tournament.
The event is now back on track, and the action will officially begin on Thursday, August 7. Even though the Chennai Grand Masters 2025 Unexpectedly Postponed news caused a brief pause, fans and players alike are ready for the chess battles ahead.
SEE MORE:
