Firouzja triumphs over Pranesh as remaining matches conclude in stalemates.

Alireza Firouzja commenced his campaign at the Chennai Grand Masters chess tournament with a decisive victory over M. Pranesh on Thursday. The event, held at the Hotel Westin Velachery, saw the French grandmaster showcase his skills in a lengthy 79-move match that extended into the fifth hour. Firouzja, who recently claimed a title in the Grand Chess Tour-Croatia leg, demonstrated his prowess by gradually outmaneuvering the young Indian player.

Utilizing the black pieces, Firouzja initially gained a slight advantage from a Sicilian Defence. The turning point came after Pranesh's 36th move, which allowed Firouzja to capitalize on the position and secure the win. Notably, Firouzja was the only player to emerge victorious on the tournament's opening day, as other matches concluded in draws.

In a highly anticipated match, World Champion D. Gukesh faced off against compatriot Nihal Sarin. Gukesh, playing with the white pieces, encountered significant time pressure during the middle game but managed to stabilize the position, ultimately leading to a stalemate after 47 moves. This match was particularly significant as it marked Gukesh's return to Chennai following his historic victory.

Meanwhile, Uzbekistan's Nodirbek Abdusattorov, the tournament's highest-rated player, also found himself in a challenging position against USA's Hans Moke Niemann. Despite facing considerable pressure for much of the game, Abdusattorov held his ground, resulting in a draw. Local favorite Arjun Erigaisi faced Russian grandmaster Dmitry Andreikin, and their encounter concluded in a draw after 42 moves, with Andreikin successfully creating counter-play against Erigaisi's exposed king.

The results from the first round of the tournament are as follows: Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan) drew with Hans Niemann (USA), Arjun Erigaisi (India) drew with Dmitry Andreikin (Russia), M. Pranesh (India) lost to Alireza Firouzja (France), and D. Gukesh (India) drew with Nihal Sarin (India).