Going solo at the Masters: 18-year-old Pranav’s bold no-coach gambit pays off against Dutch star Anish Giri

For 18-year-old V Pranav, the past few months have been a whirlwind.

After lifting the Chennai Grand Masters Challengers title in November 2024, he followed it up with double gold at the Youth Worlds in December, and then the world junior crown this March, reported TOI. His victory in the Challengers earned him a seat at the Masters table this season.

What makes his campaign remarkable is a rare choice at this level — he has been competing without a coach. His run began steadily with a composed draw against Murali Karthikeyan, before a setback to current leader Vincent Keymer.

Holding his ground against the elite

Saturday brought his biggest test yet: facing Dutch star Anish Giri with the black pieces. Giri enjoyed a commanding position for much of the game, but Pranav’s resilience earned him a hard-fought draw. “I’ve been training on my own for a few months now,” he said, according to the report. “It’s something I wanted to try because I enjoy the process. The more I work independently, the better I’ll get.”

Chennai GM organiser N Srinath noted the move is highly unusual for a player at this career stage, suggesting Pranav may be between coaches.

In other Masters results, Keymer defeated Karthikeyan to stay perfect on 3 points, with Arjun Erigaisi close behind after beating Ray Robson. Vidit Gujrathi edged Nihal Sarin in an all-Indian clash, while Awonder Liang overcame Jorden van Foreest.

Round 3 results

Masters: Keymer bt Karthikeyan Murali; Arjun Erigaisi bt Ray Robson; Awonder Liang bt Jorden van Foreest; Pranav drew with Anish Giri; Vidit Gujrathi bt Nihal Sarin.

Challengers: Abhimanyu Puranik bt GB Harshavardhan; M Pranesh bt P Iniyan; Adhiban Baskaran drew with D Harika; Leon Luke Mendonca bt R Vaishali; Aryan Chopra drew with Diptayan Ghosh.