Alireza Firouzja is in a rich vein of form, and the confidence is evident. The Frenchman took down home favourite and World champion D. Gukesh in the second round of the Chennai Grand Masters at The Westin Velachery on Friday as he jumped to the lead.

It was the only decisive result on the day, with Firouzja keeping his poise to outwit his opponent in 69 moves. The victory also lifted him to No. 9 in the live world rankings. Beginning the tournament outside the top 10, the 23-year-old gained ground by beating M. Pranesh before scoring over Gukesh with white.

Gukesh, who is playing his first event at home after becoming the World champion, endured another setback as he prepares to defend his title. He remained on half a point from two games and slipped below Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus to World No. 28 in the live ratings.

In another contest, Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan and Arjun Erigaisi shared the honours. The Indian played aggressively and gained the advantage in the middle, but he couldn’t navigate his way to a win in a 30-move game.

Nihal Sarin held Hans Niemann to a draw after 132 moves. Niemann had the better chances at different stages of the Nimzo-Indian encounter, but Nihal defended accurately to deny the American. Pranesh and Dmitry Andreikin played out a 18-move draw as the match concluded in about an hour.

The results (second round): Hans Niemann (USA) 1 drew with Nihal Sarin 1; Alireza Firouzja (Fra) 2 bt D. Gukesh 0.5; Dmitry Andreikin (Rus) 1 drew with M. Pranesh 0.5; Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb) 1 drew with Arjun Erigaisi 1.

Alireza Firouzja got off to a winning start, dismantling M. Pranesh in a longish game, at the Chennai Grand Masters chess tournament at Hotel Westin Velachery on Thursday.

The Frenchman, entering the event in good nick after a title-winning run in the Grand Chess Tour-Croatia leg, wore down the young Indian in a 79-move game. He had to dig deep as the match went into the fifth hour before taking the point with black pieces. The Frenchman emerged with a slight edge from a Sicilian Defence before Pranesh’s 36th move allowed him a breakthrough.

The 23-year-old Firouzja was the only winner on the opening day as World champion D. Gukesh was held by compatriot Nihal Sarin while Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov, the highest-rated player in the tournament, split the point with USA’s Hans Moke Niemann and local hope Arjun Erigaisi shared honours with Russian Dmitry Andreikin.

Abdusattorov held firm despite coming under pressure from Niemann for a major part of the game.

The Gukesh-Nihal encounter saw the former, playing with white pieces, finding himself in time trouble in the middle before emerging unscathed. The Chennai GM, playing in the city for the first time since his epochal triumph, ensured a stalemate in 47 moves once he neutralised Nihal’s advantage.

Arjun and Andreikin signed the peace treaty after 42 moves. The Russian found counter-play against the exposed white king and forced a draw through a succession of queen checks.

The results (first round): Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb) drew with Hans Niemann (USA), Arjun Erigaisi drew with Dmitry Andreikin (Rus), M. Pranesh lost to Alireza Firouzja (Fra), D. Gukesh drew with Nihal Sarin.