Samarkand was buzzing this September. The ancient Uzbek city hosted the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, where every round brought suspense, heartbreak, and moments of pure brilliance.
This edition of the FIDE Grand Swiss delivered everything fans had hoped for: surprise results, rising stars, big names under pressure, and ultimately, four players securing their golden tickets to the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
Let’s walk through how it all unfolded.
Setting The Stage
The Grand Swiss is one of the most important events on the calendar. It’s a direct path to the Candidates.
Both the Open and Women’s sections ran side by side, using the classic 11-round Swiss format.
The tournament boasted a substantial prize fund of $855,000, with $625,000 allocated to the Grand Swiss and $230,000 to the Women’s Grand Swiss.
The top two finishers from each earned spots in the next Candidates cycle.
That meant every point and a half-point mattered. Players weren’t just chasing tournament glory; they were chasing their future in the World Championship race.
The Open: Giri Rises When It Counts
The open featured an array of 116 players, including names such as Alireza Firouzja, Dommaraju Gukesh, and Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu.
The games used a classical time control of 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, then 50 minutes for the next 20 moves, followed by 15 minutes for the rest of the game, with a 30-second increment from move 1.
When the dust settled, Anish Giri stood on top of the Open section. His final-round victory against Hans Niemann was a statement win.
With it, Giri sealed first place outright and grabbed a well-deserved seat at the Candidates Tournament.
Behind him, Matthias Blübaum held his nerve in a crowded pack to secure second place on tiebreaks.
For the German grandmaster, this was a career-defining achievement, showing he can thrive in the most demanding conditions.
It wasn’t easy, though. Players like Vincent Keymer and Arjun Erigaisi stayed in the race deep into the final rounds but couldn’t quite convert their chances.
The Open section showed just how thin the margins are at this level.
And then there was one of the shock stories: Abhimanyu Mishra, just 16, stunned the world by defeating the reigning World Champion, Gukesh Dommaraju, in Round 5, making him the youngest player ever to beat a reigning World Champion in classical chess.
That moment will be remembered long after the tournament.
For Giri, however, this event will be remembered as his time to step up. He didn’t hesitate, and now he’s back in the Candidates.
The Women’s: Vaishali Defends Her Crown
If the Open had fireworks, the Women’s section had resilience. This section featured 56 players.
R. Vaishali showed why she’s one of the brightest stars in world chess by defending her Grand Swiss title from 2023.
R.Vaishali won the women’s section. Photo Credits: Michal Walusza.
She finished tied on points with Kateryna Lagno, but tiebreaks gave Vaishali the edge.
That meant not only another major trophy but also qualification for the Women’s Candidates.
What made her run impressive was the way she kept her balance through tough rounds.
She didn’t allow nerves or pressure to force mistakes. Instead, she picked her moments, scored when it mattered, and held when the position called for it.
For Indian chess, it was another proud chapter. Between Gukesh, Praggnanandhaa, and now Vaishali, the wave of young Indian talent just keeps building.
Kateryna Lagno also made the cut for the Candidates Tournament. She came second in the Women’s standings after an impressive showing.
Tension, Tiebreaks, And The Swiss Grind
The nature of an 11-round Swiss means the standings swing round after round. One slip can drop you from contention; one win can put you back in the race.
This year highlighted another truth: tiebreaks decide careers. Several players ended with the same points, but only Blübaum and Lagno advanced because their earlier pairings and results nudged their secondary scores higher.
It’s a brutal reminder that in events like this, who you face is sometimes just as important as how many points you score.
Why This Grand Swiss Mattered
So what’s the big picture? Four names emerged from Samarkand with more than just trophies:
- Anish Giri: proving he still belongs at the very top.
- Matthias Blübaum: breaking into Candidates territory for the first time.
- R. Vaishali: defending her title and showing her consistency is no fluke.
- Kateryna Lagno: adding yet another Candidates run to her stellar career.
For the rest, this tournament is both a lesson and a warning. The path to the World Championship is narrow, and you can’t afford to stumble when it matters.
Final thoughts
The Grand Swiss has a way of testing everything a player has: opening prep, stamina, psychology, and pure willpower.
In Samarkand, we saw legends tested, champions shaken, and young talents rise.
As the Candidates cycle moves forward, fans will remember how the story began here.
Giri’s determination, Vaishali’s composure, Blübaum’s breakthrough, and Mishra’s unforgettable upset of Gukesh; these are the moments that keep chess alive and thrilling.
Samarkand 2025 reminded us why we watch chess in the first place: for the battles, the stories, and the sense that every move can change the future.
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