GMs Matthias Bluebaum and Nihal Sarin continue to lead the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss after round eight, as not one of the seven players behind them was able to catch up. GMs Vincent Keymer and Jorden van Foreest, with respective wins against GMs Vidit Gujrathi and Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, joined the chasing pack of eight players a half-point behind.
The 2025 FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss, on the other hand, featured a dramatic shakeup. GM Kateryna Lagno took over the sole lead after she beat GM Mariya Muzychuk, while GM Bibisara Assaubayeva toppled the former leader and defending champion, GM Vaishali Rameshbabu. Vaishali is now in a three-way tie, a half-point behind, with Assaubayeva and IM Yuxin Song, who beat GM Antoaneta Stefanova.
This is a flash report. Come back later to read the full article, which will be added to this page!
Round nine is on Saturday, September 13, starting at 6 a.m. ET / 12:00 CEST / 3:30 p.m. IST.
Standings
FIDE Grand Swiss Standings After Round 8
FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss Standings After Round 8
Open: Keymer, Van Foreest Join Chasing Pack
Round 8 Results: Open
Check out the full games and results.
FIDE Grand Swiss Round 9 Pairings
To be updated later.
Women: Lagno Takes Sole Lead
Round 8 Results: Women
Check out the full games and results.
GM Dejan Bojkov analyzes the Game of the Day below. His annotations will be added soon.
FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss Round 9 Pairings (Top 12)
| # | White | FED | Rtg | Result | Black | FED | Rtg |
| 1 | GM Kateryna Lagno (6.5) | 2505 | – | GM Bibisara Assaubayeva (6) | 2505 | ||
| 2 | GM Vaishali Rameshbabu (6) | 2452 | – | IM Song Yuxin (6) | 2409 | ||
| 3 | GM Irina Krush (5) | 2366 | – | GM Antoaneta Stefanova (5) | 2395 | ||
| 4 | GM Olga Girya (5) | 2386 | – | IM Guo Qi (5) | 2371 | ||
| 5 | GM Mariya Muzychuk (5) | 2484 | – | GM Anna Ushenina (4.5) | 2409 | ||
| 6 | GM Anna Muzychuk (4.5) | 2535 | – | WIM Afruza Khamdamova (4.5) | 2409 | ||
| 7 | IM Polina Shuvalova (4.5) | 2492 | – | IM Dinara Wagner (4.5) | 2400 | ||
| 8 | GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (4.5) | 2472 | – | IM Mai Narva (4.5) | 2386 | ||
| 9 | IM Stavroula Tsolakidou (4.5) | 2445 | – | GM Harika Dronavalli (4.5) | 2467 | ||
| 10 | IM Teodora Injac (4.5) | 2454 | – | IM Ulviyya Fataliyeva (4.5) | 2385 | ||
| 11 | IM Lu Miaoyi (4.5) | 2449 | – | IM Khanim Balajayeva (4.5) | 2331 | ||
| 12 | GM Elina Danielian (4.5) | 2405 | – | IM Leya Garifullina (4) | 2477 |
The 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss and FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss are 11-round Swiss tournaments taking place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, on September 4-15. Each will decide two places in the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournaments that select the next world championship challengers. The Open tournament has a $625,000 prize fund, with $90,000 for first place, while the Women’s is $230,000 ($40,000). The time control is classical, with a longer time control for the Open of 100 minutes/40 moves + 50 min/20 + 15 min, with a 30-second increment from move 1.
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