Samarkand (Uzbekistan), September 6 (HS): India’s teenage World Champion D. Gukesh was surprisingly held to a draw by 14-year-old Turkish prodigy Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus in the second round of the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025.

In contrast, reigning Women’s champion R. Vaishali displayed fine form, defeating Dutch player Eline Roebers to grab a share of the lead.

Open Section Drama

Despite creating winning chances, Gukesh struggled in time trouble and eventually settled for half a point against Erdogmus. Meanwhile, India’s top seed R. Praggnanandhaa bounced back strongly, securing his first victory of the event. Playing under the FIDE flag due to Russia’s ongoing ban, Ivan Zenlyansky could not withstand Praggnanandhaa’s precision and was outplayed.

The $855,000 prize money Open section currently sees Alireza Firouzja (France), Parham Maghsoodloo (Iran), and Anton Demchenko (Slovenia) tied at the top with two points each.

Women’s Section: Vaishali in Command

Vaishali, with her second straight win, has climbed to two points and now shares the joint lead with Olga Badelka (Austria). With her current rating and consistent play, the Indian star is widely expected to soon break away into sole leadership.

The Road Ahead

This is the fourth edition of the FIDE Grand Swiss, a crucial event on the world chess calendar. The top two finishers from both the Open and Women’s tournaments will qualify directly for the 2026 Candidates Tournament, which will decide the challengers for the next World Championship.

In the Open category alone, $625,000 is at stake, with the champion set to pocket $90,000. A total of 116 players are competing, with the Indian trio of Praggnanandhaa, Arjun Erigaisi, and Gukesh among the top seeds.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar