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FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 to be held in Samarkand, Uzbekistan
The FIDE Grand Swiss is one of the most significant events in the chess calendar, providing players with a direct pathway to the Candidates Tournament. The top two finishers in the Grand Swiss will earn spots in the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
This will be the first time the prestigious event is hosted in Uzbekistan, a country with a rich chess heritage and rapidly growing influence in the global chess community. From their gold-medal performance at the 2022 Chess Olympiad to a bronze medal at the 2024 Olympiad, as well as hosting world-class events such as the 2022 Women’s Candidates Tournament in Khiva, the 2023 Rapid and Blitz World Championships, and the upcoming 2026 Chess Olympiad in Tashkent, Uzbekistan has firmly established itself as a chess powerhouse and a major hub for the game.
In addition to its importance as a qualifier, the event will feature an increased prize fund—boosted by at least 30% The Grand Swiss has quickly become a highly anticipated event since its inception. The first tournament, held in 2019 on the Isle of Man, saw Wang Hao emerge victorious.
The Grand Swiss has quickly become a highly anticipated
The first tournament, held in 2019 on the Isle of Man, saw Wang Hao emerge victorious with an impressive 8/11 score. The 2021 edition, moved to Riga due to COVID-19 restrictions, was won by Alireza Firouzja. The 2023 edition returned to the Isle of Man and was claimed by Vidit Gujrathi. This year will also mark the third edition of the Women’s Grand Swiss.
Third seed GM Iniyan P triumphed with an impressive score of 8.5/10, scoring seven wins and three draws. In the final round, he secured a decisive victory over GM Deepan, who had been co-leading the event until that point, clinching the championship title. GM Venkatesh also won his final-round game to finish second, while top seed IM Aronyak Ghosh claimed third place.
