FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, Round 10: A five-way race in the Open ahead of the final round
With draws on the top five boards in the Open, five players enter the final day in shared first place on 7/10. Vincent Keymer missed a chance against Bluebaum to take the sole lead, while Vaishali Rameshbabu staged a remarkable comeback in the Women’s tournament to reach the top. With just one more round to go, the race for the top two places leading to the 2026 Candidates is wide open in both tournaments. Of the five in contention in the Open – Firouzja and Giri have previously played in the Candidates, while Keymer, Bluebaum and Nimann have not. The penultimate round in an open Swiss System tournament is always tricky – while playing for a win is always the goal, a loss can cost you dearly and eject you from the top positions. That is why some players opt for a cautious approach, avoiding too much risk. However, the five draws on the top boards were not all uneventful and none was quick. The board one duel between two classical heavyweights, Alireza Firouzja and Anish Giri, ended in a draw. Playing the French line of the Sicilian, the two made just 17 moves in two hours, agreeing to split a point after a threefold repetition. Both likely calculated it was better not to force but, instead, see how things pan out on other boards, leaving tomorrow’s final round for a decisive push. Things were dramatically different on board two, where European Champion Matthias Bluebaum found himself in serious trouble against Vincent Keymer, who had the white pieces. Playing a rare line on the black side of the Reti, Bluebaum soon came under serious pressure. The opponents reached the first critical position as early as on move 21. One of White’s pieces should jump to g5, but which one? Keymer made a wrong choice here playing 21.Bg5?! Instead – after 21.Ng5! Bxg5 22.Bxg5 f5 23.Qxe8 Rfxe8 24.Be3 the resulting endgame is virtually winning for White. As played, Black avoided the worst with 21…f6 22.Qxe8 Rxe8. The endgame saw both sides go through ups and downs, but eventually Keymer achieved the decisive advantage, only to let it slip away with just one move. Instead of the solid 54.Ne4, Keymer went for the hasty 54.Rh7??, missing an important tactical subtlety. 54…Nxg3!! If 55.Kxg3 then 55…Rd3+. Keymer tried 55.Rh6+ Kf7 56.Nb1 Rb2 57.Kxg3 Rxb1 and now it’s a draw. A lucky escape for Bluebaum, who enters the final day as one of the leaders. On board three, Chinese Grandmaster Yu Yangyi had a better position as White against Arjun Erigaisi at some point, but the game ended in a draw. Abhimanyu Mishra drew as White against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, with neither side getting much going in the game. Playing on board four, Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusatorrov was in trouble against Nihal Sarin on the black side of the Sicilian Rossolimo. The situation is extremely dangerous for Black, as his bishops have limited space while White’s pieces are very well coordinated. White had an almost straightforward win here with 18.exf6 Bxf6 19.Be3 Qb5 20.Nc5 e5 21.Ne4 Be7 22.b4 Be6 23.Rxd8+ Bxd8 24.Nd6 Qd5 25.Nxf7 Kxf7. Instead, Sarin played 18.Be3 first but after 18…Qc7 19.Bc5 Bd8 20.Bxe7 Qxe7 21.Rxd8 Qxd8 22.exf6 Rxf6 Black’s position is no fun, but he is out of the woods. Eventually, Abdusatorrov reached a draw on move 53. All six players finished the day on 6.5/10. The tournament’s top-rated player, R Praggnanandhaa, had his chances of reaching some of the top places completely shattered today. He lost to Hans Niemann following time trouble in a very sharp game. Playing the Sicilian, Praggnanandhaa started to lose control in the middlegame and by move 33, he was in serious trouble. According to Niemann, who analysed the game in the FIDE broadcast, this was the critical moment of the game. Black played the reactive 25…Rc7. Instead, according to the US Grandmaster, he should have proceeded with 25…Rc1+ and after 26.Qxc1 Qxb4 27.a3 with an unclear position. Chess engines, however, question this recommendation as after the simple 27.Rxe8+! Bxe8 28.Qc8 Black is completely lost. A couple of moves later, the two had reached the following position: White is winning, but he has to avoid many pitfalls. However, after 34…Qf1?? played by Pragg, Black is doomed. 34…Qc5 offered more hope. The rest was smooth sailing for Hans. 35.Qe3 Bb5 36.Re4! After doubling along the e-file White penetrates to Black’s camp. 36…Kh8 37.Qd4 Kg7 38.Rf4 and Praggnanandhaa resigned. The victory propelled Niemann to a shared 2-4th place, a step away from reaching the Candidates for the first time in his career. Praggnanandhaa is on 5.5/10. Asked about his expectations for the final game, Niemann said he hoped to play “someone who needs a win as well”, alluding to the view that if White plays for a draw from the opening, at this level, it is difficult for the other side to get much more. In the final round Niemann will be up against Anish Giri and a draw might leave both of them without one of the two spots leading in the Candidates. Ukrainian Vasyl Ivanchuk was declared the player of the day in the Open following a tactical finish against Jonas Bjerre. 45…Qf4+! 46.Kg2 Qe4+ 47.Kh2 Rxe3 48.fxe3 Qxe3 49.Qb1 e4 50.Ng2 Qf2 After a few more moves in which White just delayed the inevitable, Bjerre resigned. World Champion Gukesh D finally ended his six-game-long winless run. Playing as White, he defeated Armenia’s Gabriel Sargissian in the Italian Game. With one round remaining, Gukesh is only on 5/10. The Women’s event Vaishali Rameshbabu struck back today to reach the lead again. She was the only winner among the top boards in round ten. Playing with the white pieces against former Women’s World Champion Mariya Muzychuk, Vaishali recovered from a lost position, following time trouble. Black is a pawn up, has more active pieces and initiative across the board. But Muzychuk squandered her advantage and allowed Vaishali to equalise. 30…Bc2? Giving up one of her main trumps –
Every Lesson Counts – Chess in Education Masterclasses
Join us in London, Mindsports Centre for a transformative weekend on October 11-12, dedicated to exploring chess as a powerful educational tool. Whether you’re already teaching chess or simply curious about its potential, this event offers fresh strategies and practical resources to enrich your teaching practice and engage students in new ways. No prior chess experience is required – just a passion for helping children learn and grow. The event is funded by FIDE and the International Olympic Committee, underscoring its global significance and commitment to educational excellence. Organised in collaboration with the FIDE Chess in Education Commission and the ECU Education Commission, the weekend will bring together teachers, tutors, and education specialists to discover how chess can foster lifelong skills. Through a series of interactive Masterclasses, participants will gain hands-on tools and insights that can be immediately applied in the classroom. You’ll also receive a booklet on all Masterclass materials and enjoy opportunities to connect with fellow educators over lunch and refreshments, which are included with your ticket.With only 60 places available on a first-come, first-served basis, this is a rare opportunity to learn from the best and bring the benefits of chess into your educational practice. Book your tickets HERE. Meet the presenters: Jerry Nash Jerry (BA, MDiv, MA) serves as Chairman of FIDE’s Chess in Education Commission and as National Chess Education Consultant for Chess in Education – US, a US-based non-profit focused on enabling educators to use chess as an educational tool in the classroom. He is also an educator who believes in the power of chess to enable student – and teacher – success. Jerry will lead the interactive workshop Chess for Critical Thinking Development, introducing practical examples of using chess to build Higher Order Thinking (HOT) skills. Rita Atkins Rita serves as Secretary of FIDE’s Chess in Education Commission. She holds a degree in Mathematics and Physics as well as a Diploma of Education from Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest, and an MSc in Computing Science from Imperial College, London. She has taught mathematics and physics in the UK and in Ireland for over a decade. As a former competitive chess player, Rita strongly believes that chess is a great educational tool, and she is a frequent speaker at chess educational conferences. She is the co-creator of LogiqBoard, the online shareable chessboard suitable for classroom use. Rita will explore Problems on the Chessboard for Gifted and Talented Studentsin her masterclass. Anzel Laubscher Anzel Laubscher is a FIDE Senior Lead Instructor, main lecturer for FIDE EDU courses, and a member of FIDE’s Chess in Education Commission. She is a Woman International Master, South African National Team member since 1998, and a Master Coach. With sixteen years’ curriculum development and lecturing at Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Anzel has overseen coach training for the South African Sport Confederation and Olympic Committee. She is an Advocate of the High Court of South Africa, legal advisor, mediator, and active in sports dispute resolution. In her masterclasses Anzel will guide attendees through From Classroom Chess to Chess Club the Educational Way. Alla Khachatryan Alla is Senior Course Administrator for all FIDE EDU training courses. She is also a FIDE Lead School Instructor with a strong commitment to chess education and expertise in training educators on how to teach the game and use it for skill development. She has contributed to international and national conferences, led educational projects, and promoted chess in education through research-based initiatives in her native Armenia. Passionate about helping teachers discover new ways to engage students in the classroom, she will present How to Teach Chess Basics Effectively in the Classroomin London. John Foley John is Director of ChessPlus (UK) and an active member of the ECU Education Commission, where he co-authors teacher training courses such as The SMART Method to Teach Chess and Mathematics through Chess. He is President of Kingston Chess Club and formerly served as Training Director at Chess in Schools and Communities. His career includes consultancy, research analysis, and legal work, with degrees from Oxford and Lancaster Universities. Foley’s publications include Checkmate! The Wonderful World of Chess (2023), and several co-authored resources for chess education. Brigitta Peszleg Brigitta is a dedicated chess educator who began her journey in education in 2006 after earning a degree in Education Sciences. Since 2015, she has taught chess in primary schools across London through Chess in Schools and Communities. Her roles include Chess Educator, Training and Event Manager at ChessPlus, Teacher Trainer with ChessPlus and the European Chess Union (ECU), and Secretary of the ECU Education Commission. Brigitta leads training initiatives, develops educational resources, and co-authored the Chess and Strategy Games in the Classroom Programme, training teachers throughout the UK. Brigitta and John will present Chess and Strategy Games in the Classroom (Games from the ECU107 Training course). Hari Neocleous Hariis a primary maths and chess teacher from London with over 20 years of experience in education. In her classes, she demonstrates how chess serves as a powerful pedagogical tool, offering rich opportunities to cultivate problem-solving abilities, communication skills, and learner confidence. Drawing on her extensive classroom experience, Hari brings a unique perspective to LogiqBoard as well. She integrates chess into creative math and logic-based activities, showcasing innovative approaches to both chess instruction and mathematical thinking. Hari will demonstrate Teaching Mathematics through Chess (Maths tasks from the ECU102 Training course). Daniel Gormally Daniel Gormally is a Chess Grandmaster residing in Alnwick, Northumberland. He received the Grandmaster title in 2005 and represented England at the European team championships that year.In 2024, he won both the British rapid play championship and the English blitz championship.At age 49, Daniel continues to participate actively in international tournaments. He has authored several chess books, such as “Mating the Castled King” and an autobiographical work titled “A Year in the Chess World.”Daniel also served as an official commentator at the British championships in Liverpool, alongside Nicholas Pert. In London Danielwill share techniques for Optimising Strategies for Chess Minigames