FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, Round 8: A day of draws in the Open, as Lagno takes the lead in the Women’s tournament
Round eight saw just one victory among the top boards – with Keymer defeating the 2023 Grand Swiss winner Vidit. A different story unfolded in the women’s tournament where Vaishali Rameshbabu was knocked out of the lead after losing to Bibisara Assaubayeva. On board two, Kateryna Lagno crashed Mariya Muzychuk, taking a half-point lead in the tournament. Among the top ten boards in the Open section, eight finished in a draw. While many were mostly calm, some saw a sharp fight. On board one, the two tournament leaders from round seven – Matthias Bluebaum and Nihal Sarin – had a peaceful draw in the Queen’s Gambit Accepted, in just 21 moves and under an hour and 20 minutes of play. Of the seven players trailing the leaders on five points – all but one drew. Firouzja split a point with Niemann in the Ruy Lopez on board two, while Abdusattorov drew as Black against Mishra. Despite finishing in a draw, the game between Parham Maghsoodloo and Anish Giri saw a lot of intense action on the board. This was the position reached by move 21, in the English Opening: Black had just placed his bishop on d5, effectively taking the white rook on d6 captive. After 22.Bh3 Rc7 24.cxd5 Ke7 25.dxe6 Kxe6 Black emerged an exchange up, but it’s not so easy to convert, as White’s bishop had a lot of open space and his rook is also very active. After some precise maneuvers, the two eventually reached the following position: 49.Rg8! The only move! If 49…Rxg8 then 50.Bd5+ followed by the queen promotion after hxg8. 49…Rf8 50.Bg6+ Ke7 51.Kd5 Rf6 And now everything simplifies into a clean draw: 52.h8=Q Rxh8 53.Rxh8 Rxg6 54.Rh7+ Kd8 55.Rxb7. The only winner among the top boards was Vincent Keymer, who defeated Vidit in the Berlin Defence of Ruy Lopez. Vidit – who is defending his 2023 Grand Swiss crown – blundered his position in one move, in a drawn pawn endgame. Black should have played 43…Kd5! With the idea of creating a sufficient counterplay on the queenside in case of 44.Kf3 Kd4 45.Kg4 Kc3. Instead, Vidit faltered with 43…c6? after which Black’s position is beyond repair. After 44.c4! Kf5 45.Kf3 Kf6 46.Ke4 Ke6 47.d4! White went on to clear the queenside for his a-runner and won. This victory pushed Keymer into the group of eight players trailing Sarin and Bluebaum by half a point. Another joiner is Jorden van Foreest, who defeated Shakhriyar Mamedyarov. Turkish youngster Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus continued with his impressive performance, this time beating the seasoned Levon Aronian in the French. White is already better here thanks to his strong knight on g6. Despite being in time trouble, Erdogmus played a great move here – 33.Re4! attacking the d4-pawn. Black cannot take the rook with the knight because of checkmate 34.Rc8+ Rf8 35.Rxf8+ Kh7 36.Rh8#. Aronian played 33…e5 and after 34.Rxe5 White is winning. The d4-pawn fell pretty soon afterwards and White was confident in securing his victory. Erdogmus is now on 5/8, while Aronian is on four points. World Champion Gukesh D managed to end his losing streak by securing a draw as White. Playing on the penultimate board against Divya Deshmukh (who this summer won the Women’s World Cup), Gukesh was not his best self, as he missed chances and struggled. The Women’s event A big shift occurred in the Women’s Grand Swiss, as Bibisara Assaubayeva handed Vaishali Rameshbabu her first loss in the tournament. The position was even until move 25, when Vaishali lost her way. 25…Rad8? Overlooking the e5-pawn. Instead, 25…Nd5! would have maintained equality. 26.Nxe5 If 26…Rxd3 27.Rxc6 bxc6 28.Nxd3 and White would have been two pawns up. Vaishali struggled to find the right plan and spent the following moves shuffling pieces on the board, eventually trapping the knight and queen in a pin. Black is completely paralyzed and cannot effectively prevent the deadly 35.e4. Vaishali tried with 34…Rd6 but after 35.e4 Qd7 36.Qd2 Nf4+ 37.Qxf4 Rxd4 38.Rc7 Rexe4 39.Rxd7 and Black is a piece down. Assaubayeva is now on 6/8, together with Vaishali and Yuxing Song who also won today. While Vaishali faltered, the runner-up from round seven, Kateryna Lagno, used her chance to score and emerge as the tournament leader. Lagno defeated the former Women’s World Champion Mariya Muzychuk in the Anti-Meran. Playing as White, Lagno steadily coordinated her pieces and maintained initiative thanks to a strong centralised knight. On move 21 Mariya Muzychuk weakened the e-pawn with f7-f6 but went for this position, hoping for 23…Bc4, covering it. However, she missed a brilliant refutation by Lagno: 24.d5!! Black can capture the pawn in four different ways, but neither of them work, and White is already winning. 24…Bxd5 25.Rxd5!! exd5 26.Ne7+ Kh8 27.Qe6! Now the queen joins the mating attack. 27…Qd7 28.Qf7 Rb7 29.Ng6+ Kh7 30.Rd7 Black has to give up the queen to avoid checkmate. 31.Qxd7 Nxd7 and Muzychuk resigned. A great achievement by Lagno, who said after the game that she is not thinking about the results and standings, but just wants to “play chess the best I can”. Today was a great day for Yuxin Song as she got a lucky break as Black against the former Women’s World Champion, Antoaneta Stefanova. In a drawn rook endgame, Stefanova made a blunder and gave her position away. This victory got Yuxin Song to 6/8 and a shared second place with Bibisara Assaubayeva and Vaishali Rameshbabu. The full results of Round 8 and pairings for Round 9 can be found here: Women: grandswiss2025.fide.com/grand-swiss-women/ Open: grandswiss2025.fide.com/open/ Round 9 will take place on Saturday, 13th September at 3 PM local time. Written by Milan Dinic Photos: Michal Walusza About the event The FIDE Grand Swiss is one of the most significant tournaments in the World Chess Championship cycle, featuring many of the world’s strongest chess players. Launched in 2019 (with the women’s event starting in 2021), the 11-round Swiss system tournament is held every two years. Considered as one of the most
FIDE 2025 World Corporate Chess Championship: Registration open
FIDE invites you to the 2025 World Corporate Chess Championship, an event that celebrates the meeting point of business and chess. Companies from around the globe are invited to form their teams and compete for the title of The Smartest Company in the World. The championship will unfold across three stages; online qualifiers, online knockout matches, and the over-the-board finals in Goa, India, held alongside the prestigious FIDE World Cup 2025. The tournament will once again highlight how certain principles of chess; such as strategy, adaptability, and calculated decision-making, mirror the challenges of the business world. By bringing employees, executives, and business owners together over the chessboard, FIDE aims to create a global platform for corporate pride, networking, and competition. Emil Sutovsky, FIDE CEO, reflected on the growth of the event: “The World Corporate Chess Championship has grown from a novel idea into a global showcase, mixing serious business with serious chess. In 2021 due to the pandemic it was held entirely online, but in New York 2024, teams from top companies around the world – Google, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, BlackRock, UBS, to name a few, competed in this event on the most iconic stage. And now, in 2025, we’re aligning chess and corporate world even tighter, staging the final stage of the event in Goa, alongside the FIDE World Cup. India is quickly becoming the beating heart of modern chess, and its role as an economic power is more and more visible – this double-stage event reflects the momentum.” Who can participate? The event welcomes teams representing any legally recognized company. Each team consists of four players and a captain, who may also be a player. Eligible participants include employees and board members who have been with the company since March 1, 2025, as well as business owners holding more than 10% of the company’s shares. Companies may register more than one team. Championship format The 2025 edition will be played in three stages: Online Qualifiers (Lichess.org, October 11–12) Online Knockout (Lichess.org, October 18) Finals (Over-the-board, Goa, November 14–16) The Online Qualifiers will follow a Rapid Team Swiss System (7 rounds, 10 minutes + 3 seconds increment per move). Each team may enter only one qualifier. The top teams from each session will advance to the knockout stage. The Online Knockout will be played as two-match duels with the same 10+3 time control. In the event of a tie, a sudden death game will decide the winner. Eight teams will advance to the finals. The Finals in Goa will feature the eight knockout winners plus invited and wild card teams, for a maximum of 16. They will begin with a group stage before progressing to semifinals and a final. The prize The winning team will receive the official title of FIDE World Corporate Champion 2025 – The Smartest Company in the World. All finalists will have flights and accommodation in Goa covered (for up to five people per team), receive VIP tickets to the FIDE World Cup, attend a gala dinner, and enjoy corporate exposure during the live finals. Teams reaching the knockout stage will also secure seats for an online simul against a participant of the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026. Every registered team will receive a digital certificate and access to networking and training opportunities. Registration and Fees Deadline: at least 48h before qualifiers Entry fee: €500 per team Multiple teams per company allowed How to register – Form your team – Pay the entry fee (€500 per team) here: tickettailor.com/events/worldcorporate2025 – After payment, you will receive an invitation code by email (it might take up to 24 hours to receive the code) – Use this code to complete your team registration for one of the Qualifiers at: fwccc.lichess.ca Is your company ready to step onto the global stage among the world’s chess elite? Register today for the FIDE World Corporate Chess Championship 2025. Regulations FIDE 2025 World Corporate Chess Championship (PDF) Official website: worldcorporate.fide.com/
FIDE confirms dates for the 2025 Online Congress and General Assembly
The International Chess Federation (FIDE) has finalized the calendar for its 2025 Congress, with the General Assembly scheduled to take place on Sunday, 14 December 2025 in an online format. The FIDE Council has approved the virtual organization of the Congress. According to FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich, the event will serve as both a comprehensive review of the achievements of the international chess community over the past year and a strategic platform for shaping the FIDE’s priorities for the future. The Congress will encompass the statutory meetings of the FIDE Commissions, the FIDE Council, the FIDE Zonal Council, and culminate in the FIDE General Assembly. The timetable is as follows: FIDE Commissions meetings: 24–28 November 2025 FIDE Council meeting: 11 December 2025 FIDE Zonal Council meeting: 13 December 2025 FIDE General Assembly: 14 December 2025 The General Assembly as the supreme governing body of FIDE brings together the representatives of national chess federations to deliberate and decide upon key matters of governance, policy, statutes, and development. Member federations and affiliated organizations are reminded that proposals for inclusion on the agenda of the General Assembly must be submitted to the FIDE Office no later than 14 October 2025. FIDE Congress and General Assembly Invitation (PDF)
FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, Round 7: Bluebaum and Sarin seize the lead, as World Champion continues to struggle
Day seven of the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 brought a dramatic shake-up at the top, as Matthias Bluebaum and Nihal Sarin seized the lead in the Open with 5.5/7. In the Women’s Grand Swiss, Vaishali is again the sole leader after a victory over Guo Qi and is on 6/7. The round started with Señora Auxi Del Olmo – the mayor of the Spanish city of Linares – making the first move on board one in the Women’s tournament, in the game Stefanova – Lagno. Del Olmo was accompanied by Javier Ochoa de Echaguen, the President of the Spanish Chess Federation. Linares, a city synonymous with chess history, is set to be the stage for the FIDE World Women’s Team Championship 2025, which will run from 17 to 24 November. After leading for four straight rounds, Parham Maghsoodloo suffered his first loss in the tournament. He was defeated in the Slav by Nihal Sarin, who played as White. The Iranian maintained parity roughly until move 30, when time trouble caused him to slip. White is a pawn up and has two runners on the queenside, but it’s not easy. Black has pressure along the e-file, and the queen-pawn battery pins the g3-square, leaving White’s king exposed. The best choice for White here was to play 34.Rc7 which puts pressure on Black’s seventh rank but also cuts the queen pin on g3. But Sarin was also in time trouble and instead opted for 34.Nxg6? which was met by the immediate 34…Qg3+ and now the position is even. After 35.Kf1 Nf6 36.Rxf6! gxf6 37.Nxh4 the opponents reached the final critical position: Instead of taking on h4 and proceeding with Rc3, Maghsoodloo played 37…Rxb3?? which allowed White to evict the black queen with 38.Nf5! the rest was an easy ride for Nihal. After Qf4 39.Qxd5 Rb1+ 40.Kf2 Re5 41.Qd8+ Kh7 42.Qxf6 threatening checkmate on g7, Black resigned, catapulting Nihal Sarin to the shared lead in the tournament. Things also cleared up among the other four players who – like Sarin – entered the round with 4.5 points. Arjun Erigaisi lost as White to Germany’s Matthias Bluebaum. Playing against the Catalan, Erigaisi made several unforced errors, leading to a completely lost position as early as move 26. Black’s pieces are more active and he has potential discovered attacks along the d-file. Instead of moving his d2-bishop to safety with 26.Bf4 with a slightly inferior but defendable position, Erigaisi blundered with 26.Qxa7?? which was met by a quick 26…Ba8! The rook is attacking the queen, but the real target is the d2-bishop; wherever White puts his queen, she will be attacked in the next move by the d5-knight, opening the file for the rook to capture the bishop on d2. This victory launched Bluebaum to shared first place, together with Sarin. On board three, Anish Giri split a point with Abhimanyu Mishra in the King’s Indian. Despite Giri securing an extra pawn towards the end, it was a drawn rook endgame and Mishra held it without trouble. In other notable results of the round, Alireza Firouzja won as White against Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Yakubboev. Uzbekistan’s pride was saved by another Nodirbek – Abdusattorov, who defeated Iranian Amin Tabatabaei in the Italian Game. Abdusattorov was better for most of the game, advancing his d-pawn before an effective finish: Out of many winning options Nodirbek chose the most spectacular: 36.Bd5! leaving Black paralysed, as he can either take the bishop or lose a knight on c4. Either way, the outcome was certain: 36…Bxd5 37.Rb8 and Black can’t prevent the queen promotion on c8. For his victory, Abdusattorov was declared the player of the day in the Open. In one of the most anticipated duels of the day, Hans Niemann defeated the 14-year-old Turkish prodigy Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus in a double-edged Petrov. The opponents traded mistakes in the critical position on move 13. Both sides are in attack mode. Instead of 14.Bxc6! Hans opted for the weaker 14.h3 giving a chance to Black to play sharp with 14…fxg2 and in case of 15.hxg4 then Qh4 16.Kxg2 Bd6 with a very uncomfortable position for White. But Erdogmus played 14…Bh5 allowing White to proceed with the original plan: 15.Bxc6 bxc6? 15…Qc6 was better. 16.Re5 Qg6 17.g3 Bd6 18.Nb3! Black can’t take on d5 because of 18…Bxd5?? 19.Nc5 with a threat of mate with Qa6-b7. Niemann converted this winning position with surgical precision forcing Black’s resignation on move 27. Rating favourite Praggnanandhaa and 2023 Grand Swiss winner Gujrathi both won their games today, maintaining close proximity to the top. But the World Champion, Gukesh D, continues to sink. He lost again today. A third consecutive loss for Gukesh Playing as Black against Turkey’s rising star, Ediz Gurel, the World Champion managed to gain a slight advantage in the middlegame but then blundered away. With a third loss in a row, Gukesh has completely sunk in the tournament. The Women’s tournament Vaishali R seized the top spot again, emerging as the sole leader in the tournament. Playing with the white pieces against China’s Guo Qi, Vaishali grabbed the initiative in the Petrov, opting for a sharp approach. Vaishali is attacking. Here Black had to decide where to retreat her queen. The best option was 21…Qg4 transferring her most powerful piece to the kingside and maintaining equality. Guo, however, moved her queen to a passive position with 21…Qa6? and after 22.Bxe7 (even better was 22.Nh5 immediately) 22…Nxe7 23.f4 h5? 24.f5! h4 25.Nh5 Rcc8 26.f6! White got to the black king. A few moves later Guo resigned facing the imminent checkmate. Another confident performance by Vaishali, who is on a path to defend her 2023 Grand Swiss title. The win puts her alone at the top and earns her player of the day honours. Vaishali’s co-leader from day six, Kateryna Lagno, drew with the black pieces on board one against former Women’s World Champion Antoaneta Stefanova. In the Four Knights game neither side secured any advantage throughout and a draw was agreed on move
FIDE Chess in Education Commission (EDU) courses & events September–November 2025
Dear Member Federations, FIDE’s Chess in Education Commission continues to accelerate its provision of training for Lecturers and Teachers of Educational Chess, offering a series of high-level online and in-person opportunities in autumn 2025. The Preparation of Lecturers (PoL) course leads to the FIDE titles of Lead School Instructor (LSI) and Senior Lead Instructor (SLI). It is intended primarily for those who will train teachers, helping to expand the global community of educators capable of teaching chess in an educational way. The Preparation of Teachers (PoT) course leads to the FIDE title of School Instructor (SI). This 3-day (15-hour) training equips participants with pedagogical methods, digital tools, and practical strategies for teaching chess as an educational tool. Alongside these core courses, EDU also supports events that showcase innovation and best practices in the field, such as the “Every Lesson Counts” masterclasses in London. The schedule of the FIDE EDU upcoming courses and events is below: For more details visit the Chess in Education website: edu.fide.com/ To join, please register via the following links: 29th PoT online course – Sept 26-28Register: cloud.fide.com/s/qD7RBPYYAXmMLjr First Arabic PoT online course – Oct 3-5Register: cloud.fide.com/s/gXzeznmz9Q6ZHeA French PoT online course – Oct 24-26Register: cloud.fide.com/s/SYZqgJj5yKrbaXc Every Lesson Counts Masterclasses, London – Oct 11-12 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. Tickets: tickettailor.com/events/chessplus/1842399 Our dedicated Chess in Education website has further details: edu.fide.com/
FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, Round 6: World Champion Gukesh suffers second defeat in a row
After losing in round five, another shock for World Champion Gukesh D who made a crucial mistake in a drawn endgame. Parham Maghsoodloo retains a half-point lead in the Open, while Kateryna Lagno ties Vaishali Rameshbabu at the top of the Women’s tournament. Round six marked the end of the first stage of the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss, with a rest day scheduled for Wednesday. For many players, a win – or at least avoiding defeat – before the break is crucial, offering a chance to regroup and refocus. But not all could find that comfort. On board one, in a challenge for the leading position in the tournament, world’s fifth highest-rated player, Arjun Erigaisi, tried to take down Parham Maghsoodloo with the black pieces. In the Semi-Tarrasch, Erigaisi put more pressure early in the game, but it ended with exchanges of all the heavy and light pieces, leading to a drawn pawn endgame. On board two, Matthias Bluebaum and Abhimanyu Mishra – both trailing Maghsoodloo by half a point at the start of the day – played a draw in a sharp Grünfeld. In this game, both players made several temporary piece “offers” to one another, trying to provoke a blunder. In this position Bluebaum made a surprising move – 14.Bh6! White gives up a bishop, but only for one move: 14…Bxh6 15.Rd1 and Black’s d7-bishop is falling. 15…0-0 16.Bxd7 Qe7 17.0-0 Rad8 18.e5 Nc4 Now Black offers a knight for free and White has no better option but to take it. 19.Qxc4 Rxd7 Recapturing a light piece. 20.h4 Kh8 21.g3 and now Black tempts White with 21…Bd2 22.Nd4! Another “free” piece for Black. 22…cxd4 23.Rxd2 dxc3 24.Qxc3 Rxd2 25.Qxd2 and the position is even. Given that none of the other top players chasing Maghsoodloo won, the Iranian continues to be in sole lead in the tournament, half a point ahead of all. Anish Giri had a great day today, defeating Marc’Andria Maurizzi in what was almost a miniature, lasting just 27 moves. Playing the Najdorf, Giri took the initiative on the queenside, making a rapid pawn advance. White just played 19.f5, trying to counter Black’s advance on the queenside, but after 19…a4! Giri’s attack unfolds much faster. 20.fxe6 fxe6 21.bx4 Rxa4 22.Bh3? Attacking the e6-pawn, but completely ignoring Black’s main threat. 22…b3! – Now White’s king is under fire and Black is winning. 23.c3 Nc5 24.Qe2 Qc6 25.Kd2 0-0 Black moves his king to safety. 26.Rhf1 Rxf1 27.Qxf1 Qxe4 White is only a pawn down, but his king is exposed and pieces in the way that there is no good move left to play. Faced with this, Maurizzi chose to resign. This victory propelled Giri to the top group, half a point behind the leader Maghsoodloo. In a shocking twist of the day, the World Champion was stunned again, losing his second game in a row. Playing against Nikolas Theodorou of Greece in the Petrov, Gukesh had a solid position and was putting pressure on Black. However, Theodorou put up a stubborn resistance. Despite losing a pawn he gradually equalised, liquidating into a balanced rook endgame. Here White had to demonstrate accuracy with the only move 34.Kf2!, bringing his king closer to Black’s connected passers. However, Gukesh played 34.Ra7+?? after which Black’s pawns are unstoppable. A dire turn for the World Champion, who now has 3/6 and finds himself far away from the top. Hans Niemann was declared the player of the day following this victory against Uzbekistan’s Shamsiddin Vokhidov. In a very sharp position, with his king under attack, Hans Niemann (Black) found the best way to counter with the timely exchange sacrifice and ended up winning. 26…Rxf5! 27.Nxf5 Rxf5 28.Qg3?! Qa4 29.a3 f2! 30.Rhf1 Rf3! Black is now winning. Five moves down the road Vokhidov threw in the towel. The Women’s event Vaishali Rameshbabu and Kateryna Lagno share first place, with 5/6. They are followed by Antoaneta Stefanova and Guo Qi, half a point behind. Vaishali continued in strong form as she defeated Ulviyya Fataliyeva with the black pieces in the Bishop’s Opening, securing her place at the top. Despite surprising Black with her opening choice, Fataliyeva failed to get any advantage and allowed Vaishali to take the initiative. By move 23, Fataliyeva was already losing, after Black pushed her pawn to h3 to weaken the king’s fortress. Black has a towering advantage. Now Vaishali goes for the key blow: 24…a5! 25.Bxa5 Rxc5 26.Qe1 Bg4! A double attack on the pawn that covers the big diagonal. The only way to protect it is 27.Qe2 but after 27…Rxa5 28.fxg4 Ra3 White’s position is completely shattered. A pale performance by Fataliyeva, who had been having an excellent tournament thus far. In another duel of the leaders, on board one, Kateryna Lagno missed several opportunities to take down Dinara Wagner, but eventually ended up winning. Playing the Sicilian, Wagner allowed Lagno to win a pawn early in the opening. After trading multiple inaccuracies, the opponents reached the following critical position: Black’s pawn is just one step away from promotion, but her position is tricky as White is holding and still has two runners on the queenside. According to engines, the best option for Black was to play 51…Re3 52.Rxg2 Ke7 giving up her last pawn but hoping to hold with precise play. However, Wagner faltered here with 51…Bd4?? After 52.Bxe2 g1=Q 53.Rxg1 Bxg1 White is just two pawns up and winning, as Black’s king fails to reach the queenside. After a few more moves, Wagner had to resign, sending Lagno to shared first with Vaishali. In the duel between two former World Champions, Antoaneta Stefanova defeated Tan Zhongyi with the black pieces. For the following game, Stefanova was declared the player of round six. Black is winning. Many ways “lead to Rome” here, but Stefanova chose the most effective one: 25…Nh4!!, completely smashing White’s position. The rest was a smooth sail for Antoaneta, who forced capitulation on move 40. So far, Stefanova – who was the Women’s World
FIDE World Senior Championship 2025: Record participation and increased prize fund
The 33rd FIDE World Senior Championship, to be held in Gallipoli, Puglia, Italy, from October 20 (arrival) to November 2 (departure), has already set a new record, with more than 430 players registered. The championships will be played as 11-round Swiss-system tournaments with classical time control (90 minutes plus a 30-second increment per move). Four categories will be featured: Open and Women’s sections for the 50+ and 65+ age groups. Players must have reached the respective age of 50 or 65 by December 31, 2025. In recognition of the record turnout, FIDE has boosted the total prize fund from €43,000 to €50,000. The category winners will receive: €5,000 (Open 50+), €2,100 (Women 50+), €3,000 (Open 65+), and €1,500 (Women 65+). In addition, the champions will be awarded free entry and complimentary hotel accommodation at the 3rd Cap Negret Senior Open (50+ and 65+), taking place from November 8–16, 2025, in Altea, Alicante, Spain. The special prizes for players aged 75 and above have also been increased. Several side activities will complement the main event, including two FIDE-rated blitz tournaments. Invitation letter, regulations, accommodation, prizes (PDF) Official website: worldseniorchampionship2025.com/ E-mail: worldsenior@fide.com
FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, Day 5: A round of piece sacrifices and surprises
Iran’s Parham Maghsoodloo maintains the sole lead after a victory over Richard Rapport. Meanwhile, both Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa suffered shock defeats. In the Women’s event, Wagner and Fataliyeva joined Vaishali and Lagno at the top. The games of round five of the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss were marked by piece sacrifices, blunders, and several even endgames thrown away. The round started with former FIDE World Champion Rustam Kasimdzhanov making the first move in the game between Abdusattorov and Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, which ended in a late draw after the Uzbek star failed to convert a better position. Parham Maghsoodloo continues to lead the Open tournament after defeating Richard Rapport on board one in the London system. The position was largely even until the endgame, when Rapport miscalculated and lost. There were two big surprises in the results on the top boards. Playing on board two, Praggnanandhaa lost to Matthias Bluebaum in the Queen’s Pawn Opening. Playing as Black, the Indian found himself in a tense endgame and overlooked a pawn on the queenside which ended up costing him a point. That’s now a third consecutive victory for Bluebaum, who is having a great event so far. The day also saw the World Champion Gukesh D stunned by Abhimanyu Mishra. In the Giuoco Piano, Gukesh overstretched himself in the early stages of the game. Black has played 12…g4? allowing White a piece sacrifice which offered him more than sufficient compensation with 13.exd6 gxf3 14.dxc7 Qe7 15.Nf3 In the moves that followed, Mishra was not precise in executing his advantage and even allowed Gukesh to equalise. However, in another critical moment, Gukesh misplayed again: Black’s best choice was to play 36…Rd3 and force a draw with checks. Instead, Gukesh blundered with 36…Ne2?? after which he is lost as his king is in a mating net. 37.Kf1 Nf4 38.Bd4 Rf3+ 39.Ke1 Nd3+ 40.Kd2 Nxe5 41.Bxe5 Kxe5 42.Rg5+ Ke6 43.Rgxd5 And now White has a passer on the g-file in addition to the c7-pawn, which has pinned one of Black’s rooks to the eighth rank. Gukesh played on but had to resign in the end. A major early upset for the World Champion. In another exciting game, Arjun Erigaisi – playing as White – defeated Nikita Vitiugov in the Classical Line of the Catalan. Black traded her queen for two rooks, but the resulting position was slightly better for White. Disaster struck Vitiugov on move 24. Here Vitiugov blundered with 24…Rb5?? Giving up a pawn on a7 and allowing White to take the initiative. 25.Qxa7 Bd3 26.Bxf6 gxf6 Doubling Black’s pawns and then 27.Qd4! – attacking the bishop and pinning f6. 27…Bg6 28.Nd5 and White is winning. After blundering in the endgame against Maghsoodloo in round three, Alireza Firouzja had the favour returned in today’s game, as he managed to swing a drawn endgame thanks to Sam Shankland blundering in one move. It’s not easy for White to hold as Black is pressing. 47.Ke2 was the only move, but Sam had to foresee that in the line 42…d4 43.exd4 Ke4 44.b5! Kxd4 45.Kf3! Kc4 46.Ke4 Kb4 47.Kd5 Kxa4 48.Kc6! White maintains equality, reminiscent of the famous Botvinnik – Euwe endgame (Groningen, 1946). Instead, Shankland played 47.bxa5 bxa5 48.Kd4 and after 48…Kf3 he could not prevent the fall of the h2-pawn. In another surprise of the round, Marc’Andria Maurizzi defeated Vincent Keymer in the Sicilian. The position was even until the endgame when Keymer blundered in one move and lost. The Women’s event Day five saw tournament leaders Vaishali Rameshbabu and Kateryna Lagno face off on board one. In the Ruy Lopez, after three and a half hours of play, neither side found a way to tip the balance and a draw was agreed on move 35. Playing with the black pieces against Irina Bulmaga, Dinara Wagner opted for the Najdorf. After Irina’s inaccuracy on move seventeen, Dinara got an edge thanks to better coordination of her bishops and rooks. Eventually, Bulmaga miscalculated, entering an endgame with opposite-coloured bishops a pawn down which was absolutely hopeless for White. 44…b6! Black creates the second passer on the a-file. Since the passed pawns are too far apart, the opposite-coloured bishops do not rescue White. Fifteen moves down the road, Irina capitulated. 0-1 Ulviyya Fataliyeva defeated the former World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, who blundered in the endgame, walking into a mating net. With their victories, Wagner and Fataliyeva joined Vaishali and Lagno at the top. On board two, former Women’s World Champion Antoaneta Stefanova drew with Uzbekistan’s Afruza Khamdamova in the King’s Pawn Opening. Stefanova had more initiative but could not make a tangible advantage. In other notable results on the top boards, Tan defeated Elina Danielian as Black, and Bibisara Assaubayeva prevailed over Nurgyul Salimova after snatching a pawn in the middlegame and forcing a won rook endgame. Olga Girya toppled the US Women’s Champion Carissa Yip with the black pieces. After a strong start in the first two rounds, Olga Badelka has now hit a rough patch. Following an unfortunate loss to Vaishali in round three, she made a draw with Tsolakidou in round four but lost today to Song Yuxin. The rating favourite in the Women’s event, Anna Muzychuk, scored her first victory in the tournament. Playing as White, she defeated India’s Vantika Agrawal in the Closed Sicilian. Agrawal made a blunder in a tense position: Here, Black should have continued with 29…Rb8 and then if 30.Rc7 she should have played Bb8, defending in a difficult position. Instead, she went for a rook exchange which turned out to be fatal. 29…Rxc1 30.Rxc1 Rb8 31.Rc5!! Winning a pawn as Agrawal apparently overlooked the checkmate on the eighth rank. 31…g5 32.Rxb5 Not only has White created an extra pawn on the b-file, but her centralised rook and pieces caused further chaos for Black. 1-0. Following a shocking loss in round one, Anna struggled in the tournament, with three consecutive draws. Maybe this victory will mark a turning point in her tournament. With six rounds to go,
Women’s Chess Marathon 2025 – A Summary
A month of global connection This August, the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess led the Women’s Chess Marathon – a worldwide celebration held within FIDE Women’s Month and the 2025 Social Chess Year. Each week, a different continent became the stage for tournaments, workshops, and conversations, always in close cooperation with local organizers. Over 1,000 participants joined the Marathon worldwide, showing just how needed these initiatives are. The Marathon was not only about competition: it created safe, inspiring spaces where girls and women could feel supported, build confidence, and find role models — all while celebrating the global community that chess represents. Week 1 – Americas: Diversity and community The Marathon began in the Americas, where events highlighted how chess can build safe, supportive spaces for women and girls while celebrating the continent’s diversity. An online Arbiter’s Seminar opened the week, giving participants tools to strengthen their involvement in chess beyond the board. In the Dominican Republic, the Women’s Tournament of Santiago formed part of the Chess for Girls in a Safe Environment initiative, emphasizing the importance of protection and opportunity for young players. In Venezuela, a Women’s Chess Festival combined a rapid tournament with engaging talks and discussions. And in Puerto Rico, the regional closing event was hosted at the Casa del Ajedrez in Caguas. Its highlight was a simultaneous exhibition with the Women’s Olympic Team – WIM Danitza Vázquez Maccarini, WCM Yanira Rivera Negrón, WCM Coralys M. Alvarado Pérez, WCM Gabriela Vera, joined by guest master WFM Rinelly Comas Colón – inspiring the next generation. Together, these events showed how women’s chess in the Americas thrives when communities come together, creating opportunities not only for competition but also for learning and mentorship. Big appreciation goes to the Chess Confederation for the Americas and to our Commission members Sarai Sánchez and Francisco Cruz, whose support was invaluable. Week 2 – Africa: Meeting role models, building confidence The second week highlighted Africa, where chess became a platform for confidence, growth, and record-breaking participation in South Africa and Zambia. A special highlight of this week was the presence of WGM Dana Reizniece, Deputy Chair of the FIDE Management Board, who attended both events. Her encouragement left a strong impression on participants, many of whom were meeting a chess leader of her stature for the first time. In South Africa, the Queen’s Chess Training Workshop gathered girls for skills development, with sessions by FT Eric Takawira, FI Reuben Salimu, and Nadzeya Krauchuk. Dana Reizniece opened the event with her lecture Making it in Chess and later led a simultaneous exhibition at Louwville High School. The week concluded with a Women’s Month Blitz Tournament. Just days later in Zambia, history was made: the Rapid Women’s Chess Championship brought together 88 female players, the largest number ever for a women’s championship in the country. Here too, participants benefited from presence of Dana Reizniece, as she delivered a motivational talk that encouraged them to pursue their ambitions in chess and beyond. Special thank you to the Chess Federations of South Africa and Zambia for making these groundbreaking events possible. Week 3 – Asia & Australia: Inspiration across generations The third week of the Marathon showed how women’s chess flourishes when communities rally behind it. In Nepal, the Himalayan Chess Academy staged one of the largest women’s and girls’ tournaments in the country’s history, drawing 142 players aged between 5 and 67. The tournament also received extraordinary backing from across sports, culture, and education. Distinguished guests such as Palesha Goverdhan, bronze medalist at the Paris 2024 Paralympics, lent their support, underscoring how much potential girls and women in chess hold — and how vital it is to surround them with encouragement and recognition. Meanwhile in Australia, celebrations stretched across schools and generations. From the Korowa Anglican Girls School Zonal Tournament with 120 participants, to motivational talks by Angelica Zivanovic, and a lecture with simultaneous exhibition by WGM Julia Ryjanova, girls experienced both high-level chess and inspiring stories. The events also honoured Leonid Sandler, whose 25 years of coaching at Lauriston Girls School have left a remarkable legacy. Altogether, the Australian program blended large-scale participation with the impact of dedicated role models, creating a true celebration of women’s chess. Special thanks go to Monalisha Khamboo and Leonid Sandler, whose dedication and long-term support continue to strengthen women’s chess across the region. Week 4 – Europe: The power of women’s voices The Marathon concluded in Europe with events that emphasized the importance of women’s voices in shaping the future of chess. In Italy, the conference Power Moves: Women Shaping Chess was hosted at Campus San Francesco in Conegliano. Speakers included Anastasia Sorokina, Chair of the FIDE Commission for Women’s Chess, WGM Aleksandra Dimitrijević, IA Franca Dapiran, and Veronika Goi, moderated by Deborah Pavei. Their reflections touched on leadership, education, and inclusion in chess communities. This event was especially meaningful for our Commission because it featured Anastasia Sorokina, Chair of our Commission. A passionate advocate for girls and women in chess, she works tirelessly to make the chess world welcoming and inclusive for everyone. Part of the celebration in Italy was a Girls & Boys Blitz Team Tournament, encouraging teamwork and friendly competition and teaching about inclusion in a fun way. In Portugal, the Women’s Talks in Matosinhos followed the National Women’s Semi-Rapid Championship, won by Marta Almeida. The panel featured Susana Gonçalves (WOM member and President of Chess2All), WIM Jussara Chaves, Ana Inês Silva, Isabel Nunes, Luísa Salgueiro (Mayor of Matosinhos), and André Vögtlin, Chair of the FIDE Social Commission. His presence added particular significance to the closing event of the Marathon, linking it to the wider celebration of FIDE Women’s Month within the 2025 Social Chess Year. Special thanks to the Italian and Portuguese Chess Federations and all local partners for making these meaningful events possible. Beyond the official events While each week focused on a different continent, the Marathon reached far beyond its official program. Independent organizers joined the global celebrations and hosted their own tournaments, talks, and online activities to stand with the initiative – from Kenya to Canada. These efforts proved that when given a platform, communities are eager to create spaces where women and girls feel welcome in chess. Women’s Marathon The Women’s Marathon showed that when women and girls are given space in chess, they bring diversity, inspire new generations, and strengthen communities. From arbiters and organizers to players, coaches,
FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, Day 4: Lagno joins Vaishali at the top as Maghsoodloo holds on to his lead
A quiet day in Samarkand as most of the games on the top boards in both the Open and the Women’s event finished in a draw. With three and a half points, Iranian Parham Maghsoodloo continues to lead in the Open, chased by as many as 13 players who are half a point behind. In the Women’s tournament, Kateryna Lagno scored a convincing victory to share first place with Vaishali Rameshbabu. On board one in the Open tournament, leader Parham Maghsoodloo played as White against Uzbekistan’s top player Nodirbek Abdusattorov. A tense and complicated game developed in the Queen’s Gambit Accepted, with both having to play with high precision and finesse. After exactly four and a half hours of play, a draw was agreed with only the two kings left on the board. On board two, Praggnanandhaa could not find a way to convert his extra pawn against Abhimanyu Mishra, known as the youngest player in history to become a Grandmaster (at 12 years, 4 months, and 25 days). Mishra opted for 36…Re7? Instead, he should have played 36…Nb5 (White cannot take on b7 as Black takes the d4-pawn with a check and then send the rook to the second rank with another check, clearing out White’s back ranks.) 37.Rd7 Protecting the d5-pawn, and now 37…Re7 38.Rd5 Nc3 and Black has better chances of holding. After 37.Rxe7 Kxe7 38.f5! Kf6 39.fxg6 Kxg6 40.Kf4 White is winning according to chess engines. However, in the moves that followed, Praggnanandhaa could not make any progress and had to settle for a draw. An exciting game took place on board five, in a German showdown between Vincent Keymer and Frederik Svane. A sharp position arose in the Open Variation of Ruy Lopez. In this position, Svane played 24…c5, looking to build up pressure on White. But this seemingly logical move was a mistake which Keymer was quick to spot: 25.Bxc5!! Qxc5 26.Rxd5 Qc7. This forced line led to a very uncomfortable position for Black. But Keymer wasn’t precise in his conversion, and the position was soon even. Eventually, White emerged a pawn up in a sharp endgame, but the position was even, with threats for both sides. However, at some point, Svane started losing his way and allowed White to transpose into a winning minor piece endgame with a remote passer on the queenside. Slowly, but surely, Keymer steered the game in his favour and clinched the full point. There were other missed chances among the top players. The victor of the previous Grand Swiss, Vidit Santosh Gujrathi had a winning endgame as Black against Vasyl Ivanchuk. In the Scotch, approaching the endgame, Ivanchuk went for a pawn push which significantly weakened his position and ended up costing him a pawn. Vidit forced a winning rook endgame, but completely misplayed it in the end, allowing Ivanchuk to save half a point. World Champion Gukesh D split a point with compatriot Arjun Erigaisi in the Catalan. Following a shocking loss late on day three, Alireza Firouzja split a point with Szymon Gumularz of Poland after just 25 moves. Giri had a very quick draw as Black against Cheparinov (the first game of the round to finish, after an hour and a half of play), as did Salem and Aronian. MarcAndria Maurizzi prevailed over Maxime-Vachier Lagrave in a hard-fought French derby which stood out. In the Advance Caro-Kann, MVL – playing as White – emerged with two minor pieces for a rook. However, his young opponent had two dangerous advanced passers on the queenside. The position was in balance, but the younger of the two Frenchmen overestimated his chances and grabbed the a4-pawn, which gave White a crushing attack. At the critical moment of the game, MVL – known for his precise calculation – did not manage to find the winning idea. MVL played 30.Bh6?? and after 30…c2! the position was even again. White could have finished it off with 30.Qh4! The point is that 30…Qxe5 (the best move for Black) fails to the elegant 31.Nc2!!, with the idea of 32.Bd4, winning. Maxime’s troubles did not end there. In the ensuing play both opponents traded mistakes but MVL was last to err, capitulating on move 38. The day’s biggest upset came from Divya Deshmukh, who stunned Africa’s top-rated player Bassem Amin. Playing against the Sicilian, the Egyptian created a slightly better position from the opening but then began overspreading, which backfired, leading to a defeat. Black just missed playing 32…Rd4 and then taking the pawn on a5. Instead, she gave White respite with 32…f3. The best choice for White here was 33.Qc1 and to try and hold. Instead, Amin blundered with 33.Ng3?? which was punished with: 33…Rxg4!! 34.hxg4 Qh6+ 35.Nh5 Otherwise checkmate in two moves 35…Bxh5 and White is completely lost. For this victory, Divya was declared the player of the day in the Open. The Women’s event There were slightly more decisive games in the women’s event than in the Open. After four rounds, two players are in the lead with 3.5 points, chased by a group of five, on three points. On the top board, in the Grunfeld Defence, tournament leader Vaishali drew as Black with Dinara Wagner. On board two, seasoned player Kateryna Lagno scored an impressive victory with the white pieces against Song Yuxin. In the Four Knights line of the Sicilian, Lagno took the initiative early in the middlegame and continued to increase her advantage. 21.f6! Putting pressure on the black king trapped in the centre. 21…gxf6 22.gxf6 Nxd3 23.Qxd3 Bxf6 24.Rdf1 Be8 25.Rhg1 Qd7 26.Rg7 After just 26 moves Black is completely paralysed. The Chinese player continued to defend, but she was only delaying the inevitable. For this forceful victory, Lagno was declared the player of the day in the Women’s event. She is now also in shared first place, together with Vaishali Rameshbabu. In a roller coaster game, former World Champion Tan Zhongyi and Nurgyul Salimova split a point. White’s is clearly better, but here Tan overstretched herself.