For two weeks in September, the ancient capital of the Silk Road will be home to many of the best chess players in the world. When talent, youth, experience, and ambition collide, uncertainty is the only rule.
Since its initiation in 2019, the FIDE Grand Swiss – held every two years – has distinguished itself as the strongest classical chess tournament. Featuring 11 rounds played under the Swiss system it is a battleground where the best face the best and only exceptional performance can secure victory.
This is hardly surprising given what is at stake – substantial prizes and coveted qualifying spots for the 2026 Candidates Tournament in the Open and Women’s categories.
The total prize fund amounts $855,000, with $625,000 allocated to the Grand Swiss and $230,000 to the Women’s Grand Swiss. The primary qualification goal of the tournament is clear: the top two finishers in both the Open and Women’s events will secure their places in the 2026 Candidates, which will decide the next challenger for the World Championship title.
“The Grand Swiss has always stood as a unique tournament and one of the most anticipated events in the FIDE calendar. We are pleased that it will be taking place in Uzbekistan – a great chess nation which is investing in the sport and has a proven track record in organising major chess events,” FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich said.
“The rising youth dominating the chess scene in recent years will be tested in Samarkand, facing many of the most seasoned players on the planet. I am very much looking forward to the clash of generations. Overall, I believe that this tournament will have a strong positive impact on the promotion of chess, not just in Uzbekistan or central Asia, but much more broadly,” he added.
The unpredictable winners of the Grand Swiss
A look at the previous editions of the Grand Swiss – three in the Open and two in the Women’s category – shows that one thing is clear: once the games start, there isn’t much difference between the rating favourites and the underdogs, and nothing is certain until the end.
In 2019, underdog Wang Hao emerged as the winner after a lucky victory over David Howell. The Chinese GM edged out the favourite, Fabiano Caruana, thanks to a better tiebreak. In that tournament, the then 23-year-old Kirill Alekseenko stunned the field, finishing in third place.
Then in 2021, in Riga, Alireza Firouzja made his big mark on the global scene by overcoming seasoned GMs and winning the tournament outright. In a field dominated by youth, the experienced player Alexei Shirov delivered a great performance, tying for third place and earning a spot in the 2022 FIDE Grand Prix. In 2021, the inaugural Women’s Grand Swiss was held, which was marked by Lei Tingjie’s, securing the title with a round to spare.
In the third edition, held at the Isle of Man in 2023, Firouzja faltered and finished in the middle of the scoreboard, but it was the Indian players who stole the show, with Vidit Santosh Gujrathi capturing the Open and Vaishali Rameshbabu triumphing in the Women’s competition. Vidit, despite losing in round one, rallied brilliantly to finish half a point ahead of Hikaru Nakamura.
Players to look out for at the 2025 Grand Swiss
This year’s Grand Swiss will see 116 players take part in the Open, including the World Champion Gukesh D, and 56 in the Women’s tournament.
The Open tournament field is formidable. Eighteen players boast ratings above 2700, placing them in the Super-GM category, alongside 74 GMs rated 2600–2699 – world-class competitors capable of toppling anyone. With top contenders hailing from chess powerhouses such as India, the U.S, France, Germany, China, the competition will be fierce.
Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa, the current leader of FIDE Circuit, headlines the ranking list in Samarkand. The Indian youngster – who only turned 20 on August 10 – is already a seasoned player having dominated many tough tournaments and represented his country in Olympiads and team events. Praggnanandhaa is enjoying a career-best year as he became the top-ranked player in his native India and fourth in the world, his highest placement so far. Most recently, Praggnanandhaa was the runner-up of the Sinquefield Cup, which secured him a place in the playoff stage of the Grand Chess Tour. The superb strength and performance he has had this year so far has put Praggnanandhaa at the top of the favourites to win the Grand Swiss.
Another title hopeful is Gukesh D – the 19-year-old World Champion who has made history several times already, most notably by becoming the first Indian to breach the 2750 ELO barrier, as well as being the youngest-ever winner of the Candidates and later on World Champion. Gukesh has had a bright year so far – finishing as the runner-up at Tata Steel and taking third place in Norway Chess, where he defeated Carlsen and Nakamura. Gukesh’s strength and world crown make him an exceptionally strong favourite in the tournament, but his status also makes him a prime target for many of the players in the Grand Swiss. The 19-year-old is already renowned for his focus and for managing to keep his nerves steady. Whether he does that in Samarkand will be decisive for his performance in the Grand Swiss.
Arjun Erigaisi, India’s third big hope at the event, is also in strong form. A former national number one, he’s now ranked among the best players in the world. Then there’s Vidit Santosh Gujrathi, the 2023 Grand Swiss winner chasing for another title.
Other top players in the race include the 2021 Grand Swiss winner, 22-year-old Alireza Firouzja, who captured another Bullet Chess Championship title in 2025, had a solid performance at the Superbet Rapid & Blitz and was a runner-up in the Esports World Cup, losing to Magnus Carlsen.
Germany’s Vincent Keymer is another one to watch out for – the winner of the German Championship, Keymer is coming to Samarkand fresh off his victory at the Chennai Grand Masters, the tournament in India where he dominated the field among top Indian players, winning with a round to spare.
Among the frontrunners in Samarkand are other experienced heavyweights and seasoned youngsters: Nodirbek Abdusattorov, then the two-time World Championship candidate Ian Nepomniachtchi, Levon Aronia, Anish Giri, as well as the energetic Hans Niemann.
In the Women’s tournament, former World Champion and this year’s challenger for the world crown, Tan Zhongyi, is the top-seed in Samarkand. Although Tan lost the title match, her perseverance has come through in all the events she took part in this year, proving that she remains a formidable force in women’s chess.
Tan’s compatriot – Lei Tingjie – is another frontrunner. Lei famously won the inaugural edition of the Women’s Grand Swiss in 2021 with a round to spare. In 2025, she came in third at Norway Chess, reached the semifinals of the FIDE Women’s World Cup and is currently ranked as the third-highest-rated player on the women’s Elo list.
Ukraine’s Anna Muzychuk is also expected to make a strong bid for the title. After narrowly missing out on qualifying for the 2026 Candidates via the Women’s Grand Prix, Anna is coming to Samarkand with a clear goal – to reach one of the top two spots, leading to the 2026 Candidates.
Other top female players – Koneru Humpy, Kateryna Lagno, as well as the winner of the 2023 Grand Swiss, Vaishali Rameshbabu – are also in the hunt for one of the top two spots.
Where, what, when: Key information about the tournament
The Grand Swiss tournament will take place at the Silk Road EXPO – a grand venue with outstanding playing and resting facilities and catering, where the 2023 World Rapid and Blitz tournaments took place.
Access to the tournament hall of the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, will only be granted with prior registration. To attend the event, visitors are kindly requested to submit the application form.
Follow the games live and watch the action with expert commentary provided by GM Evgenij Miroshnichenko and IM Jovanka Houska on the FIDE YouTube channel.
The opening ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday, September 3, at 6.30 PM local time (GMT +5), with round one starting on September 4, at 3 PM local time. Games take place every day except September 10, which is a rest day. The final – 11th round – will take place on September 15, at 2PM local time, with the closing ceremony scheduled for 9 PM.
The Grand Swiss is a crucial qualifying tournament for the World Championship Cycle, with the top two finishers in both the Open and Women’s sections earning places in the 2026 Candidates. This adds extra significance to the competition and makes for an exciting event in Samarkand.
Official website: grandswiss2025.fide.com