~ Round one of the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss ended with a high number of draws in the Open section. By contrast, the Women’s Grand Swiss delivered early drama as several top seeds were upset by lower-rated opponents.
"VAN" (Sports Desk - 05.09.2025) :: The first games of the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss started at 3 PM local time in Samarkand. Now in its fourth edition, the event has drawn many of the world’s strongest players – including the world champion, Gukesh D – to compete in what is widely seen as the most gruelling Swiss System tournament of the year.
The round began with the traditional ceremonial first move on the top boards. Alisher Sadullaev – the First Vice-President of Uzbekistan Chess Federation and CEO of the Youth Affairs Agency of Uzbekistan – made the ceremonial move on board six, featuring Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov. Sadullaev was joined by FIDE President Arkady Dvorkovich and Chief Arbiter of the event, Laurent Freyd.
The opening rounds of Swiss System tournaments, especially round one, usually feature a significant number of victories, as the strongest players are pitted against the lower-rated ones. But the Grand Swiss is different: there are no weak opponents and anyone can win – and lose. It is not surprising then that the majority of the games in the Open event ended in draws.
On board one, top-ranked player R Praggnanandhaa drew with Jeffery Xiong in the Exchange line of the French. “Getting Jeffrey [former World Junior Champion] is unlucky, but everyone is strong here, and you don’t really have easy games,” said Praggnanandhaa after the game. The 19-year-old Indian shrugged off suggestions that he felt any pressure as the top-rated player in the tournament.
On board two, Arjun Erigaisi drew with Maksim Chigaev, while rising stars Ediz Gurel and Vincent Keymer split a point in the Ruy Lopez. GM Gabriel Sargissian – a highly successful member of the Armenian chess team – had a winning position against none other than Hans Niemann, but let the advantage slip into a draw.
Among the notable winners in round one are the World Champion Gukesh D who overcame the seasoned French GM Étienne Bacrot on the black side of the Caro-Kann. Anish Giri defeated Armenia’s Robert Hovhannisyan in the Najdorf line of the Sicilian.
The winner of the 2023 Grand Swiss, Vidit Santosh Gujrathi, also started with a victory against Alexander Donchenko, following time trouble. Alireza Firouzja managed to score against Bassem Amin after the Egyptian GM made a crucial mistake in an equal endgame late in the round.
Uzbekistan’s biggest hope in this tournament, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, defeated Serbia’s Velimir Ivic. In the Najdorf, Abdusattorov created a passer on the a-file and gradually increased pressure on Black. The opponents traded mistakes in time trouble before the time control, but Velimir was last to err.
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