FIDE Grand Swiss 2025: Praggnanandhaa Faces Jeffery Xiong, Gukesh Takes on Etienne Bacrot
India’s top-ranked player, R Praggnanandhaa, will play against American Grandmaster Jeffery Xiong in the first round of the prestigious FIDE Grand Swiss Chess tournament. Meanwhile, current World Chess Champion D Gukesh is set to face France’s Etienne Bacrot. This tournament serves as a qualifier for the upcoming Candidates Tournament.
Event Overview
The tournament features 116 players in the Open section and 56 in the Women’s section, competing for a prize pool of $855,000, with $625,000 allocated to the Open category.
Top Indian Contenders
- R Praggnanandhaa, World No. 4 and top seed from India
- D Gukesh, World Champion and World No. 6
- Arjun Erigaisi, World No. 5
- Defending Champion Vidit Gujrathi
- Women’s World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh competing in the Open section
Indian Players and Expectations
India fields a strong contingent with 15 players in the Open section and 3 in the Women’s section, including top women Grandmasters Harika Dronavalli, Vaishali Rameshbabu, and WGM Vantika Agrawal. With the absence of top global players like Magnus Carlsen and Fabiano Caruana, Indian players are among the favorites to clinch the title.
Tournament Format and Stakes
The 11-round Swiss format challenges players to perform consistently. The top two finishers in both Open and Women’s categories will qualify for the 2026 Candidates Tournament—a crucial stepping stone to the World Chess Championship.
