Praggnanandhaa enters the tournament in a strong position. The 19-year-old enjoys a commanding lead in the FIDE Circuit performance points for 2025, almost guaranteeing his place in the Candidates, unless unforeseen circumstances drastically affect his form
R Praggnanandhaa (Pic: AFP)
India’s top-ranked Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa will be eager to seal his place in the prestigious Candidates Tournament 2026 as the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 begins on Wednesday. The 11-round event, featuring a fiercely competitive field, offers two highly coveted spots in the Candidates Tournament, one of the most elite competitions in world chess.
Praggnanandhaa enters the tournament in a strong position. The 19-year-old enjoys a commanding lead in the FIDE Circuit performance points for 2025, almost guaranteeing his place in the Candidates, unless unforeseen circumstances drastically affect his form. His consistency throughout the season has placed him well ahead of his nearest rivals in the circuit leaderboard.
The Grand Swiss, held in both open and women’s sections, carries a total prize pool of USD 625,000 and USD 230,000 respectively. More importantly, it serves as one of the critical qualification routes to the Candidates, which determines the challenger for the World Championship title.
The road to the Candidates 2026 involves multiple pathways: one player from the FIDE Circuit (2024–25), two from the Grand Swiss, three from the upcoming FIDE World Cup (to be held in Goa later this year), and two based on six months of average rating. Fabiano Caruana of the United States has already secured his place through his dominant performance in the 2024 season.
Adding further intrigue to the Grand Swiss is the participation of World Champion D Gukesh, who has already secured his place as the defending world champion. His involvement, however, does not impact Praggnanandhaa’s chances, but it underlines Gukesh’s commitment to maintaining competitive sharpness against the world’s best.
Another Indian, Arjun Erigaisi, remains in the hunt for a Candidates berth but stands behind Praggnanandhaa in the FIDE Circuit standings. He will need stellar performances in the remaining qualifying events. Vidit Gujrathi, who secured his spot in the 2024 Candidates through the previous Grand Swiss, is also in the fray but will need to rediscover his top form.
India’s depth in the open section is impressive, with veterans like P Harikrishna, rising stars Nihal Sarin, and World Junior Champion Pranav Venkatesh all participating. Each will be aiming to peak at the right moment in this high-stakes event.
A notable highlight is Divya Deshmukh, who received a wildcard to play in the open section despite already qualifying for the women’s Candidates alongside Koneru Humpy. Humpy, however, has opted out of the Grand Swiss.
In the women’s event, India’s charge will be led by D Harika, joined by the previous edition’s winner R Vaishali and promising youngster Vantika Agrawal.
The opening ceremony will take place on Wednesday, followed by the draw of lots. Round one kicks off on Thursday.
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