Karthikeyan murali

FIDE Standard Rating List: Reigning world champion D Gukesh, R Praggnanandha, Vaishali R and Kuneru Humpy are among the 15 Indian players (11 men and four women) qualified for the 2025 FIDE Grand Swiss and Women’s Grand Swiss, which will take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan from September 3–16.

As one of the most significant events in the chess calendar, the FIDE Grand Swiss offers players a direct pathway to the Candidates Tournament. The top two finishers in the Grand Swiss will secure spots in the 2026 Candidates Tournament while the top two players in the Women’s Grand Swiss will qualify for the 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament.

In addition to its importance as a qualifier, the event will feature an increased prize fund. The Open prize fund has been boosted from USD 4,60,000 to USD 6,25,000 - a 36 per cent increase. The women’s prize fund sees an even larger jump, from USD 1,40,000 to USD 2,30,000, up by 64 per cent.