FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, Day 5: Sacrifices and Surprises
Day 5 of the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 in Samarkand was full of drama. Piece sacrifices, big blunders, and shocking upsets made it a day to remember.
Maghsoodloo Stays in the Lead
Iran’s Parham Maghsoodloo scored an important win over Richard Rapport. The game was balanced until the endgame, where Rapport miscalculated. Maghsoodloo now keeps the sole lead in the Open tournament.
Big Upsets: Gukesh and Praggnanandhaa Fall
Two of India’s brightest stars suffered setbacks. Praggnanandhaa lost to Germany’s Matthias Bluebaum in a tense endgame. This marks Bluebaum’s third straight victory, proving he is in top form.
Even bigger news came from World Champion Gukesh D’s game. Facing Abhimanyu Mishra, Gukesh fell into deep trouble in the Giuoco Piano. Despite chances to escape, a late blunder sealed his defeat. A shocking early upset for the reigning World Champion.
Arjun Strikes Back
Arjun Erigaisi brought energy to the round with a win over Nikita Vitiugov. In the Catalan, Arjun punished a single mistake and took control. His precise play turned the game in his favor, giving him a deserved victory.
Firouzja and Maurizzi Score
Alireza Firouzja bounced back after earlier setbacks. This time, Sam Shankland’s one-move blunder gifted him a full point.
Meanwhile, France’s Marc’Andria Maurizzi stunned Vincent Keymer in the Sicilian. The game looked balanced, but a single mistake from Keymer was enough for Maurizzi to win.
Women’s Event: Four Players Share the Lead
The top clash between Vaishali Rameshbabu and Kateryna Lagno ended in a draw. That allowed Dinara Wagner and Ulviyya Fataliyeva to catch up at the top.
Wagner defeated Irina Bulmaga in the Najdorf after a clever bishop and rook setup. Fataliyeva shocked former World Champion Alexandra Kosteniuk, finishing with a neat mating net.
Other results added more spice to the standings. Tan Zhongyi beat Elina Danielian. Bibisara Assaubayeva outplayed Nurgyul Salimova in a rook endgame.Olga Girya toppled US Champion Carissa Yip. Anna Muzychuk finally scored her first win, defeating India’s Vantika Agrawal with sharp play in the Sicilian.
What’s Next?
With six rounds still to go, both the Open and Women’s tournaments remain wide open. Maghsoodloo leads the Open, while four players share the top in the Women’s section. The fight for the Candidates spots is heating up!
Round six begins at 3 PM local time on Tuesday, September 9.
Photos: Michal Walusza, FIDE_Chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
