FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, Round 6: Gukesh Suffers Again as Lagno Catches Vaishali
The day 6 of the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 brought more drama in Samarkand. World Champion Gukesh D lost his second game in a row, while Parham Maghsoodloo kept his lead in the Open section. In the Women’s event, Kateryna Lagno joined Vaishali Rameshbabu at the top.
A rest day now gives players a chance to regroup before the crucial second half of the tournament.
Open Section Highlights
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Board 1: Arjun Erigaisi fought hard with Black against Maghsoodloo. In a Semi-Tarrasch battle, the pieces were traded off until only pawns remained. The game ended in a draw, keeping Maghsoodloo half a point ahead of the field.
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Board 2: Matthias Bluebaum and Abhimanyu Mishra clashed in a sharp Grünfeld. Both players kept offering “free” pieces to tempt mistakes, but neither cracked. The game ended peacefully.
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Anish Giri impressed with a smooth win over Marc’Andria Maurizzi. Playing the Najdorf, Giri’s queenside attack broke through quickly, and Maurizzi had to resign after just 27 moves. This win pushed Giri into the chasing group, just half a point behind the leader.
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World Champion Gukesh faced Greek GM Nikolas Theodorou in the Petrov. Gukesh pressed for an advantage but missed a key move in the endgame. Instead of playing 34.Kf2, he blundered with 34.Ra7+, and Theodorou’s pawns became unstoppable. With this loss, Gukesh remains on just 3/6, far away from the leaders.
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Hans Niemann was declared player of the day after a brilliant victory over Shamsiddin Vokhidov. Sacrificing an exchange at the right moment, Niemann launched a deadly attack and forced resignation.
Maghsoodloo still leads the Open, with Giri, Niemann, and others just half a point behind.
Women’s Section Highlights
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Vaishali Rameshbabu defeated Ulviyya Fataliyeva with Black. Despite Fataliyeva’s creative opening, Vaishali took control and delivered a powerful attack. By move 28, White’s position collapsed completely.
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Kateryna Lagno overcame Dinara Wagner in a tense Sicilian. Wagner pushed her pawn dangerously close to promotion but faltered in a critical moment. Lagno capitalized and joined Vaishali at the top with 5/6.
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Antoaneta Stefanova, former World Champion, produced a stunning win against Tan Zhongyi. Her knight sacrifice (25…Nh4!!) destroyed White’s defense, and she smoothly converted the advantage. Stefanova now sits in joint third place with 4.5/6.
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Guo Qi of China has also surged into the top ranks after three straight wins. She now faces Vaishali in round 7.
Standings After Round 6
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Open: Maghsoodloo leads with 4.5/6. Giri, Niemann, and several others trail just behind.
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Women’s: Vaishali and Lagno share the lead with 5/6. Stefanova and Guo Qi are just half a point behind.
No games will be played on Wednesday, as players enjoy a rest day. Action resumes on Thursday, September 11th at 3 PM local time.
About the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025
The FIDE Grand Swiss is one of the most important tournaments in the World Chess Championship cycle. It brings together the strongest players in the world, with the top two finishers in both Open and Women’s sections qualifying directly for the Candidates Tournament.
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📍 Venue: EXPO Centre, Samarkand, Uzbekistan
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📅 Dates: September 4 – 15, 2025
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👥 Players: 116 in Open, 56 in Women’s
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💰 Prize fund: $855,000
All rounds are broadcast live on FIDE’s official YouTube channel.
Photos: Michal Walusza, FIDE_Chess
Source: FIDE CHESS NEWS
