Grand Swiss 2025 R5: Arjun Erigaisi outwits Nikita Vitiugov

by Shahid Ahmed - 09/09/2025

The fifth round of FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 is the most eventful one so far. GM Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI) defeated GM Richard Rapport (HUN) to maintain his sole lead 4.5/5. World no.4, GM R Praggnanandhaa and World Champion, GM D Gukesh suffered losses against Germany no.2, GM Matthias Bluebaum and World's youngest GM Abhimanyu Mishra (USA) respectively. Praggnanandhaa misplayed in a minor piece endgame for the second consecutive round. Gukesh played uncharacteristic chess, took risk early on, managed to get back in the game, only to simplify at the wrong moment in the endgame. World no.5, GM Arjun Erigaisi scored a fine victory against GM Nikita Vitiugov (ENG). GM Nihal Sarin and World Junior champion, GM Pranav Venkatesh also scored a win each to move to 3.5/5. Round 6 starts today at 3 p.m. local time, 3:30 p.m. IST. Photo: Prajwal Bhat

Parham still in sole lead, Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh lose against Bluebaum and Abhimanyu Mishra

A lot of things happened in the fifth round. World Rapid 2021 champion, GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) battled for over eight hours and 190 moves against Turkiye's youngest GM Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus, after the former missed a difficult chance in the minor piece endgame. GM Leon Luke Mendonca missed an opportunity to capitalize on GM Nihal Sarin's blunder. Later, Nihal made a rare utillization of two absolute pins by putting his rooks infront of the pinned pawns. GM Pranav Venkatesh got the better of GM Andrey Esipenko. GM Abhimanyu Puranik won a wild battle against the Slovenia no.1, GM Vladimir Fedoseev. In the Women's event, GM R Vaishali played a solid draw against GM Kateryna Lagno to stay in the lead 4/5. IM Ulviyya Fataliyeva (AZE) defeated her second consecutive former Women's World Champion, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (SUI) to join them in the lead.

GM Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI) maintains his sole lead 4.5/5 | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Rapport - Maghsoodloo: 0-1

GM Richard Rapport (HUN, 2711) and GM Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI, 2692) have played five Classical rated games against each other. All of them ended in draws. Their sixth battle was a decisive one. In a double rook and minor piece endgame, the Hungary no.1 was the first to make an inaccuracy.

Position after 38...Rc8

39.Re4 Kg8 40.f3 Nd6 41.Rxc5 Rxc5 42.Rxe5 would have been fine. Instead, 39.Rd1 Rxb5 40.Rd7+ Kg8 41.Bg1 Rb2 42.Re7 b5 Black eventually went on to have two connected passed pawns on g and h-files which was instrumental in earning the victory.

Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI) seized his opportunity in the endgame when Richard Rapport (HUN) made a slight inaccuracy

Bluebaum - Praggnanandhaa: 0-1

Germany no.2, GM Matthias Bluebaum (2671) recently won 52nd Sparkassen Chess Trophy Open part of Dortmund Chess Days. He holds a Master's degree in Mathematics. For a long time, the top German balanced academics and chess at the very top level. It was quite possibly the first time the former Germany no.1 faced the World no.4, GM R Praggnanandhaa (2785) in a Classical rated game.

Position after 36.Nxa7

36.Nxa7 is a well-thought capture as c6?? does not trap the knight, instead Black loses a pawn after 37.Be4+- Nc3 38.Bxc6 Bxc6 39.Nxc6 the resultant knight endgame is lost for Black. The rest was just academic for Bluebaum.

Germany no.2, GM Matthias Bluebaum handed GM R Praggnanandhaa his first loss of the event | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Arjun - Vitiugov: 1-0

The World no.5, GM Arjun Erigaisi (2771) probably faced the England no.2, GM Nikita Vitugov (2666) for the first time in a Classical rated game.

Position after 18.Nxc4

Vitiugov made an interesting choic 18...Qxa1!? 19.Qa3 momentarily traps the queen. Thus, he is forced to play Qxe1+ 20.Bxe1

Position after 24.Kf2

24...Bd3 would have been fine for Black and the game would have probably kept the game going. However, 24...Rb5? turned things in White's favor 25.Qxa7+- Bd3 26.Bxf6 gxf6 27.Qd4 Bg6 28.Nd5 Ra8 29.Nxf6+ Kf8 30.a4 Rba5 31.Nd5 Rxd5 32.Qh8+! to ensure White keeps the passed a-pawn on the board Ke7 33.Qxa8 and White won the game in the next few moves.

Arjun Erigaisi - Nikita Vitiugov, Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

World no.5, GM Arjun Erigaisi scored a fine victory against GM Nikita Vitiugov (ENG)

Abhimanyu Mishra - Gukesh: 1-0

GM Abhimanyu Mishra (USA, 2611) and GM D Gukesh (2767) faced each other only once in a Classical rated game over two years ago. It had ended in a draw. The World Champion had the black pieces this time. He made a bold attempt to launch an aggressive attack on the kingside while his own king was stranded at the middle of the board.

Position after 12...g4?

12...h4 13.Nxh4 gxh4 14.Qh5 Qe7 is fine for Black. However, 12...g4? invited trouble 13.exd6+- gxf3 14.dxc7 Qe7 15.Nxf3 and Gukesh managed to fight back and eventually get back in the game.

Position after 36.Bc5

36...Rd3 is what Black needed to play to keep things under control. 36...Ne2+ 37.Kf1 Nef4 38.Bd4 Rf3+ 39.Ke1 Nd3+ 40.Kd2 Nxe5 41.Bxe5 Kxe5 42.Rg5+ Ke6 43.Rgxd5 and now White has regained his decisive advantage.

Abhimanyu Mishra - D Gukesh, Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

Interview with Abhimanyu Mishra | Video: ChessBase India

The sole leader, Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI) observes the World Champion, D Gukesh loses to Abhimanyu Mishra (USA) after an uncharacteristic play by the former

Marc` Andria - Keymer

Position after 37.h4

Despite being down by a pawn, Black should be able to hold a draw with correct play. 37...Ba5/c7/e7/Kg7 almost anything keeps the game going, well except 37...f6?? is a huge mistake 38.e6+- Kf8 39.Bd6 maintains the advantage. 39.Kg4? allowed Black to get back in the game Ke8! which he missed and played Ke7?? 40.h5! gxh5+ 41.Kf5 Ba5 42.Be3 and White went on to win the game.

The agony of realization setting in when Vincent Keymer realized how he floundered a half point | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

The newly crowned France champion, GM Marc` Andria Maurizzi has completed a hat-trick of wins after beating GM Vladislav Artemiev, GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (FRA) and GM Vincent Keymer (GER) | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Former World Champion - GM Rustam Kasimdzhanov (UZB) made the ceremonial first move on Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) and Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus' (TUR) board | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

GM Yagiz Kann Erdogmus (TUR) defended for over eight hours and 190 moves after GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov (UZB) missed his difficult chances in the bishop vs knight endgame | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Nihal - Leon: 1-0

GM Nihal Sarin (2693) and GM Leon Luke Mendonca (2615) faced each other only once in a Classical rated game over two years ago. It ended in a draw. Nihal blundered in the middlegame which went unnoticed by his opponent.

Position after 24.Rce1?

24...Qa5 would have made it very difficult for White to prevent material loss. Leon missed it and opted for 24...Rb4

Position after 40.Rgg5

The above position after 40.Rgg5 is one of a kind. White utilizes both e6 and f6-pawns being in an absolute pin by the bishop and rook at f5.

Position after 43...Bxc5

White can take the pawn 44.Bxe6 and win the game. However, there is a better way to win the game comfortably 44.e5! a nice sacrifice to ensure either White gets two passed pawns either connected or split.

After an intiail hiccup in the middlegame, GM Nihal Sarin regrouped well, played some beautiful chess to win against compatriot, GM Leon Luke Mendonca | Photo: Prajwal Bhat

The reigning World Junior champion, GM Pranav Venkatesh won a back and forth battle against former World Under-16 champion, GM Andrey Esipenko | Photo: Prajwal Bhat

Abhimanyu - Fedoseev

Position after 26.b4!?

GM Abhimanyu Puranik (2640) made an interesting exchange sacrifice 26.b4!? Computer prefers simplification 26.Bxe7 Rxe7 27.fxe5 Rxe5 28.Rxe5+ fxe5 29.Rf1 Qe6 30.fxg4 which is quite tame. Abhimanyu went for a wild line 26...Nxd5 27.exd5 gxh3? 28.Qg3 Rxc5 29.Qxg7 Rf8 30.Be4 Rc7 31.Bg6+ Rcf7 32.fxe5 Qc4?? 33.Bxf7+ Rxf7 34.Qg8+ Ke7 35.exf6+ Kd6 36.Qg3+ and White went on to successfully hunt GM Vladimir Fedoseev's (SLO, 2731) king.

GM Abhimanyu Puranik won a wild battle against GM Vladimir Fedoseev (SLO) | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Women: Ulviyya and Dinara make it a four-way at the top with Vaishali and Kateryna

GM R Vaishali - GM Kateryna Lagno: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Kosteniuk - Ulviyya

Position after 32.Qe3??

GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (SUI, 2472) blundered 32.Qe3?? Her opponent, IM Ulviyya Fataliyeva (AZE, 2385) had no trouble finding the winning move. What was it? This was the second consecutive game where Ulviyya defeated a former Women's World Champion. In the previous round, she got the better of GM Mariya Muzychuk (UKR, 2484).

IM Ulviyya Fataliyeva (AZE) defeated her second consecutive former Women's World Champion, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (SUI) to get into the lead 4/5 | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

The top seed, GM Anna Muzychuk (UKR) scored her first win of the event against IM Vantika Agrawal | Photo: Prajwal Bhat

For more photos, please click here and here.

Round 5 starting moments | Video: ChessBase India

Schedule

Every day game starts at 30 p.m. local time, 3:30 p.m. IST from 4th to 15th September 2025. Rest day is on Wednesday 10th September 2025. The last round on 15th September will start at 2 p.m. local time, 2:30 p.m. IST.

Time Control

The time control for each game is: 100 minutes for the first 40 moves, followed by 50 minutes for the next 20 moves, followed by 15 minutes for the rest of the game with an increment of 30 seconds per move starting from move 1 in the Open section. For Women, the time control is 40 moves in 90 minutes + 30 minutes + 30 seconds increment per move.

Qualification

Open: The winner and the runner-up of Grand Swiss shall qualify for the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026. If any of these players is the FIDE World Champion as of 1 January 2025 or have already qualified for the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 at the moment of the beginning of the FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2025, or withdraws the qualification spot(s) shall be awarded, in the order of priority, to the player ⁃ in the 3rd place in the FIDE Grand Swiss Tournament 2025; ⁃ in the 2nd place according to the FIDE Circuit 2024 ranking list; ⁃ who is next yet unqualified in the FIDE Circuit 2025 ranking list.

Women: The winner and the runner-up of WGS shall qualify for the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2024. If one or both these players has (-ve) already qualified to the FIDE Candidates Tournament 2026 at the moment of the beginning of WGS via different qualification track or do (-es) not need to qualify for the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026, the qualification spot(s) shall go to the highest-placed player(s) in the final standings who has/have not yet qualified to the FIDE Women’s Candidates Tournament 2026 at the moment of the beginning of WGS.

Prizes

The total prize fund in the Open is US$ 625000 with the first prize being $90000. For Women's the total prize fund is $230000, first prize $40000. Total numbers of prizes are 73, Open - 50 and Women - 23.

Watch live stream

Replay FIDE Grand Swiss and Women’s Grand Swiss 2023 Round 5 Live Commentary by IM Sagar Shah and Amruta Mokal | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Round 5 Open games

Replay Round 5 Women games

Round 5 Open results

Rd.	Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
5	2	32	GM	Bluebaum Matthias	2671	3	1 - 0	3	GM	Praggnanandhaa R	2785	1
5	3	2	GM	Erigaisi Arjun	2771	3	1 - 0	3	GM	Vitiugov Nikita	2666	36
5	4	86	GM	Mishra Abhimanyu	2611	3	1 - 0	3	GM	Gukesh D	2767	3
5	14	16	GM	Vidit Santosh Gujrathi	2712	2½	½ - ½	2½	GM	Cheparinov Ivan	2627	68
5	16	20	GM	Nihal Sarin	2693	2½	1 - 0	2½	GM	Mendonca Leon Luke	2615	83
5	19	96	GM	Pranav V	2596	2½	1 - 0	2½	GM	Esipenko Andrey	2687	25
5	22	57	GM	Puranik Abhimanyu	2640	2	1 - 0	2	GM	Fedoseev Vladimir	2731	13
5	24	67	GM	Volokitin Andrei	2628	2	½ - ½	2	GM	Harikrishna Pentala	2704	18
5	29	40	GM	Sadhwani Raunak	2658	2	½ - ½	2	GM	Kuzubov Yuriy	2600	94
5	34	49	GM	Yuffa Daniil	2648	2	½ - ½	2	GM	Aditya Mittal	2589	104
5	35	99	GM	Narayanan S L	2591	2	½ - ½	2	GM	Lu Shanglei	2647	51
5	41	79	GM	Aryan Chopra	2619	1½	½ - ½	1½	GM	Grischuk Alexander	2657	41
5	52	81	GM	Korobov Anton	2616	1	1 - 0	1	GM	Karthikeyan Murali	2669	35
5	57	115	GM	Divya Deshmukh	2478	2	0 - 1	2	GM	Vokhidov Shamsiddin	2645	55

Details

Standings after Round 5

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	21	GM	Maghsoodloo, Parham	IRI	2692	4,5	2710	12	14
2	86	GM	Mishra, Abhimanyu	USA	2611	4	2738	12	13,5
3	87	GM	Maurizzi, Marcandria	FRA	2610	4	2709	12	14
4	2	GM	Erigaisi, Arjun	IND	2771	4	2675	11	13
5	32	GM	Bluebaum, Matthias	GER	2671	4	2655	10	11
6	52	GM	Erdogmus, Yagiz Kaan	TUR	2646	3,5	2714	12	14
7	101	GM	Gumularz, Szymon	POL	2590	3,5	2687	12,5	15
8	96	GM	Pranav, V	IND	2596	3,5	2677	11	13
9	4	GM	Firouzja, Alireza	FRA	2754	3,5	2661	14	15,5
10	6	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	UZB	2748	3,5	2655	13	14,5

Details

Round 6 pairings

Rd.	Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
6	1	21	GM	Maghsoodloo Parham	2692	4½	4	GM	Erigaisi Arjun	2771	2
6	7	101	GM	Gumularz Szymon	2590	3½	3½	GM	Nihal Sarin	2693	20
6	8	28	GM	Yakubboev Nodirbek	2681	3½	3½	GM	Pranav V	2596	96
6	9	1	GM	Praggnanandhaa R	2785	3	3	GM	Mamedov Rauf	2651	46
6	10	3	GM	Gukesh D	2767	3	3	GM	Theodorou Nikolas	2646	53
6	16	76	GM	Demchenko Anton	2620	3	3	GM	Vidit Santosh Gujrathi	2712	16
6	17	57	GM	Puranik Abhimanyu	2640	3	3	GM	Rapport Richard	2711	17
6	23	18	GM	Harikrishna Pentala	2704	2½	2½	GM	Gurel Ediz	2631	63
6	26	29	GM	Deac Bogdan-Daniel	2674	2½	2½	GM	Mendonca Leon Luke	2615	83
6	31	93	GM	Suleymanli Aydin	2602	2½	2½	GM	Sadhwani Raunak	2658	40
6	33	104	GM	Aditya Mittal	2589	2½	2½	GM	Gelfand Boris	2652	44
6	35	99	GM	Narayanan S L	2591	2½	2½	GM	Grandelius Nils	2648	48
6	40	37	GM	Artemiev Vladislav	2664	2	2	GM	Aryan Chopra	2619	79
6	55	35	GM	Karthikeyan Murali	2669	1	1½	GM	Abdisalimov Abdimalik	2488	112
6	57	70	GM	Sargissian Gabriel	2626	2	2	GM	Divya Deshmukh	2478	115

Details

Round 5 Women results

Bo.	No.		White	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Black	Rtg	No.
1	13	GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	2452	3½	½ - ½	3½	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	2505	4
2	27	GM	Stefanova, Antoaneta	2395	3	½ - ½	3	WIM	Khamdamova, Afruza	2409	22
3	25	IM	Bulmaga, Irina	2400	3	0 - 1	3	IM	Wagner, Dinara	2400	26
4	9	GM	Kosteniuk, Alexandra	2472	2½	0 - 1	3	IM	Fataliyeva, Ulviyya	2385	33
5	23	GM	Danielian, Elina	2405	2½	0 - 1	2½	GM	Tan, Zhongyi	2531	2
6	3	GM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	2505	2½	1 - 0	2½	IM	Salimova, Nurgyul	2386	32
7	11	IM	Yip, Carissa	2458	2½	0 - 1	2½	GM	Girya, Olga	2386	30
8	15	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula	2445	2½	½ - ½	2½	IM	Balajayeva, Khanim	2331	48
9	42	IM	Guo, Qi	2371	2½	1 - 0	2½	GM	Ushenina, Anna	2409	20
10	21	IM	Song, Yuxin	2409	2½	1 - 0	2½	IM	Badelka, Olga	2375	40

Details

Standings after Round 5

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	33	IM	Fataliyeva, Ulviyya	AZE	2385	4	2488	11,5	13,5
2	13	GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	IND	2452	4	2414	13	15
3	4	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	FID	2505	4	2408	12,5	15
4	26	IM	Wagner, Dinara	GER	2400	4	2395	12	12,5
5	30	GM	Girya, Olga	FID	2386	3,5	2461	12,5	14,5
6	42	IM	Guo, Qi	CHN	2371	3,5	2454	8,5	10
7	21	IM	Song, Yuxin	CHN	2409	3,5	2406	11	12
8	2	GM	Tan, Zhongyi	CHN	2531	3,5	2393	10	11,5
9	3	GM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	KAZ	2505	3,5	2386	12	13,5
10	22	WIM	Khamdamova, Afruza	UZB	2409	3,5	2381	11	12,5

Details

Round 6 pairings

Bo.	No.		White	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Black	Rtg	No.
1	4	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	2505	4		4	IM	Wagner, Dinara	2400	26
2	33	IM	Fataliyeva, Ulviyya	2385	4		4	GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	2452	13
3	2	GM	Tan, Zhongyi	2531	3½		3½	GM	Stefanova, Antoaneta	2395	27
4	22	WIM	Khamdamova, Afruza	2409	3½		3½	GM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	2505	3
5	30	GM	Girya, Olga	2386	3½		3½	IM	Song, Yuxin	2409	21
6	48	IM	Balajayeva, Khanim	2331	3		3½	IM	Guo, Qi	2371	42
7	49	WIM	Karimova, Guldona	2324	3		3	GM	Muzychuk, Mariya	2484	6
8	55	WCM	Khalilova, Madinabonu	2148	3		3	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula	2445	15
9	18	WGM	Shukhman, Anna	2420	3		3	IM	Bulmaga, Irina	2400	25
10	32	IM	Salimova, Nurgyul	2386	2½		2½	GM	Muzychuk, Anna	2535	1

Details

Links

Official site

Tournament Regulations: Open and Women

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