Vaishali Rameshbabu is the Winner of the FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss 2025

17 Sep 2025 GS 3 Sports

Click to view full image

R. Vaishali, elder sister of Indian chess prodigy R. Praggnanandhaa, has won the FIDE Women's Grand Swiss for the second consecutive time in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.
This victory secured her a place in the 2026 Candidates Tournament, where she will play alongside Divya Deshmukh and Koneru Humpy.
She is only the third Indian woman to become a Grandmaster.
The Praggnanandhaa–Vaishali sibling duo has made history as the first brother-sister pair to play in the Candidates.

2025 FIDE Grand Swiss & Women’s Grand Swiss (Samarkand, Uzbekistan | Sept 4–15, 2025)

Format: 11-round Swiss tournament.
Significance: Decides two places in the 2026 FIDE Candidates Tournaments (selects challengers for World Chess Championships).
Prize Fund:
- Open: $625,000 (Winner: $90,000).
- Women’s: $230,000 (Winner: $40,000).

Winner: GM Anish Giri (Netherlands) – 8/11, unbeaten (5 wins, 6 draws).
- Defeated Hans Niemann in final round.
- Secured $90,000 top prize + Candidates spot.
Second Candidate: GM Matthias Bluebaum (Germany) – 7.5/11, best tiebreaks among 3 tied players.
- Drew with Alireza Firouzja in final round.
- Wins over Arjun Erigaisi & R. Praggnanandhaa boosted his tiebreak.

Winner: GM R. Vaishali (India) – 8/11, won on tiebreak.
- Drew with GM Tan Zhongyi in final round.
- Back-to-back titles (2023 & 2025).
- Earned spot in 2026 Women’s Candidates Tournament.
Second Candidate: GM Kateryna Lagno (Russia) – 8/11, unbeaten, also secured spot.
Third: GM Bibisara Assaubayeva (Kazakhstan) – 7.5/11.
- Missed win vs Anna Muzychuk; still secured podium.
- Leads Women’s Events 2024–25 series for possible Candidates qualification.