FIDE Grand Swiss 2025, Day 4: Lagno Joins Vaishali at the Top as Maghsoodloo Holds the Lead

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The fourth day of the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 was relatively peaceful at the upper echelons, with many matches concluding in stalemates. Parham Maghsoodloo remains in front in the Open category, holding a slight edge over a group of close competitors with 3.5 points. In the Women’s competition, Kateryna Lagno clinched a significant victory to tie for the lead with Vaishali Rameshbabu.

Maghsoodloo Still on Top

In this scenario, Maghsoodloo, playing with White pieces, squared off against Nodirbek Abdusattorov in a game of Queen’s Gambit Accepted. Both players were tested with intricate calculations throughout the game. After an intense four and a half hours, only kings were left on the board, resulting in a well-earned draw.

In the second game, Praggnanandhaa went head-to-head with Abhimanyu Mishra, who earned the title of youngest Grandmaster ever at just 12 years old. During the middle game, Mishra made an error in his calculations, but Praggnanandhaa failed to capitalize on this mistake and the game ended in a draw instead.

The thrilling duel occurred on the fifth board. Vincent Keymer engaged in an intense game against Frederik Svane using the Ruy Lopez opening. Through intricate strategic moves, Keymer skillfully transformed a pawn on the queenside into a winning position, ultimately clinching the victory and taking the full point for himself.

Other opportunities were overlooked in various games. Vidit Santosh Gujrathi had a winning position with a rook endgame against Vasyl Ivanchuk, but lost the advantage. Meanwhile, World Champion Gukesh D ended up drawing against Arjun Erigaisi, and Alireza Firouzja agreed to an early draw against Szymon Gumularz after his unexpected defeat the day before.

In an exciting clash during a notable French derby, up-and-coming player Marc’Andria Maurizzi outplayed Maxime Vachier-Lagrave following a tricky Caro-Kann confrontation. MVL failed to capitalize on a stunning winning opportunity with Qh4!, which allowed Maurizzi to exploit the mistake.

On this particular day, Divya Deshmukh pulled off an unexpected victory by defeating Africa’s top-ranked player, Bassem Amin. Amin made a strategic mistake that led to his loss. As a result of her triumph, Deshmukh was awarded the title of “Player of the Day” in the Open tournament.

Women’s Tournament: Lagno Catches Vaishali

As a dedicated gamer immersed in the Women’s event, I can tell you that the games have been more definitive than ever! Four rounds deep, Vaishali Rameshbabu and Kateryna Lagno are neck-and-neck at the top with 3.5 points each. Five other players aren’t far behind, keeping a close chase on their tail with three points apiece. It’s an exhilarating competition to witness!

Vaishali tied with Dinara Wagner in the first game. On the second board, Kateryna Lagno delivered an impressive victory, marked by a strategic move 21.f6! that trapped her opponent’s king. This maneuver left Black in a tough spot and Lagno clinched the win in only 26 moves. For her outstanding play, Lagno was named “Player of the Day” in the women’s division.

In other matches, the former World Champion Tan Zhongyi put too much pressure on Nurgyul Salimova and narrowly avoided a loss, settling for a tie instead. Meanwhile, Olga Girya and Bibisara Assaubayeva played to a stalemate for the third game in a row.

unexpectedly, Ulviyya Fataliyeva defeated Mariya Muzychuk, a previous World Champion, during the Rossolimo Sicilian game. This victory placed Fataliyeva among a group of five contenders pursuing the front-runners.

About the Event

The FIDE Grand Swiss plays a crucial role in the process leading to the World Chess Championship. Introduced in 2019 and expanded to include women in 2021, it adopts an 11-round Swiss format. The competition carries significant importance: the top two placers in both categories secure spots for the World Candidates Tournament, where the contender for the World Championship is chosen.

The 2025 version of this event takes place from September 4th to the 15th at the EXPO Centre in Samarkand. A grand total of 116 participants are taking part in the Open division and 56 in the Women’s category. The prize money totals $855,000, with $625,000 earmarked for the Open competition and $230,000 reserved for the Women’s section.

As a dedicated chess enthusiast, I’m thrilled to share that round five kicks off at 3 PM local time on September 8! Don’t miss the action unfold, as all the games will be streaming live on FIDE’s official YouTube channel. Let’s keep the chess fever burning together!

For more coverage of the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 and the latest chess news, stay tuned to TopMob.

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2025-09-08 19:35