Grand Swiss 2025 R7: Nihal Sarin topples Parham Maghsoodloo, emerges coleader with Matthias Bluebaum

by Shahid Ahmed - 12/09/2025

GM Nihal Sarin managed to do what others could not so far at FIDE Grand Swiss 2025. He defeated the sole leader, GM Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI). Nihal played beautiful chess to put pressure on the Iran no.1 and calculated some amazing lines to win the game. World no.5, GM Arjun Erigaisi suffered his first loss of the event against GM Matthias Bluebaum (GER). Arjun's tactical error cost him dearly. Both Nihal and Bluebaum have emerged coleaders 5.5/7. They will inevitably clash in the eighth round. The defending champion, GM Vidit Gujrathi outplayed the newly crowned France champion, GM Marc` Andria Maurizzi. The World Champion, GM D Gukesh suffered his third loss in-a-row, this time against GM Ediz Gurel (TUR). World no.4, GM R Praggnanandhaa scored a welcome victory after third round against, GM Maxim Rodshtein (ISR). In the Women's event, GM R Vaishali regained her sole lead by obliterating IM Guo Qi (CHN). Round 8 starts today at 3 p.m. local time, 3:30 p.m. IST. Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Vaishali regains her sole lead, Gukesh loses third game in-a-row

The World Champion is having a tough form at this event as he suffered his third consecutive loss. Maybe the approach of top players of playing solid and sometimes boring chess to draw, conserve energy and stay at the top is something Gukesh will soon have to adapt. Otherwise playing exciting chess where both players have chances, is something which can make his reign exciting, just not for him, only for his opponents. GM Leon Luke Mendonca declined a threefold repetition against GM Yangyi Yu (CHN) and he had to pay a heavy price for it. The FIDE Women's World Cup 2025 winner, GM Divya Deshmukh scored her second win of the event, this time against GM Velimir Ivic (SRB). Divya will face Gukesh in Round 8, something very few could have predicted to happen at this event. GM R Vaishali has a half point lead over GM Kateryna Lagno. She will face GM Bibisara Assaubayeva (KAZ) in the next round.

GM Nihal Sarin stopped the sole leader GM Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI) to become one of the leaders 5.5/7 | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Nihal - Parham: 1-0

GM Nihal Sarin (2693) played four Classical rated games against GM Parham Maghsoodloo (2692). Nihal won the first one over six years ago. The next three ended in draws. Their fifth Classical battle went also in Nihal's way.

Position after 28.Ne6!

Nihal transferred his knight from queenside to kingside in a nice way 28.Ne6! If Black trades the queen here, the knight repositions to d4 attacking a new threat on c6. The game continued 28...Qb7 29.Nf4 Rbe8 30.b3 h4 31.Qc5 Qb8 32.Qxa5 Nd7?

Position after 32...Nd7?

32...Nd7? was played with the idea of taking the e3-pawn by giving away his c6. White calculated the entire thing and decided to go for it 33.Rxc6 Rxe3 34.Nxg6 Qg3+ 35.Kf1 Nf6 36.Rxf6 gxf6 37.Nxh4! Rxb3?? instead, 37...Qxh4 38.Qxd5 would have been fine for White. 38.Nf5+- Qf4 39.Qxd5 Rb1+ 40.Kf2 Re5 41.Qd8+ Kh7 42.Qxf6 and White won. A fantastic play by Nihal to beat the sole leader and gain lead for himself.

Final moments, interview and analysis with GM Nihal Sarin | Video: ChessBase India

GM Nihal Sarin played fantastic chess to beat Iran no.1, GM Parham Maghsoodloo (IRI) and move to the top | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Arjun - Bluebaum: 0-1

GM Arjun Erigaisi (2771) played only one Classical rated game against the Germany no.2, GM Matthias Bluebaum (2671). Arjun had won that encounter a year ago.

Position after 25...Rd7

Black is making a deadly threat of discover attack on the d-file by moving the knight. 26.Bf4 would have kept the game going. Instead, 26.Qxa7?? was an incorrect choice as it cost White material Ba8!-+ 27.Nxe6 fxe6 28.Qa4 Nb6 29.Qc2 Kf7 prevents Qxg6+ and now Black is completely winning and White has no compensation.

World no.5, GM Arjun Erigaisi suffered his first loss of the event against GM Matthias Bluebaum (GER) who is now coleader of Nihal Sarin | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

GM Hans Niemann (USA) - GM Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus (TUR), Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

Vidit - Marc`: 1-0

The defending champion, GM Vidit Gujrathi (2712) faced the newly crowned France champion, GM Marc` Andria Maurizzi (2610) for the first time in a Classical rated game. Maurizzi got outplayed by Vidit.

GM Vidit Gujrathi won his second game in-a-row while GM Marc` Andria Maurizzi (FRA) suffered his second consecutive loss | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

GM Pranav Venkatesh - GM Jorden van Foreest (NED): 0.5-0.5 | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

Praggnanandhaa - Rodshtein

Position after 32.f5!?

GM R Praggnanandhaa (2785) was clearly playing for one result. He pounced on the first opportunity he got 32.f5!? Bxf5 33.Qxg5 Rh5 34.Qg3 Re7 35.Rf4 Qd7 36.Kg1 Kg7 37.h4 Rh8 38.Qg5 Rf7 39.Bf3 Qd8 40.Qg3 Qa5 41.h5 Kf8 42.e6 and White won.

GM R Praggnanandhaa scored his third victory of the event after Round 3 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

GM Levon Aronian (USA) - GM Abhimanyu Puranik: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Gurel - Gukesh

Position after 46.g4

The World Champion, GM D Gukesh (2767) took an unnecessary risk 46...Bxa3?? 47.Bxa3 Rxh6 48.g5 Rg6 49.Kg2 Rg7 50.Bd6 a5 51.Bf4 Rd3 52.Rb1 and GM Ediz Gurel (TUR, 2631) won. Black never had enough compensation for the sacrificed bishop.

The World Champion, GM D Gukesh suffered his third consecutive loss | Photo: FIDE / Michal Walusza

GM Boris Gelfand (ISR) - GM S L Narayanan: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

GM Jeffery Xiong (USA) - GM Aditya Mittal: 0.5-0.5 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

GM Divya Deshmukh - GM Velimir Ivic (SRB), Commentary by IM Sagar Shah | Video: ChessBase India

FIDE Women's World Cup winner, GM Divya Deshmukh scored her second win of the event against the Serbia no.3, GM Velimir Ivic | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

Women: Vaishali fantastic against Guo

Vaishali - Guo: 1-0

GM R Vaishali (2452) played true to her style and bamboozled IM Guo Qi (CHN, 2371).

Position after 18.Bf6

Vaishali overwhelmed his opponent by putting her bishop on f6. Black of course cannot take it on account exf6 which worsens Black's position. 18...Qa4 19.Bxc8 White needs to free up her queen and the bishop was becoming a liability. Trading the undeveloped bishop on c8 meant one less piece for Black to come to the aid of the king. 19...Raxc8 20.Qc1 getting her queen ready to bring it to the kingside. 20...Rc6 21.b3 Qa6 22.Bxe7 Nxe7 23.f4 h5?? unforced error. It only invites further trouble for Black 24.f5 h4 25.Nh5 Rcc8 when someone is rattled, they make strange retreats like the rook did 26.f6 Ng6 27.Nxg7 c4 28.Qh6 Qb6+ 29.Kh1 h3 30.Nf5 and it's over as checkmate is unstoppable.

Final moments of GM R Vaishali vs IM Guo Qi (CHN) and interview | Video: ChessBase India

GM R Vaishali completely obliterated IM Guo Qi (CHN) to regain her sole lead | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

GM Harika Dronavalli drew against former Women's World Champion, GM Alexandra Kosteniuk (SUI) to move to 4/7 | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

IM Vantika Agrawal scored her second win in-a-row, this time against WIM Umida Omonova (UZB) | Photo: Aditya Sur Roy

For more photos, please click here

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 7 Live Commentary by IM Sagar Shah and Amruta Mokal | Video: ChessBase India

Replay Round 7 Open games

Replay Round 7 Women games

Round 7 Open results

Rd.	Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
7	1	20	GM	Nihal Sarin	2693	4½	1 - 0	5	GM	Maghsoodloo Parham	2692	21
7	2	2	GM	Erigaisi Arjun	2771	4½	0 - 1	4½	GM	Bluebaum Matthias	2671	32
7	9	16	GM	Vidit Santosh Gujrathi	2712	4	1 - 0	4	GM	Maurizzi Marcandria	2610	87
7	10	96	GM	Pranav V	2596	4	½ - ½	4	GM	Van Foreest Jorden	2692	23
7	11	1	GM	Praggnanandhaa R	2785	3½	1 - 0	4	GM	Rodshtein Maxim	2645	54
7	12	8	GM	Aronian Levon	2744	3½	½ - ½	3½	GM	Puranik Abhimanyu	2640	57
7	14	83	GM	Mendonca Leon Luke	2615	3½	0 - 1	3½	GM	Yu Yangyi	2714	15
7	21	63	GM	Gurel Ediz	2631	3	1 - 0	3	GM	Gukesh D	2767	3
7	24	69	GM	Sjugirov Sanan	2627	3	½ - ½	3	GM	Harikrishna Pentala	2704	18
7	30	40	GM	Sadhwani Raunak	2658	3	½ - ½	3	GM	Predke Alexandr	2609	90
7	32	44	GM	Gelfand Boris	2652	3	½ - ½	3	GM	Narayanan S L	2591	99
7	37	59	GM	Xiong Jeffery	2640	3	½ - ½	3	GM	Aditya Mittal	2589	104
7	46	79	GM	Aryan Chopra	2619	2½	½ - ½	2½	GM	Amin Bassem	2636	62
7	55	80	GM	Hammer Jon Ludvig	2618	1½	0 - 1	1½	GM	Karthikeyan Murali	2669	35
7	57	115	GM	Divya Deshmukh	2478	2½	1 - 0	2½	GM	Ivic Velimir	2630	64

Details

Standings after Round 7

Rk.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	32	GM	Bluebaum, Matthias	GER	2671	5,5	2667	25	26,5
2	20	GM	Nihal, Sarin	IND	2693	5,5	2625	24	26,5
3	86	GM	Mishra, Abhimanyu	USA	2611	5	2730	26,5	29
4	21	GM	Maghsoodloo, Parham	IRI	2692	5	2717	28	31
5	4	GM	Firouzja, Alireza	FRA	2754	5	2666	24,5	27,5
6	6	GM	Abdusattorov, Nodirbek	UZB	2748	5	2657	24	26,5
7	7	GM	Giri, Anish	NED	2746	5	2635	23	26
8	12	GM	Niemann, Hans Moke	USA	2733	5	2631	20,5	23
9	16	GM	Vidit, Santosh Gujrathi	IND	2712	5	2622	22	24,5
10	96	GM	Pranav, V	IND	2596	4,5	2680	25	27,5

Details

Round 8 pairings

Rd.	Bo.	No.		Name	Rtg	Pts.	Pts.		Name	Rtg	No.
8	1	32	GM	Bluebaum Matthias	2671	5½	5½	GM	Nihal Sarin	2693	20
8	5	5	GM	Keymer Vincent	2751	4½	5	GM	Vidit Santosh Gujrathi	2712	16
8	6	17	GM	Rapport Richard	2711	4½	4½	GM	Praggnanandhaa R	2785	1
8	7	43	GM	Sargsyan Shant	2653	4½	4½	GM	Erigaisi Arjun	2771	2
8	8	9	GM	Nepomniachtchi Ian	2742	4½	4½	GM	Pranav V	2596	96
8	13	57	GM	Puranik Abhimanyu	2640	4	4	GM	Sindarov Javokhir	2722	14
8	23	18	GM	Harikrishna Pentala	2704	3½	3½	GM	Anton Guijarro David	2625	71
8	25	33	GM	Murzin Volodar	2670	3½	3½	GM	Mendonca Leon Luke	2615	83
8	29	104	GM	Aditya Mittal	2589	3½	3½	GM	Sadhwani Raunak	2658	40
8	36	55	GM	Vokhidov Shamsiddin	2645	3½	3½	GM	Narayanan S L	2591	99
8	41	61	GM	Bacrot Etienne	2637	3	3	GM	Aryan Chopra	2619	79
8	49	35	GM	Karthikeyan Murali	2669	2½	2½	GM	Santos Latasa Jaime	2620	77
8	57	3	GM	Gukesh D	2767	3	3½	GM	Divya Deshmukh	2478	115

Details

Round 7 Women results

Bo.	No.		White	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Black	Rtg	No.
1	27	GM	Stefanova, Antoaneta	2395	4½	½ - ½	5	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	2505	4
2	13	GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	2452	5	1 - 0	4½	IM	Guo, Qi	2371	42
3	3	GM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	2505	4	1 - 0	4	IM	Bulmaga, Irina	2400	25
4	6	GM	Muzychuk, Mariya	2484	4	1 - 0	4	WIM	Khamdamova, Afruza	2409	22
5	15	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula	2445	4	½ - ½	4	GM	Girya, Olga	2386	30
6	21	IM	Song, Yuxin	2409	4	1 - 0	4	IM	Fataliyeva, Ulviyya	2385	33
7	26	IM	Wagner, Dinara	2400	4	0 - 1	3½	GM	Tan, Zhongyi	2531	2
8	11	IM	Yip, Carissa *)	2458	3½	1 - 0	3½	IM	Garifullina, Leya	2477	8
9	9	GM	Kosteniuk, Alexandra	2472	3½	½ - ½	3½	GM	Dronavalli, Harika	2467	10
10	44	GM	Krush, Irina	2366	3½	½ - ½	3	WGM	Gaal, Zsoka	2388	29

Details

Standings after Round 7

k.	SNo		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.	TB1	TB2	TB3
1	13	GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	IND	2452	6	2402	24	26
2	4	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	FID	2505	5,5	2404	26	28,5
3	27	GM	Stefanova, Antoaneta	BUL	2395	5	2403	23	25
4	21	IM	Song, Yuxin	CHN	2409	5	2399	24	26,5
5	3	GM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	KAZ	2505	5	2392	23,5	27
6	6	GM	Muzychuk, Mariya	UKR	2484	5	2378	18,5	20,5
7	30	GM	Girya, Olga	FID	2386	4,5	2449	27	29
8	42	IM	Guo, Qi	CHN	2371	4,5	2446	25	27,5
9	2	GM	Tan, Zhongyi	CHN	2531	4,5	2394	24	26
10	11	IM	Yip, Carissa	USA	2458	4,5	2382	18,5	20,5

Details

Round 8 pairings

Bo.	No.		White	Rtg	Pts.	Result	Pts.		Black	Rtg	No.
1	3	GM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	2505	5		6	GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	2452	13
2	4	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	2505	5½		5	GM	Muzychuk, Mariya	2484	6
3	27	GM	Stefanova, Antoaneta	2395	5		5	IM	Song, Yuxin	2409	21
4	2	GM	Tan, Zhongyi	2531	4½		4½	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula	2445	15
5	10	GM	Dronavalli, Harika	2467	4		4½	GM	Girya, Olga	2386	30
6	26	IM	Wagner, Dinara	2400	4		4	GM	Muzychuk, Anna	2535	1
7	48	IM	Balajayeva, Khanim	2331	4		4	GM	Kosteniuk, Alexandra	2472	9
8	33	IM	Fataliyeva, Ulviyya	2385	4		4	IM	Lu, Miaoyi	2449	14
9	22	WIM	Khamdamova, Afruza	2409	4		4	GM	Danielian, Elina	2405	23
10	25	IM	Bulmaga, Irina	2400	4		4	GM	Krush, Irina	2366	44

Details

Links

Official site

Tournament Regulations: Open and Women

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