Two of India’s brightest chess talents, Arjun Erigaisi and reigning world champion D Gukesh, are set to headline the upcoming FIDE Grand Swiss tournament, where they are seeded as the top two players. This pivotal event, scheduled from September 3 to 16 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, carries an enhanced prize purse and serves as a crucial qualifier for the prestigious 2026 Candidates tournament. The stakes are high, as the top two finishers in both the Open and Women’s sections will secure their berths in the Candidates, which ultimately determines the challenger for the world champion title.

The tournament will see a competitive field, though some prominent names like Magnus Carlsen, Viswanathan Anand, and Ding Liren are notably absent due to specific participation rules requiring a minimum number of classical rated games. Fabiano Caruana, having already qualified for the Candidates, will also not be competing. However, the Open section still boasts a formidable lineup including India’s R Praggnanandhaa, seeded fourth, along with other top-tier players such as Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Alireza Firouzja, Ian Nepomniachtchi, and Anish Giri.

The FIDE Grand Swiss holds significant importance in the international chess circuit, having last seen Indian triumphs in its 2023 edition, where Vidit Gujrathi won the Open section and R Vaishali secured the Women’s title. This year’s tournament will adopt an 11-round Swiss format, featuring a total of 172 players – 116 in the Open and 56 in the Women’s competition. The prize money has seen a substantial increase, with the Open event offering USD 625,000 and the Women’s competition USD 230,000, reflecting the growing stature of the event.