The ongoing FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 in Samarkand, Uzbekistan started with mixed results for Indian players. Current world champion D. Gucche made a great start by defeating France’s veteran player Etienne Bakro in the first round. Gukesha adopted the Kero-Kan Defense with the black pieces and created incredible complications in the middlegame. Bakro tried to maintain parity, but the Indian Grandmaster made a brilliant exchange sacrifice to take a decisive lead and win. Gukesh will play with white pieces in the next match.
On the other hand, top seed R. Praggnananda was held to a draw by American Jeffrey Jeong. In this match played in French defence, Jeong exerted slight pressure by constantly changing pieces, but the game ultimately ended in a draw. In the women’s category, World Cup winner and Grandmaster Divya Deshmukh had to face defeat. He started with a defeat against Abhimanyu Puranik in the open section. Among other Indian players, winner Vidit Gujarati defeated Alexander Donchenko of Germany, while P. Harikrishna was defeated by Slovenia’s Anton Danchenkov with white pieces. Nihal Sarin was held to a draw against Rasmus Swahn of Germany.
In the women’s category, R. Vaishali started her campaign with a win over Gulrukhbegim Tokhirjonova of Uzbekistan. Vantika Aggarwale defeated Yulia Osmak of Ukraine. When India D. Harika’s match against Israel’s Marcel Eforimsky ended in a draw.
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