Armenian Chess Players Conclude Their Run at the “Grand Swiss 2025”

The prestigious FIDE “Grand Swiss 2025” chess tournament has concluded in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, determining the participants of the next Candidates Tournament.

Among the Armenian representatives, the best result was achieved by Shant Sargsyan, who scored 6.5 points out of 11 and finished in 20th place. Aram Hakobyan ended the event with 6 points (30th place), Robert Hovhannisyan with 5.5 (51st place), while Gabriel Sargissian and Hayk Martirosyan scored 5 points each (78th place). In addition, Armenian-born Sam Sevian, representing the USA, delivered a solid performance and finished 18th.

The tournament winner was Dutch grandmaster Anish Giri, who scored 8.5 points and secured a decisive last-round victory against Hans Niemann. Giri not only qualified for the 2026 Candidates Tournament but also claimed the main cash prize of $90,000.

Second place went to reigning European Champion Matthias Bluebaum of Germany, who earned 8 points and secured his Candidates spot. French grandmaster Alireza Firouzja took third place, while another German player, Vincent Keymer, came in fourth, just short of qualification.

In the women’s section, Indian chess player Vaishali Rameshbabu triumphed in a tiebreak, marking her second consecutive “Grand Swiss” victory—an unprecedented achievement. With the same score (8 points), Russian Kateryna Lagno also secured qualification. The bronze medal went to Kazakhstan’s Bibisara Assaubayeva with 7.5 points.

The Samarkand tournament brought together the world’s strongest grandmasters, with fierce competition lasting until the final round. For the Armenian players, participation in the “Grand Swiss” was an important experience against the elite of world chess.