In the city of Samarkand, the curtain fell on the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 tournament after exciting rounds that ended with Dutchman Anish Giri winning the open title and Indian Visali Ramisbabu winning the women's title, writing their names in the tournament record books and officially securing their places in the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
The final round was decisive, with Giri securing a big win over American Hans Niemann to guarantee sole leadership and deservedly clinch the title, while the Germany Matthias Bloebaum continued his strong performance to finish second and claim the second qualifying spot for the Candidates Tournament.
The competition was not without historic surprises, as young American Abhimanu Mishra (16) stole the spotlight after an unexpected defeat of reigning world champion Jock Duvamaraju, becoming the youngest player in history to defeat the world title holder in an official match, in an exceptional achievement that added excitement to the tournament. Jockš suffered a series of negative results before regaining some balance with a morale-boosting victory at the end of his run.
In the women's competition, Vaisali Ramisbabu continued to write her own history after retaining the Grand Swiss title for the second year in a row. She put in an outstanding performance and won some tough matches in the final rounds to confirm her title and secure a ticket to the 2026 Candidates Tournament. Her victory reflected her determination to make a strong comeback after a season full of difficulties and challenges.
The tournament concluded with an official ceremony amid a festive atmosphere, where Anish Giri and Visali Ramisbabo took to the podium to receive their trophies and gold medals amid applause from the crowd and the media cameras. while Matthias Bloebaum won the silver medal in the open category and Vaisali's runner-up won the silver medal in the women's category.
This brings the curtain down on the Grand Swiss 2025 tournament, which was full of excitement, surprises, and remarkable achievements, paving the way for its new champions to compete in the 2026 Candidates Tournament with a new spirit and great ambitions.