India’s top-ranked Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa will be eager to seal his place in the prestigious Candidates Tournament 2026 as the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 begins on Wednesday. The 11-round event, featuring a fiercely competitive field, offers two highly coveted spots in the Candidates Tournament, one of the most elite competitions in world chess.

Praggnanandhaa enters the tournament in a strong position. The 19-year-old enjoys a commanding lead in the FIDE Circuit performance points for 2025, almost guaranteeing his place in the Candidates, unless unforeseen circumstances drastically affect his form. His consistency throughout the season has placed him well ahead of his nearest rivals in the circuit leaderboard.

The Grand Swiss, held in both open and women’s sections, carries a total prize pool of USD 625,000 and USD 230,000 respectively. More importantly, it serves as one of the critical qualification routes to the Candidates, which determines the challenger for the World Championship title.