Gukesh Wins FIDE Grand Swiss Opener, Praggnanandhaa Draws

Indian chess prodigy and reigning world champion D Gukesh began the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament with a commanding victory over France's Etienne Bacrot, employing the Caro Kann defense to secure a win with the black pieces. This success positions Gukesh favorably for his next match, where he will play with the white pieces, a setting in which he is notably strong. Other Indian players had mixed results, with top seed R Praggnanandhaa held to a draw by Jeffery Xiong, defending champion Vidit Gujrathi winning against Germany’s Alexander Donchenko, while P Harikrishna suffered a loss to Slovenia’s Anton Denchenkov. The tournament’s first round highlighted Gukesh’s strategic mastery, including a decisive exchange sacrifice and a complex middle game that Bacrot, a seasoned veteran, could not equalize. These early outcomes set a competitive tone for the event, with Indian players demonstrating strong performances across both the open and women's divisions. The top two players from this 11-round event will advance to the Candidates stage, underscoring the high stakes of the Grand Swiss.