FIDE Grand Swiss Round 8 Highlights: Gukesh held to six-hour-long, 103-move draw by Divya Deshmukh; Vidit Gujrathi loses
Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh | FIDE Grand Swiss Chess 2025 Round 8 Highlights: Nihal Sarin played out a draw while Vaishali Rameshbabu lost her game. Both Indians came into round 8 on Friday leading their sections in the Grand Swiss.
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Written by Amit Kamath
Updated: September 13, 2025 01:47 AM IST
D Gukesh and Divya Deshmukh in action at the Grand Swiss event. (FIDE/Michal Walusza)
Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 Chess Round 8 Highlights: World champion Gukesh Dommaraju was held to a draw by Divya Deshmukh after a six-hour marathon game that involved 103 moves in round 8 of the FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand. There is a gulf of 289 points between Divya and Gukesh’s ELO ratings.
Nihal Sarin and German GM Matthias Bluebaum have agreed to a draw after just 21 moves a day after taking the joint lead in the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament on Thursday. The game between Arjun Erigaisi and Shant Sargsyan has also ended peacefully with both players splitting points.
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Meanwhile, world champion Gukesh Dommaraju has used the Rossolimo Attack with white against Divya in a game that sees two of the most prominent flagbearers of Indian chess face off. Gukesh is coming into the clash after suffering three losses in a row while Divya has defeated two male grandmasters in the event so far.
At Grand Swiss, Gukesh has been held to a draw by 14-year-old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus and played out a peaceful draw with Arjun Erigaisi, besides losing to 16-year-old American GM Abhimanyu Mishra, Greek GM Nikolas Theodorou and Ediz Gurel, a 16-year-old from Turkey.
Should Divya defeat Gukesh today, she will become the first woman to beat a reigning world champion in classical chess.
SCROLL PAST THE INTERACTIVE CHESSBOARDS TO READ OUR LIVEBLOG UPDATES
INTERACTIVE: Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh
(On the chessboard below, click on the left and right arrows to trace the way the game has progressed so far)
WATCH: The full Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh game
Here are the other significant games involving Indian players at the FIDE Grand Swiss:
INTERACTIVE: Matthias Bluebaum vs Nihal Sarin
(On the chessboard below, click on the left and right arrows to trace the way the game has progressed so far)
INTERACTIVE: Richard Rapport vs Praggnanandhaa
(On the chessboard below, click on the left and right arrows to trace the way the game has progressed so far)
INTERACTIVE: Richard Rapport vs Praggnanandhaa
(On the chessboard below, click on the left and right arrows to trace the way the game has progressed so far)
Vincent Keymer vs Vidit Santosh Gujrathi
(On the chessboard below, click on the left and right arrows to trace the way the game has progressed so far)
INTERACTIVE: Shant Sargsyan vs Arjun Erigaisi
(On the chessboard below, click on the left and right arrows to trace the way the game has progressed so far)
INTERACTIVE: Vaishali Rameshbabu vs Bibisara Assaubayeva
(On the chessboard below, click on the left and right arrows to trace the way the game has progressed so far)
Live Updates
Sep 12, 2025 09:51 PM IST
Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 LIVE: Gukesh vs Divya ends in draw
So a draw it is after six hours of chess involving 103 moves! Gukesh is the one who asks and Divya Deshmukh accepts! We have a draw, even though Gukesh was a knight up on the board.
It would not have been easy to grind out a victory for the world champion since Divya, the reigning FIDE Women's World Cup winner, also had a rook on the board to defend against Gukesh's checkmating attempts.
A great day for Divya, while Gukesh manages to halt his losing streak after three defeats in previous rounds.
Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 LIVE: Divya Deshmukh vs Gukesh game heating up
The Gukesh Dommaraju versus Divya Deshmukh game has now crossed into move 80. Divya had the only pawn on the board, which has now been picked off the board.
So Gukesh now has an additional knight on the board. And Divya has just 11 minutes on her clock while Gukesh has 33 minutes.
Divya Deshmukh can still play out a draw: Here's how >>> Her pawn, which was the final pawn on the board was captured on move 81, so Divya can still claim a draw under the 50-move rule. The rule states that for the last 50 consecutive moves by both players, if no pawn has moved or no piece has been captured, then a draw can be claimed.
A potentially game-deciding blunder from Vidit Gujrathi here when the position was equal. He plays 43... c6 and as soon as he does, the eval bar shoots up to indicate that Vincent Keymer is now winning. As soon as the move was made, Vincent did the chess player's equivalent of a double take.
Just look at Keymer's expressions after realising that Vidit made a blunder and he was now winning. Keymer is not a player who is as expressive as Vidit or Hikaru Nakamura or Ian Nepomniachtchi in the middle of games. But the move makes him throw a few looks at the board and then at Vidit, as if trying to see if the
Eventually, after noticing from his peripheral vision that Keymer had been moving a lot, Vidit throws a look himself at Keymer.
Here are all the moves so far from both players, until the blunder from Vidit:
FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 LIVE: Pranav V holds Nepo to a draw
Meanwhile, massive result for young Pranav V, who has managed to hold Ian Nepomniachtchi to a draw. Not too long ago, Nepo was playing in World Chess Championship battles --- both of which he lost, first to Magnus Carlsen in 2021 and then to Ding Liren in 2023.
Nepo is having a wretched tournament here in Samarkand, and even admitted recently that he wanted to pull out of the tournament mid-way. But irrespective of that
Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 LIVE: Time control crossed!
Both Divya and Gukesh have reached the 40-move milestone, which means both will get 50 minutes for the next 20 moves. They decide that this is a good time to stretch their legs, and leave the board.
A look at how the game has developed so far:
This game looks far from over as Gukesh will want to bounce back from three successive defeats at the tournament with a victory.
For Divya, there is history on the line: she can be the first female player to defeat a reigning world champion in classical chess.
FIDE Grand Swiss LIVE: Pragg vs Rapport ends in a draw
What a result for Praggnanandhaa who played most of the game under severe time pressure, but still manages to hold the dangerous Richard Rapport to a draw in 39 moves.
Just look at the feeling of relief on the Indian grandmaster's face after saving that game!
Sep 12, 2025 07:26 PM IST
FIDE Grand Swiss LIVE: Divya Deshmukh is pawn up!
Divya's rook captures Gukesh's pawn which had advanced to the a6 square on the 22nd square (22. a6). It was a nice square to be on, challenging the black pawn on b7. But over the course of eight moves, Divya first managed to swat away all the defenders of the pawn, before finally capturing it.
Here's what the position looked like on move 22:
Here are all the moves from the Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh game:
FIDE Grand Swiss LIVE: Divya Deshmukh holds the aces
The Divya Deshmukh vs Gukesh game is poised on a knife's edge. Divya is pressing Gukesh's pieces back now in a combative position. Both players are also courting time trouble with about 10 minutes to make 10 moves each.
Remember, there's history on the line here: Divya Deshmukh could become the only woman to defeat a reigning world champion in a classical game. But she needs to find a bunch of remarkably accurate moves!
Praggnanandhaa is in wild game against Richard Rapport at the moment and courting massive time trouble. Rapport came to the game with a vicious home-cooked potion of opening prep which has put Pragg in all kinds of trouble.
Pragg has currently playing on the 30-seconds he gets from the increment for making moves. Rapport has more than an hour on the clock!
Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 LIVE: Divya still battling on
A good fight in the Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh battle as we touch the two-hour mark in round 8. Both players have similar times on their clocks, and equal material on the board. This, despite the fact that Divya has an near-200-point deficit in ELO ratings compared to the world chess champion.
Here are all the moves so far from the Gukesh vs Divya game: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e5 4. O-O Be7 5. Re1 Nd4 6. Bc4 Nxf3+ 7. Qxf3 Nf6 8. d3 O-O 9. Nc3 d6 10. a4 Be6 11. h3 Qd7 12. a5 Rad8 13. Bd2 h6 14. Qe2 Ne8 15. f4 exf4 16. Bxf4 Bf6 17. e5 dxe5 18. Bxe5
Sep 12, 2025 05:35 PM IST
FIDE Grand Swiss LIVE: Arjun vs Shant ends in draw
Another draw! Arjun Erigaisi accepts a draw against Shant Sargsyan.
Vaishali is chasing history in Samarkand: no player in the tournament's short history has ever won the event twice.
Vaishali, having won in 2023 at the Isle of Man, could repeat, after staying at the top of the standings for a few rounds now.
Sep 12, 2025 05:06 PM IST
Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh, FIDE Grand Swiss LIVE: Nihal agrees to a draw
A quick end for the top board clash between Nihal Sarin and German grandmaster Matthias Bluebaum. They agree to a draw after just 21 moves. Bluebaum has had a good run at the Grand Swiss in Samarkand, defeating two Indian prodigies: Arjun Erigaisi and Praggnanandhaa. But against Nihal, who is coming into the game in red-hot form after his victory over tournament leader Parham Maghsoodloo, he decides for a safer approach.
With both players taking home just half a point here, they're likely to have company at the top of the standings tonight.
Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh, FIDE Grand Swiss LIVE: Eye on Pragg vs Rapport
In the game between Praggnanandhaa and Richard Rapport, the Indian has 40 lesser minutes on his clock than the Hungarian grandmaster who helped Ding Liren become the world champion in 2023.
Pragg looks like he has been out-prepared here. On the board, as he contemplates his 14th move, his time is already lower than an hour. Players get 100 minutes at the start of the game for the first 40 moves.
This means Pragg has just 58 minutes for 26 moves. That's not too dire a time trouble.
BUT, LOOK AT RAPPORT'S TIME! HE'S ACTUALLY GAINED TIME OVER THE 14 MOVES! NOW HE HAS 46 ADDITIONAL SECONDS ON HIS CLOCK THAN WHEN HE STARTED THE GAME
Pragg, meanwhile, is a rook up, but in return he has had to give up two pawns and a bishop.
Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh, FIDE Grand Swiss LIVE: On the Rossolimo
A note on the Nyezhmetdinov-Rossolimo Attack (or the Rossolimo Attack) that Gukesh opted for against Divya. The moves are: 1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5
The idea for white here is to developing the bishop in such a way that you also attack the black knight, by planting the bishop on b5. A bit like the Ruy Lopez. However, unlike the Ruy Lopez, in the Rossolimo Attack, White often wants to grab the knight and damage Black's queenside structure, providing a positional advantage to White in an endgame.
Sep 12, 2025 04:03 PM IST
Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh, FIDE Grand Swiss LIVE: Divya wanders off
This is how the game developed for four moves, before coming to a standstill while Gukesh contemplates move no 5.
As Gukesh contemplates his next move, Divya Deshmukh decides that the time is right for a stroll through the playing hall.
Sep 12, 2025 03:55 PM IST
Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh, FIDE Grand Swiss LIVE: A Sicilian Defence from Divya
Divya Deshmukh has pulled out the Sicilian Defence against Gukesh here with the black pieces as the world champion started with advancing his king's pawn.
We see a few quick moves from both players. Here are all the moves in the Gukesh vs Divya game: 1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 e5 4. O-O Be7
Sep 12, 2025 03:50 PM IST
Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh, FIDE Grand Swiss LIVE: Gukesh vs Divya in focus
Here we go. Both players adjusting their pieces as we await first moves. Gukesh has the white pieces today, while Divya is playing in the board that has been reserved for her.
While Gukesh looks his serious self, sporting his game face and going into his pre-game meditation routine, Divya spots someone standing next to the board and offers a smile, which is rare for a chess player this close to a big game. That too, a game against the reigning world champion.
Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 LIVE: Nihal leads
Nihal Sarin surged into the lead at the FIDE Grand Swiss with four rounds to go on Thursday after bringing down the leader Parham Maghsoodloo in a game that saw a mad scramble at the end. There were multiple grandmasters who surrounded the board watching the action.
After the resignation, both Nihal and Parham stood in one side of the playing hall and discussed the game for 15 straight minutes, even asking the FIDE camera folks to come by later for interviews.
Sep 12, 2025 03:40 PM IST
Gukesh vs Divya Deshmukh FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 LIVE: Show to start soon!
The 8th round of the Grand Swiss will start soon, with players currently deep in focus on the boards or walking about in the playing hall.
There's also a Netflix crew in attendance, shooting away at the playing hall in Samarkand.
Sep 12, 2025 03:30 PM IST
HOLA
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of the round 8 games of the FIDE Grand Swiss and the FIDE Women's Grand Swiss tournaments. The highlight of Friday's games will be the battle between the youngest world champion in chess history, Gukesh Dommaraju, and FIDE Women's World Cup winner Divya Deshmukh.
Follow our liveblog for all the action from the games involving Indians
Gukesh loses 3rd game in row as world champion’s woes against younger prodigies continue; to face Divya Deshmukh today
World champion Gukesh Dommaraju reacts during a games at the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament. (PHOTO: Michal Walusza / FIDE)
In chess circles, there’s an informal club, whose membership swells by a little each year. It’s called the Mikhail Chigorin Club, named after the Soviet Union player who dueled in two World Championship matches against Wilhelm Steinitz but unfortunately lost both times. Membership of the the Mikhail Chigorin Club can be gained by defeating a reigning world champion in a classical chess game.
At the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament in Uzbekistan’s Samarkand, three players have already entered the club, with Ediz Gurel becoming the latest addition after taking down world champion Gukesh Dommaraju in round 7. Earlier, Abhimanyu Mishra and Nikolas Theodorou had also joined the club.
Even after a rest day at the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament on Wednesday, there was no change in teenage world champion Gukesh’s fortunes. He lost his third game in a row, this time to Ediz Gurel, a teenage prodigy from Turkey. The boy from Chennai who last year became the youngest world champion in chess history at the age of 18, has been troubled by even younger grandmasters at the Grand Swiss tournament in Samarkand.
