Overview

• World champion D Gukesh stands on 1.5/2 after defeating Étienne Bacrot in round one then missing a win against 14-year-old Yagiz Kaan Erdogmus in round two.
• Alireza Firouzja, Parham Maghsoodloo and Anton Demchenko are the only players on 2/2 in the 116-player Open, with Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi collecting first wins.
• Defending champion R Vaishali reached 2/2 by beating Eline Roebers and shares the Women’s lead with IM Olga Badelka.
• Gukesh is playing for competitive sharpness despite being ineligible to qualify, as two Grand Swiss finishers will earn 2026 Candidates berths alongside World Cup and rating routes.
• Away from the board, Nodirbek Abdusattorov’s claim that “Gukesh will lose his title in the next match” prompted a relaxed take from Viswanathan Anand and a measured response from Gukesh.