Between August 2025 and June 2026, Anish Giri delivered an exceptionally strong series of performances.
His triumph at the FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 not only earned him a prestigious title but also direct qualification for the 2026 Candidates Tournament. During that Candidates event, Giri continued to impress, staying in the fight for first place well into April, with notable wins against world‑class opponents such as Caruana and Praggnanandhaa. These achievements reaffirmed Giri’s position among the world’s elite and his ongoing ambition to compete for the World Championship title.
FIDE Grand Swiss 2025 – Tournament Victory & Qualification for the 2026 Candidates Tournament
In September 2025, Anish Giri achieved one of the greatest successes of his career by convincingly winning the FIDE Grand Swiss in Samarkand.
He remained undefeated, scoring 8 out of 11, finishing alone at the top in a field of 116 elite players. This victory secured him a spot in the 2026 Candidates Tournament.
Dutch media, including NOS, confirmed both the tournament win and his qualification.
Candidates Tournament 2026 – Competing for the World Championship
In April 2026, Giri was in a strong position at the Candidates Tournament in Cyprus.
He scored key victories over Rameshbabu Praggnanandhaa and Fabiano Caruana, and after nine rounds he stood in second place with 5.5 points, behind leader Javokhir Sindarov.
With five rounds remaining, he remained very much in contention for winning the tournament and earning a World Championship match against reigning champion Dommaraju Gukesh. However, Sindarov was unstoppable and Anish ended clear second.
In the summer 2026 Anish has a busy schedule with several Grand Chess Tour Tournaments and the Olympiad coming up.
