The fourth round of the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, concluded with mixed results for the top Indian chess players. In the women's section, R. Vaishali was joined at the top of the standings by Russia's Kateryna Lagno. Meanwhile, in the Open section, the much-anticipated clash between World Champion D. Gukesh and Arjun Erigaisi ended in a draw.
Vaishali, the defending champion in the women’s section, played out a draw with Germany's Dinara Wagner. Playing with black pieces, Vaishali opted for the Grunfeld defense, but Wagner's preparation was solid, and the game eventually concluded in a draw. Lagno, however, secured a decisive victory over China's Yuxin Song, allowing her to catch up with Vaishali. The two leaders are now set for an important fifth-round clash where Vaishali will have the advantage of playing with white pieces.
The Open section saw a high-stakes duel between two of India's strongest players, Gukesh and Erigaisi. The world champion Gukesh played with white, but Erigaisi's fine preparation with black pieces neutralized any optical advantage. The peace was signed after 46 moves, with the game ending in a knights-and-pawns endgame. The draw keeps both players in contention, sharing the second spot with a group of other players on three points.
In other notable results, top seed R. Praggnanandhaa was held to a draw by the American Grandmaster of Indian origin, Abhimanyu Mishra. Praggnanandhaa had an extra pawn in the endgame, but Mishra's defense was resilient, allowing him to hold the position and secure a draw. Meanwhile, Divya Deshmukh registered her first victory of the tournament, stunning Egyptian Grandmaster Amin Bassem with a crushing attack.
With seven rounds remaining, the competition remains fierce. Iran's Parham Maghsoodloo holds the sole lead in the Open section with 3.5 points, while several players, including Gukesh, Erigaisi, and Praggnanandhaa, are hot on his heels. The stakes are high, with two spots in both the Open and Women's sections available for the prestigious 2026 Candidates Tournament.