The fifth round of the FIDE Grand Swiss tournament in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, delivered a major upset for the Indian contingent as both top seed R. Praggnanandhaa and World Champion D. Gukesh suffered surprise defeats on Monday. The losses came against Germany's Matthias Bluebaum and the world's youngest-ever Grandmaster, Abhimanyu Mishra of the USA, respectively, shaking up the tournament standings.
Praggnanandhaa, the highest-ranked player at the event, went for an unconventional opening with black pieces. The game remained balanced for a long time until a crucial oversight in the minor piece endgame cost the Indian a pawn. Bluebaum, who is enjoying the tournament of his career, capitalized on the error and did not give his opponent a second chance. The German's third consecutive victory marks the biggest upset of the tournament so far.
In the other major upset, World Champion D. Gukesh went down to the young American prodigy Abhimanyu Mishra. The defeat is a significant setback for Gukesh, who, along with Praggnanandhaa and Arjun Erigaisi, was seen as a strong contender. The losses for both Indian stars highlight the unpredictable nature of the tournament and the high level of competition.
While the two top Indian grandmasters faced defeat, Arjun Erigaisi managed to secure a prolific victory over Russia's Nikita Vituigov, keeping his campaign alive. Meanwhile, Iran's Parham Maghsoodloo continued his impressive form, defeating Richard Rapport of Hungary. Maghsoodloo's win with the black pieces kept him in the sole lead of the tournament with 4.5 points out of a possible five.
With the losses, Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh will need to regroup quickly as they look to make a comeback in the remaining rounds. The FIDE Grand Swiss tournament is a crucial event, as it offers two places in the prestigious 2026 Candidates Tournament. The path to the title has become more challenging for the Indian stars, but their victories and defeats in the coming rounds will decide their fate.