Kateryna Lagno is sole leader of the FIDE Women Grand Swiss 2025

In a dramatic turn at the 2025 FIDE Women’s Grand Swiss in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Russian Grandmaster Kateryna Lagno has surged to the top of the leaderboard after round eight, securing sole leadership with 6.5 points out of eight games. Lagno’s ascent came thanks to a victory over Ukraine’s Mariya Muzychuk in just over 30 moves. This win not only propelled Lagno ahead but also capitalized on defending champion Vaishali Rameshbabu‘s slip-up, as the Indian GM fell to Bibisara Assaubayeva in a tactical skirmish that saw Vaishali miscalculate under time pressure.

As the 11-round Swiss-system event enters its final stretch, Lagno is the sole leader of the event with 6,5/8, with spots on the line for the 2026 Women Candidates. Trailing in a chasing pack on six points are Assaubayeva, Vaishali, and Song Yuxin. Scroll down for the full results and standings.

Grand Swiss information: FIDE Grand Swiss Chess Tournament 2025 – A Gateway to the World Championship
Grand Swiss Live: FIDE Grand Swiss Chess 2025 live / Women’s Grand Swiss Chess 2025 live
Grand Swiss Participants: Participants open / Participants women

Drama at the Women section, as Bibisara Assaubayeva takes down the leader Vaishali 😱

Lagno, Song, and Tan Zhongyi also win to enter the fight for the two sports that give qualification for the Candidates 2026https://t.co/PZtRhNY3KG

— Chessdom (@chessdom) September 12, 2025

FIDE Women Grand Swiss round 8 results

Bo.		White	Rtg	Result		Black	Rtg
1	GM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	2505	1 – 0	GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	2452
2	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	2505	1 – 0	GM	Muzychuk, Mariya	2484
3	GM	Stefanova, Antoaneta	2395	0 – 1	IM	Song, Yuxin	2409
4	GM	Tan, Zhongyi	2531	1 – 0	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula	2445
5	GM	Dronavalli, Harika	2467	1/2-1/2	GM	Girya, Olga	2386
6	IM	Wagner, Dinara	2400	1/2-1/2	GM	Muzychuk, Anna	2535
7	IM	Balajayeva, Khanim	2331	1/2-1/2	GM	Kosteniuk, Alexandra	2472
8	IM	Fataliyeva, Ulviyya	2385	1/2-1/2	IM	Lu, Miaoyi	2449
9	WIM	Khamdamova, Afruza	2409	1/2-1/2	GM	Danielian, Elina	2405
10	IM	Bulmaga, Irina	2400	0 – 1	GM	Krush, Irina	2366
11	IM	Vantika, Agrawal	2381	0 – 1	IM	Shuvalova, Polina	2492
12	IM	Garifullina, Leya	2477	1/2-1/2	IM	Kamalidenova, Meruert	2349
13	IM	Salimova, Nurgyul	2386	0 – 1	IM	Injac, Teodora	2454
14	GM	Ushenina, Anna	2409	1 – 0	IM	Efroimski, Marsel	2377
15	WGM	Gaal, Zsoka	2388	1/2-1/2	WIM	Karimova, Guldona	2324
16	IM	Narva, Mai	2386	1 – 0	WGM	Zhai, Mo	2380
17	IM	Badelka, Olga	2375	0 – 1	IM	Osmak, Yuliia	2478
18	WCM	Khalilova, Madinabonu	2148	1/2-1/2	IM	Javakhishvili, Lela	2434
19	WGM	Shukhman, Anna	2420	1/2-1/2	IM	Tokhirjonova, Gulrukhbegim	2372
20	IM	Kiolbasa, Oliwia	2405	0 – 1	IM	Mkrtchian, Lilit	2393
21	IM	Maltsevskaya, Aleksandra	2379	1 – 0	WGM	Balabayeva, Xeniya	2383
22	IM	Arabidze, Meri	2444	0 – 1	WIM	Kaliakhmet, Elnaz	2299
23	WGM	Beydullayeva, Govhar	2368	1 – 0	WIM	Manko, Mariia	2313
24	IM	Kulon, Klaudia	2361	0 – 1	WIM	Omonova, Umida	2252
25	IM	Roebers, Eline	2377	1 – 0	WIM	Gomez Barrera, Javiera Belen	2173
26	WGM	Wafa, Shrook	2202	1 – 0	WIM	Nassr, Lina	2059
27	IM	Guo, Qi	2371	1/2-1/2	IM	Yip, Carissa	2458
28	WGM	Ouellet, Maili-Jade	2348	1		bye
29	GM	Gunina, Valentina	2418	0		not paired

FIDE Women Grand Swiss round 8 standings

Rk.		Name	FED	Rtg	Pts.
1	GM	Lagno, Kateryna	FID	2505	6.5
2	GM	Vaishali, Rameshbabu	IND	2452	6
3	GM	Assaubayeva, Bibisara	KAZ	2505	6
4	IM	Song, Yuxin	CHN	2409	6
5	GM	Tan, Zhongyi	CHN	2531	5.5
6	GM	Girya, Olga	FID	2386	5
7	IM	Guo, Qi	CHN	2371	5
8	GM	Krush, Irina	USA	2366	5
9	GM	Stefanova, Antoaneta	BUL	2395	5
10	GM	Muzychuk, Mariya	UKR	2484	5
11	IM	Yip, Carissa	USA	2458	5
12	IM	Fataliyeva, Ulviyya	AZE	2385	4.5
13	IM	Wagner, Dinara	GER	2400	4.5
14	IM	Balajayeva, Khanim	AZE	2331	4.5
15	IM	Narva, Mai	EST	2386	4.5
16	WIM	Khamdamova, Afruza	UZB	2409	4.5
17	GM	Danielian, Elina	ARM	2405	4.5
18	GM	Muzychuk, Anna	UKR	2535	4.5
19	GM	Kosteniuk, Alexandra	SUI	2472	4.5
20	IM	Tsolakidou, Stavroula	GRE	2445	4.5
21	GM	Dronavalli, Harika	IND	2467	4.5
22	IM	Shuvalova, Polina	FID	2492	4.5
23	IM	Lu, Miaoyi	CHN	2449	4.5
24	GM	Ushenina, Anna	UKR	2409	4.5
25	IM	Injac, Teodora	SRB	2454	4.5
26	IM	Maltsevskaya, Aleksandra	POL	2379	4
27	IM	Kamalidenova, Meruert	KAZ	2349	4
28	WIM	Karimova, Guldona	UZB	2324	4
29	WGM	Gaal, Zsoka	HUN	2388	4
30	IM	Garifullina, Leya	FID	2477	4
31	IM	Osmak, Yuliia	UKR	2478	4
32	IM	Mkrtchian, Lilit	ARM	2393	4
33	IM	Bulmaga, Irina	ROU	2400	4
34	IM	Salimova, Nurgyul	BUL	2386	3.5
35	IM	Vantika, Agrawal	IND	2381	3.5
36	IM	Tokhirjonova, Gulrukhbegim	UZB	2372	3.5
37	WCM	Khalilova, Madinabonu	UZB	2148	3.5
38	WGM	Zhai, Mo	CHN	2380	3.5
39	WGM	Beydullayeva, Govhar	AZE	2368	3.5
40	IM	Efroimski, Marsel	ISR	2377	3.5
41	WIM	Kaliakhmet, Elnaz	KAZ	2299	3.5
42	WIM	Omonova, Umida	UZB	2252	3.5
43	WGM	Shukhman, Anna	FID	2420	3.5
44	IM	Javakhishvili, Lela	GEO	2434	3.5
45	IM	Roebers, Eline	NED	2377	3
46	WGM	Ouellet, Maili-Jade	CAN	2348	3
47	IM	Badelka, Olga	AUT	2375	3
48	WGM	Wafa, Shrook	EGY	2202	3
49	IM	Kiolbasa, Oliwia	POL	2405	3
50	WGM	Balabayeva, Xeniya	KAZ	2383	2.5
51	WIM	Manko, Mariia	SUI	2313	2.5
52	IM	Arabidze, Meri	GEO	2444	2.5
53	IM	Kulon, Klaudia	POL	2361	2.5
54	WIM	Nassr, Lina	ALG	2059	2
55	WIM	Gomez Barrera, Javiera Belen	CHI	2173	2
56	GM	Gunina, Valentina	FID	2418	1.5