Getting to FIDE's next Candidates tournament, the final eliminator before the world championship match, is officially a BIG DEAL for top chess players. Everyone wants to be there.

Conventional wisdom suggests only a select few who throw everything at it are in with a chance of qualifying.

GM Matthias Bluebaum just blew that theory apart.

The 28-year-old German, who readily admits that at the elite level he's now no spring chicken, pulled off the stunning feat of booking his ticket to the 2026 Candidates by finishing a sensational second at the FIDE Grand Swiss.

Bluebaum got a draw against GM Alireza Firouzja in the final round to secure second-place. Photo: Michal Walusza/FIDE.

The Grand Swiss, held this year in Uzbekistan, was incredibly-strong, with a roster of top players in the Open section fighting tooth and nail to finish in the top two. GM Anish Giri, who previously made the 2016 and 2020 Candidates tournaments, was a popular winner. Few will argue that he belongs on the top table of chess.

Bluebaum, the world number 55, was more of a surprise. He started off as the lowly 32nd seed at the event in Samarkand and he openly said he just wanted to finish in the top half.

Eleven rounds later he had booked his place having beaten players like world numbers four and five GM Praggnanandhaa R and GM Arjun Erigaisi on the way. He becomes the first German player to reach this stage of the world championship cycle since GM Robert Hübner in 1991.

What's more, Bluebaum did it without help.

“I don’t have a coach or a second, so I was completely on my own here,” Bluebaum said afterwards.

Bluebaum has had an impressive year. He is the reigning European Individual Chess Champion and currently sits third in the FIDE Circuit behind Praggnanandhaa and Giri. But no-one had him down as a qualifier from the Grand Swiss.

Bluebaum's rating is at a career high right now. Can he do some damage? IM Greg Shahade seems to think so.

The American posted on X: "To those thinking Bluebaum will get crushed in the Candidates: his rating is 2691 and rising. Obviously he’s not the favorite, but that’s a decent enough level to surprise people and he is approx 60 points higher than [GM Nijat] Abasov from the 2024 event. Excited to see how he does!!"

We don't yet know when or where the 2026 FIDE Candidates will take place, or the final line-up. Bluebaum is only the third player in the Open to nail down a place along with Giri, and American GM Fabiano Caruana.

Praggnanandhaa, who looks set to grab the spot from the FIDE Circuit, and GM Hikaru Nakamura, who is in pole position based on ratings, are almost certain to be on a plane to wherever when the time comes. But they're not finalized yet.

Three more names will be decided at the FIDE World Cup in November, an event that's usually very unpredictable.

After that, it's all about the build-up to the Candidates. We can't wait.