The 2026 Grand Chess Tour: Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia concluded after five days of thrilling action in Zagreb, Croatia, bringing together ten of the world’s strongest grandmasters in one of the most competitive rapid and blitz events of the year. The tournament, the third stop of the 2026 Grand Chess Tour, featured a nine-round rapid event followed by an 18-round blitz competition, with players battling for a share of the $200,000 prize fund and valuable Grand Chess Tour points.
Rapid Tournament: Praggnanandhaa Shares First
The three-day rapid section produced exciting chess, with R Praggnanandhaa delivering one of his strongest performances of the season. The Indian grandmaster finished as joint winner of the Rapid event alongside Alireza Firouzja, showcasing excellent preparation and tactical precision against several elite opponents.
Among Praggnanandhaa’s standout victories were wins against:
- Vincent Keymer
- Jorden van Foreest
- Ivan Šarić
- Bogdan-Daniel Deac
- Anish Giri
His only setbacks came against Firouzja and Abdusattorov, while he also held World Champion Gukesh to a draw.
Blitz Tournament: Firouzja Takes Control
The blitz section proved decisive as Alireza Firouzja dominated the fast-paced games, overtaking the field to secure the overall tournament title. His consistency across both rapid and blitz formats earned him first place in the combined standings and another prestigious Grand Chess Tour victory.
Firouzja’s aggressive style and strong tactical play allowed him to outperform the field during the double round-robin blitz event, where every point proved crucial.
How the Indian Players Performed
R Praggnanandhaa
Praggnanandhaa was one of the tournament’s biggest success stories. His joint victory in the rapid section demonstrated his growing strength in faster formats, defeating several top grandmasters and remaining in title contention throughout the event.
D Gukesh
Reigning World Champion D Gukesh experienced an event filled with highs and lows. He scored notable rapid victories over Ivan Šarić, Jorden van Foreest, and Anish Giri while drawing against Praggnanandhaa, Abdusattorov, Keymer, and Firouzja. Although he was unable to challenge for the overall title, Gukesh remained competitive against the world’s elite.
Star-Studded Field
The tournament featured an elite lineup:
- Alireza Firouzja (France)
- D Gukesh (India)
- R Praggnanandhaa (India)
- Vincent Keymer (Germany)
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan)
- Anish Giri (Netherlands)
- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France)
- Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands)
- Bogdan-Daniel Deac (Romania)
- Ivan Šarić (Croatia)
Prize Money
The tournament featured a total prize fund of $200,000, with prize money distributed according to the final combined standings of the rapid and blitz events. Besides financial rewards, players also earned valuable Grand Chess Tour points toward qualification for the season-ending Grand Finals.
The Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia once again delivered world-class entertainment, combining elite competition with dramatic finishes. While Alireza Firouzja emerged as the overall champion thanks to a dominant blitz performance, R Praggnanandhaa’s joint rapid title highlighted India’s continued rise in international chess. Alongside World Champion D Gukesh, the Indian contingent reinforced the country’s growing influence at the highest level of world chess.
BY PURVI SEHRAWAT
