- July 4, 2026
Grand Chess Tour: Pragg Finishes Rapid On A High, Shares Top Spot With Firouzja
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R Praggnanandhaa won all three games on the final day of the rapid section to draw level with Alireza Firouzja atop the Croatia Grand Chess Tour standings.
Indian GM Praggnanandhaa (X)
Indian GM R Praggnanandhaa produced a flawless finish to the rapid section of the Croatia Grand Chess Tour, winning all three of his final-day games to surge into a share of the lead alongside France’s Alireza Firouzja.
After slipping off the pace on the second day, the 19-year-old responded in emphatic fashion on Saturday, defeating Croatia’s Ivan Saric, Romania’s Bogdan-Daniel Deac and Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri to finish on 12 points. Firouzja, who had led for much of the event, also ended the rapid section on 12 points.
With the 18-round blitz section still to come, the title race remains wide open. France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov are just a point behind on 11, while reigning world champion D Gukesh and Germany’s Vincent Keymer remain firmly in contention on 10 points.
Three Clinical Wins Power Praggnanandhaa’s Comeback
Praggnanandhaa’s charge began against local favourite Ivan Saric. Playing the Caro-Kann Defence, the Indian seized the initiative early and maintained control throughout before converting his positional edge into a comfortable victory.
He followed it up with an even more convincing display against Bogdan-Daniel Deac. Playing against the Petroff Defence, Praggnanandhaa dismantled the Romanian’s position, winning a piece before move 15 and cruising to another full point.
The highlight of the day came in the final round against the ever-reliable Anish Giri. Praggnanandhaa extracted a pawn advantage from the Catalan Opening and showcased impressive tactical precision to wrap up the contest in just 34 moves, completing a perfect three-from-three finish.
Mixed Fortunes For Gukesh
While Praggnanandhaa finished with maximum points, fellow Indian and world champion D Gukesh endured a quieter final day. Gukesh was held to three consecutive draws against Abdusattorov, Vincent Keymer and Firouzja, leaving him two points behind the joint leaders heading into blitz.
With 18 blitz games still to be played, the tournament remains delicately poised. Praggnanandhaa will carry the momentum after his stunning late surge, but Firouzja, Vachier-Lagrave, Abdusattorov and Gukesh all remain firmly in the hunt for the Croatia Grand Chess Tour title.
(with PTI inputs)
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After training in the field of broadcast media, Siddarth, as a sub-editor for News18 Sports, currently dabbles in putting together stories, from across a plethora of sports, onto a digital canvas. His…Read More
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