Alireza Firouzja Dominates Blitz Section as R. Praggnanandhaa Struggles in Grand Chess Tour
Alireza Firouzja Dominates Blitz Section at Grand Chess Tour, R. Praggnanandhaa Struggles
Croatia, July 5, 2026 — In a stunning display of skill and strategy, France’s Alireza Firouzja has emerged as the sole leader after the penultimate day of the Croatian leg of the Grand Chess Tour. While Firouzja dazzled spectators with a remarkable eight wins out of nine in the blitz section, India’s R. Praggnanandhaa faced a challenging day, managing only 3.5 points from the opening nine rounds.
Firouzja’s performance has been nothing short of extraordinary, propelling him to a commanding total of 20 points, a significant three-point lead over his nearest rivals, Nodirbek Abdusattorov of Uzbekistan and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave of France, both sitting at 17 points. The dominance displayed by Firouzja is one of the most impressive in Grand Chess Tour history, leaving half the field trailing by at least seven points.
Praggnanandhaa, who had previously shared the lead with Firouzja after the rapid section, struggled to maintain his momentum. After starting the day with a win against Germany’s Vincent Keymer, he faced a setback with a draw against Dutchman Anish Giri, followed by four consecutive losses. This disappointing run left him in fourth place with 15.5 points, trailing behind Abdusattorov and Vachier-Lagrave.
World champion D. Gukesh also had a tough day, finishing with 14 points and securing fifth place. Despite gaining a half point more than Praggnanandhaa, Gukesh’s performance was marred by four losses, reflecting the intense competition at this high-stakes tournament.
As the tournament approaches its final day, the standings indicate that Firouzja’s lead may be insurmountable. However, Praggnanandhaa still has a chance for a podium finish if he can regain his form in the remaining rounds of this $200,000 prize money event.
Current Standings After Round 9:
- Alireza Firouzja (France) – 20 points
2-3. Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (France), Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzbekistan) – 17 points each - R. Praggnanandhaa (India) – 15.5 points
- D. Gukesh (India) – 14 points
- Vincent Keymer (Germany) – 13 points
- Anish Giri (Netherlands) – 12.5 points
- Deac Bogdan-Daniel (Romania) – 11.5 points
- Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands) – 9.5 points
- Ivan Saric (Croatia) – 5 points
With nine rounds of blitz still to be played, the chess world eagerly awaits to see if Praggnanandhaa can bounce back and reclaim his competitive edge in this thrilling tournament.