Contrasting Starts for Indian Stars at Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia: Praggnanandhaa Shines, Gukesh Fights Back
Zagreb, July 2: Indian Chess Stars Shine Amidst Contrasting Fortunes at Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia
In an electrifying start to the Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia, the third leg of the Grand Chess Tour, Indian chess prodigy R. Praggnanandhaa showcased his prowess, finishing Day 1 tied for second place. Meanwhile, reigning world champion D. Gukesh faced a more challenging day, ending the round in a tie for sixth.
Praggnanandhaa kicked off the tournament with a stunning victory over German chess star Vincent Keymer, followed by a hard-fought draw against the formidable Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. His performance has placed him in a strong position, accumulating 4 points out of 6.
In contrast, Gukesh’s journey began on a rocky note as he fell to Vachier-Lagrave in the opening round. However, he quickly rebounded with a decisive win over Ivan Saric. The two Indian talents then faced off in a highly anticipated clash, ultimately agreeing to a draw, which left Gukesh with 3 points.
As the day concluded, Alireza Firouzja emerged as the player to beat, leading the pack with 5 points. Just weeks prior, Firouzja had to withdraw from the Grand Chess Tour event in Romania due to an ankle injury, even playing some games from a separate room. His resilience was evident as he maintained his lead, drawing against Anish Giri in a strategic battle.
Keymer’s comeback continued as he secured a victory against Nodirbek Abdusattorov, while Bogdan-Daniel Deac celebrated his first win of the tournament against Ivan Sari. Vachier-Lagrave also managed to split points with Jorden van Foreest, adding to the day’s excitement.
The tournament format combines two fast-paced disciplines: a 9-round single round-robin rapid tournament, played at a time control of 25 minutes plus a 10-second increment, and an 18-round double round-robin blitz tournament, played at 5 minutes plus a 2-second increment. Rapid wins are valued at 2 points, while blitz victories earn 1 point.
With six rapid rounds still to play, the competition remains fierce, and all eyes will be on the Indian stars as they aim to climb the leaderboard in the coming days.
Stay tuned for more updates as the Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia unfolds!
–IANS