Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa Kicks Off Zagreb Leg of Grand Chess Tour with Strong Performance
Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa Shines in Zagreb Grand Chess Tour Opener
Zagreb, Croatia – Indian chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa kicked off his campaign in the Zagreb leg of the Grand Chess Tour with a stunning victory over top seed Vincent Keymer of Germany. The young Grandmaster’s impressive performance on the opening day of the rapid section saw him secure a win and two hard-fought draws, placing him in joint second with four points.
In a thrilling first round, Praggnanandhaa showcased his tactical prowess, launching a relentless attack against Keymer’s king. The match concluded in just 26 moves, a testament to Praggnanandhaa’s strategic brilliance. Following this victory, he faced off against France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and compatriot D Gukesh, both of whom he managed to hold to draws, demonstrating his resilience against top-tier opponents.
Alireza Firouzja of France emerged as the sole leader after the first day, accumulating five points through two victories and a draw against Anish Giri of the Netherlands. Firouzja’s strong start has set the stage for an exciting tournament, with each rapid win valued at two points.
Praggnanandhaa’s journey in Zagreb comes on the heels of his recent triumph at the Norway Chess Classic, where he outperformed the legendary Magnus Carlsen. His momentum continues as he aims to solidify his position among the world’s elite players.
D Gukesh, the reigning world champion, rebounded from his opening-round loss to Vachier-Lagrave by decisively defeating Croatia’s Ivan Saric in the second round. Gukesh, currently sitting on three points, is determined to reclaim his rhythm as he prepares for his upcoming title defense against Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Sindarov.
As the tournament progresses, the competition remains fierce, with nine rounds of rapid chess followed by an 18-round blitz marathon. The cumulative points from both sections will ultimately determine the champion.
Standings After Round 3 (Rapid):
- Alireza Firouzja (Fra) – 5 points
- Maxime Vachier-Lagrave (Fra) – 4 points
- R Praggnanandhaa (Ind) – 4 points
- Anish Giri (Ned) – 4 points
- Vincent Keymer (Ger) – 4 points
- D Gukesh (Ind) – 3 points
- Deac Bogdan-Daniel (Rou) – 3 points
- Nodirbek Abdusattorov (Uzb) – 2 points
- Jorden van Foreest (Ned) – 1 point
- Ivan Saric (Cro) – 0 points
As the Grand Chess Tour unfolds, all eyes will be on Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh as they continue to represent India’s rising prominence in the chess world.