Zagreb: Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa secured a joint third-place finish at the Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia tournament after a spirited comeback on the final day of the blitz section. The 19-year-old ended the event with 21.5 points, tied with France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.
The recently crowned Norway Chess champion recovered from an early setback to finish on the podium, while France’s Alireza Firouzja claimed the title after defeating Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov in an Armageddon tie-break.
Praggnanandhaa stages strong recovery
Praggnanandhaa began the final day with a defeat against Germany’s Vincent Keymer, but responded impressively by collecting six points from his remaining eight games.
His only other loss came against reigning world champion D. Gukesh, while one of his most notable victories was against eventual champion Firouzja.
The strong finish helped the Indian Grandmaster secure a share of third place with 21.5 points.
Firouzja wins after Armageddon tie-break
Firouzja, who dominated the opening day of the blitz competition by scoring eight points from nine games, slowed down on the final day and added only five more points.
His total of 23.5 points was matched by Abdusattorov, forcing the tournament into a tie-break.
After the first two tie-break games ended in draws, the championship was decided in an Armageddon game. Playing with the black pieces, Firouzja held Abdusattorov to a draw, which was enough to secure the title under Armageddon rules.
Final standings
Firouzja and Abdusattorov finished level at the top with 23.5 points, while Praggnanandhaa and Vachier-Lagrave shared third place on 21.5 points.
Vincent Keymer finished fifth with 20 points, followed by India’s D. Gukesh in sixth with 18.5 points.
The remaining standings were:
- Anish Giri (Netherlands) – 17 points
- Bogdan-Daniel Deac (Romania) – 15 points
- Jorden van Foreest (Netherlands) – 12.5 points
- Ivan Saric (Croatia) – 7 points
Grand Chess Tour race intensifies
Firouzja’s victory earned him the USD 47,000 winner’s prize, while runner-up Abdusattorov received USD 42,000.
Praggnanandhaa and Vachier-Lagrave earned USD 25,000 each for their joint third-place finish.
In the overall Grand Chess Tour standings, American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana continues to lead with 20 points, followed by Vincent Keymer on 19 points and Firouzja on 18 points.
Praggnanandhaa is currently placed sixth with 11.5 points, leaving him with ground to make up in the race for qualification to the season-ending Grand Chess Tour Finals.
Focus shifts to St. Louis
The Indian Grandmaster will next compete in the remaining Grand Chess Tour events in St. Louis, which include another rapid and blitz tournament followed by a classical event.
Strong performances in those competitions will be crucial for Praggnanandhaa as he looks to improve his position in the overall standings and secure a place in the Grand Chess Tour Finals.
