Praggnanandhaa Climbs to Joint Second, Gukesh Tied Sixth at Grand Chess Tour Croatia

India’s two brightest chess stars, world champion D. Gukesh and R. Praggnanandhaa, both took to the board on the opening day of the Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia 2026 in Zagreb, the third leg of this year’s Grand Chess Tour — with Praggnanandhaa enjoying the better start of the two.

Contrasting Starts for India’s Stars

Praggnanandhaa opened with a win over Vincent Keymer before being held to a draw by Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, leaving him tied for second place on 4/6 after the day’s rapid rounds. Gukesh had a tougher opening, losing his first-round game to Vachier-Lagrave, before bouncing back with a win over Ivan Saric and then drawing with Praggnanandhaa himself. That left the world champion tied for sixth on 3/6 heading into the rest of the event.

Where the Field Stands

Alireza Firouzja leads the tournament after the opening day, sitting on five points from three rapid rounds — a strong start that puts him ahead of the chasing pack, which includes both Indian players. With six further rapid rounds still to be played before the event moves into its blitz phase, there is plenty of time for the standings to shift.

Why It Matters

Chess has surged in popularity in India since Gukesh’s world championship triumph, and events like this one have become appointment viewing for a rapidly growing domestic fanbase. A strong showing from either player in Croatia would add further momentum to that wave, while Gukesh in particular will be keen to atone for his opening-round loss as the tournament progresses.

What’s Next

The rapid section continues before the tournament transitions to its blitz format, with both Indian players well placed to push up the leaderboard over the remaining rounds.