Firouzja Claims Croatia Title in Historic Finish
Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja won the Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia 2026, the third leg of the Grand Chess Tour, in one of the most dramatic finishes the circuit has ever seen.5 The tournament ran from July 1 to 5 in Zagreb, Croatia.4
Firouzja and GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov finished level on 23.5 points from 27 games.7 The tie was broken by an Armageddon game — the first time in Grand Chess Tour history a title was decided this way.5
Format and Field
The event was held at the Westin Zagreb Hotel and combined a 9-round rapid round robin with an 18-round blitz double round robin.7 Ten players competed: six full-tour regulars and four wildcards.7
Wildcards included reigning world champion Gukesh Dommaraju and Croatian local hero Ivan Saric.7 The total prize fund stood at $200,000, with $50,000 going to the outright winner.7
Standings and Key Performances
GM Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu tied for third with GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.7 Praggnanandhaa had shared the lead after the rapid section but struggled in the blitz rounds, managing just 3.5 points from the opening nine blitz games.8
Firouzja, by contrast, produced a brilliant display to emerge as sole leader heading into the final day.8 World champion Gukesh reached around 14 points for fifth place after an average week.8
Where Croatia Fits in the 2026 Season
The 2026 Grand Chess Tour runs six events in total. Croatia was the third stop, following the Super Rapid & Blitz Poland in Warsaw and the Super Chess Classic Romania in Bucharest.
The tour now heads to the United States.5 The Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz runs July 31 to August 7, followed immediately by the Sinquefield Cup. The GCT Finals close out the season in Saint Louis from August 21 to 28.
What to Watch Next
Wildcard spots for the Saint Louis events have already been announced.5 With Firouzja taking the title and Abdusattorov pushing him all the way to Armageddon, both players head to Saint Louis as ones to watch in the second half of the season.
Praggnanandhaa will be looking to build on his rapid section form in Saint Louis, having shared the lead after the rapid rounds in Zagreb before fading in the blitz.8 How Gukesh responds after a quiet Croatia outing will also be worth following.8