Zagreb: World champion D Gukesh climbed to joint second place after an impressive victory over Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri on the second day of the Zagreb leg of the Grand Chess Tour.
The Indian Grandmaster capitalised on the advantage of playing with the white pieces and produced a commanding performance to strengthen his position in the rapid section of the tournament.
Despite Gukesh’s strong finish to the day, Iran-born French Grandmaster Alireza Firouzja remained firmly in control of the standings. Firouzja extended his lead to three points after another successful day, placing himself in a strong position ahead of the remaining rapid rounds and the blitz section.
Firouzja opens up commanding lead
After six rounds of rapid chess, Firouzja leads the standings with 10 points out of a possible 12. His consistent performances have given him a comfortable cushion over the chasing pack.
Four players – Germany’s Vincent Keymer, France’s Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, Romania’s Bogdan-Daniel Deac and India’s D Gukesh – are tied for second place with seven points each.
India’s R Praggnanandhaa, Anish Giri and Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov are half a point behind on 6.5 points, while Croatia’s Ivan Saric and Dutch Grandmaster Jorden van Foreest occupy the bottom of the table with two points each.
With three rapid rounds still to be played before the tournament moves into the blitz phase, the battle for the top positions remains open despite Firouzja’s sizeable advantage.
Gukesh outplays Giri in Ruy Lopez
The highlight of Gukesh’s day came in the final round when he faced Anish Giri with the white pieces.
The game featured the Ruy Lopez Exchange Variation, where Gukesh quickly seized the initiative after Giri drifted out of his opening preparation. The Indian star launched a well-timed attack on the Dutch Grandmaster’s king, steadily increasing the pressure.
Gukesh eventually won the exchange and converted his material advantage with clinical precision. Displaying excellent technique, the reigning world champion left Giri with little chance of recovery and secured a convincing victory.
The result helped Gukesh recover from an earlier setback and finish the day on a positive note.
Mixed fortunes for Indian stars
Gukesh’s campaign on the second day began on a disappointing note with an unexpected defeat to Romania’s Bogdan-Daniel Deac. However, he responded strongly by defeating Jorden van Foreest before completing the day with his impressive win over Giri.
His ability to bounce back from defeat demonstrated the resilience that has become a hallmark of his recent performances on the international circuit.
For fellow Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa, the day produced contrasting emotions.
He started strongly by defeating Van Foreest, continuing the momentum from the opening day when he had overcome Vincent Keymer. However, his fortunes changed dramatically in the remaining rounds.
Praggnanandhaa first suffered defeat against Uzbekistan’s Nodirbek Abdusattorov before facing tournament leader Firouzja in what turned out to be one of the most dramatic games of the day.
Firouzja capitalises on late mistake
Praggnanandhaa appeared to have secured a draw against Firouzja after navigating a game filled with fluctuating fortunes.
The Indian Grandmaster reached what was widely considered a theoretically drawn endgame. However, a late mistake proved costly, allowing Firouzja to convert the position into a victory.
The win further strengthened Firouzja’s grip on the tournament and denied Praggnanandhaa a valuable half-point that could have improved his standing.
The result also underlined Firouzja’s remarkable ability to capitalise on even the smallest inaccuracies from his opponents.
Rapid title still within reach
Although Firouzja enjoys a healthy three-point lead heading into the final three rapid rounds, the competition remains far from over.
The Grand Chess Tour awards points separately for rapid and blitz games, with the blitz section consisting of 18 rounds over the final two days of the event. Given the large number of games still to be played, significant changes in the standings remain possible.
Gukesh’s recovery and move into joint second keep him firmly in contention, while Praggnanandhaa also remains within striking distance if he can produce a strong finish.
With several of the world’s leading Grandmasters competing, the Zagreb leg promises an exciting conclusion as players battle for valuable Grand Chess Tour points and the tournament title.