In one of the most dramatic finishes in Grand Chess Tour (GCT) history and the first ever to be decided by an Armageddon tiebreak, GM Alireza Firouzja of France captured the Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia 2026 title, the third stop of the 2026 GCT, after surviving a stunning final-day comeback by wildcard GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov from Uzbekistan.
“When the world’s best players meet, chess wins,” said Augusta Dragic, President of the Super Foundation. “Congratulations to Alireza Firouzja on an outstanding victory, and thank you to every participant for making Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia an exceptional showcase of elite chess. We look forward to the next stop on the Grand Chess Tour in Saint Louis.”
Marking the thrilling midway point of the Grand Chess Tour, the 2026 Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia brought ten of the world’s elite grandmasters to Zagreb from June 29 to July 6. The second of three rapid and blitz spectacles on the 2026 tour, the event boasted a stellar 10-player lineup that consisted of six full-tour competitors and four powerhouse wildcards. Headlining the field was reigning World Champion and wildcard Gukesh Dommaraju, alongside full-tour standouts Vincent Keymer, Alireza Firouzja, Anish Giri, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, Jorden van Foreest, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave. Joining them were elite wildcards Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Bogdan-Daniel Deac, and multiple-time Croatian champion Ivan Saric.
Firouzja looked destined for victory after building a commanding three-point lead heading into the final day, but he lost several games while Abdusattorov produced a remarkable comeback to force a tiebreaker. After two rapid games without a winner, Firouzja prevailed in the decisive Armageddon blitz game to clinch the title and earn $47,500. Abdusattorov finished in second place and received $42,500.
“The Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia was an exciting event and the perfect way to conclude the European legs of the 2026 Grand Chess Tour,” said Michael Khodarkovsky, Executive Director of the GCT. “Now we are looking forward to the second half of the tour in St. Louis, Missouri. Saint Louis rapid and blitz and the Sinquefield Cup will determine the top four players who will ultimately compete in the Final for the 2026 GCT title.“
“Today was probably the worst Blitz day of my career. I scored just three out of nine, which was a horrible performance, but these things happen. The important thing is that I managed to win the tiebreak, said Firouzja. “Going into the penultimate round, I knew I had to beat Gukesh just to force the playoff, and fortunately I found the chances when I needed them. I’ve definitely had smoother tournament victories, but I’ll gladly take this one.”
Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia 2026 final standings:
With three events complete, the race for the 2026 GCT Finals is beginning to take shape. Despite not competing in Croatia, GM Fabiano Caruana retains the overall Tour lead, while GM Vincent Keymer moved into second. Firouzja’s victory vaults him into third in the standings, with Wesley So rounding out the current top four as the Tour heads to the United States for its second half.
The 2026 GCT Finals will conclude in Saint Louis, Missouri – the Chess Capital of America –where the Saint Louis Chess Club will host the final two regular-season events before the season culminates with the Grand Chess Tour Finals.
Text and photos: Grand Chess Tour
Official website: https://grandchesstour.org/