Indian chess players had a mixed start in the Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia tournament. Praggnanandhaa secured a joint second position, while world champion D. Gukesh ended up in sixth place after the third round of the rapid section. Praggnanandhaa won against Vincent Keymer and drew with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, whereas Gukesh lost to Vachier-Lagrave but bounced back with a victory over Ivan Saric.
On the first day, Praggnanandhaa and Gukesh faced off in the final round, resulting in a draw between them. Praggnanandhaa finished the day in second place with 4/6 points, while Gukesh was tied for sixth with 3/6 points, with more rapid rounds remaining. The tournament leader after the third round was Alireza Firouzja, holding a solo lead with five points.
The Super Rapid & Blitz Croatia tournament witnessed an eventful opening day. Alireza Firouzja, the current leader, had to withdraw from a previous event due to an ankle injury but is now leading in Croatia. Keymer and Deac secured wins, while Vachier-Lagrave and Giri settled for a draw. The tournament format includes a rapid tournament and a blitz tournament, each with its own time controls and scoring system.
