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Gukesh bags rapid title at Grand Chess Tour 2025

He concluded the rapid section with a composed 36-move victory over Wesley So.

D. Gukesh / Lennart Ootes/ GrandChessTour

Reigning World Chess Champion D. Gukesh won the rapid section of the 2025 Grand Chess Tour’s SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz tournament in Zagreb on July 4. 

Finishing with 14 points out of a possible 18, the 19-year-old Indian recovered from a first-round loss to Polish Grandmaster Jan-Krzysztof Duda to win six games, draw two, and lose just once across the nine rounds.

Also read: Gukesh Shocks Carlsen with First Classical Win at Norway Chess

Gukesh’s performance included a notable win over Norwegian Grandmaster Magnus Carlsen in Round 4 and a final-round victory against Wesley So. Against So, he converted a material edge into a win in 36 moves after a tactical oversight by the American Grandmaster.

His score placed him ahead of Duda, who finished second after a consistent showing. Carlsen, despite an early win against Italian-American Grandmaster Fabiano Caruana on the final day, could not close the gap and ended outside the top two.

R. Praggnanandhaa, the other Indian player in the field, had a modest result with one win, seven draws, and one loss, totaling nine points. He remains in contention in the overall tour standings, having won in Bucharest and placed third in Warsaw.

The blitz section of the Zagreb leg concludes July 6. Final standings for the event will be based on combined points from the rapid and blitz formats.

The Grand Chess Tour will continue with two more events scheduled in the United States and Brazil later this year.
 

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