GCT Zagreb: Praggnanandhaa charged towards the peak, Firouzja stalled, Šarić fell behind

At the Westin Hotel in Zagreb, the capital of Croatia, the exciting final day of the third leg of the 2026 Grand Chess Tour (GCT) series has concluded. This prestigious tournament, held with the participation of ten elite chess grandmasters from all over the world, gave audiences unforgettable moments. The third and final day of the tournament witnessed intense struggles, especially in the Rapid and Blitz formats. Athletes were tested both strategically and psychologically in this challenging format, played with a total of 25 minutes per piece and an increment of 10 seconds per move. This critical phase, where the last three rounds were played, caused major changes in the general standings and played a decisive role in determining the championship contenders.

India's young chess prodigy Praggnanandhaa launched a fierce attack towards the summit with the magnificent performance he displayed on the final day of the tournament. The talented player, going through one of the brightest periods of his career, moved his place in the points table to the upper ranks with critical victories against his opponents. Constantly keeping his opponents under pressure with masterful opening moves and mid-game constructions, Praggnanandhaa fought with all his might to compensate for the points he lost over the three concluded cols. In particular, the individual decisions he made in difficult positions and his tactical vision made him one of the most striking figures of the tournament. This rise was a big step that would further solidify his place in the world rankings and allow him to settle into a confident profile for future tournaments.

On the other hand, Alireza Firouzja, shown as one of the strongest favorites of the tournament and ranked high in the world rankings, unexpectedly experienced a performance drop and stalled somewhat in the struggle. The young star lost points due to defeats in the final rounds and critical move errors, falling behind in the race for the peak. While experts link this attitude of Firouzja to the fatigue brought on by the intense tournament schedule and psychological pressure, they were surprised by this situation. Planning errors made in positions that could change the course of the game were among the factors that negatively affected his day. However, it is still seen as a possibility in the chess community that the normal champion will recover from this dip performance and return to his old form.

Anton Šarić, the Croatian grandmaster who is the pride of the host country, could not get the results he wanted in the tournament he played in front of his own audience and closed the day in the negative. Šarić, leaving the field with great expectations as a local player, had difficult moments against the aggressive playing styles of his opponents and descended down the points table. In particular, sudden delays in move calculations and deviations in opening variations caused him to finish the day with a negative score. Despite this, the host athlete's experience and chess vision stood out as elements contributing to the overall quality of the tournament. Šarić's failure left him with a wide area to work on both morally and technically in the upcoming process.

Overall, this event held in Zagreb went down in history as the most competitive and exciting leg of the 2026 GCT series. In the tournament held with the participation of ten grandmasters, both experienced figures and young star candidates brought a new breath to the chess world with the performances they displayed. The fluctuating score table on the final day of the tournament once again revealed how unpredictable the sport is. Praggnanandhaa's rise, Firouzja's stall, and Šarić's difficult day were the most important plot threads forming the general story of the tournament. These struggles give strong signals that the championship race will heat up further in the progressing stages of the series and that the competition between athletes will continue to increase.