India’s top-ranked player R Praggnanandhaa will begin as one of the leading contenders at the third edition of the Grand Chess Tour rapid and blitz tournament, which gets underway in Croatia on Wednesday.
Despite a minimal difference in ratings, Praggnanandhaa’s current form and strong track record place him among the favourites in a star-studded field. The 18-year-old bounced back from a difficult start at the recent Uzbekistan Masters, winning his final two classical games and then dominating the tiebreaks with remarkable composure, further underscoring the consistency that has become his trademark.
The Croatian leg of the prestigious tour will feature several elite names, including world number one Magnus Carlsen and reigning world champion D Gukesh. While Gukesh continues to refine his approach to faster time formats such as rapid and blitz, Carlsen, widely regarded as the best in these formats, returns to competition following his decision to step away from FIDE-sanctioned events.
Alongside Carlsen, Gukesh, and Praggnanandhaa, other prominent contenders include Fabiano Caruana of the United States, Alireza Firouzja—who now represents France after emigrating from Iran—and Uzbekistan’s prodigy Nodirbek Abdusattorov.
The Grand Chess Tour was planned by Garry Kasparov, a former world champion and one of the key figures in professionalising chess in the post-Fischer era. His vision has helped shape today’s competitive chess landscape, enabling a new generation of players to thrive.
Pragg’s rise this year (2025) has been marked by his 3 el-classico tournament wins, with one of his most recent victory in Uzbek highlighting his sharp moves, strategies in high-pressure situations or tactics.
He ended his tournament in a tie for first place in the classical segment before clinching victory in the tiebreaks.
Gukesh holds the World Champion title and is still in progress mode to establish his dominance in rapid, blitz formats. Analysts do suggest that adapting to the quicker variants would always be essential for cementing his status across all formats.
Meanwhile, Carlsen’s return to a format he dominates has generated considerable excitement. The Norwegian has announced he will no longer participate in official FIDE events, a move seen as a blow to the global chess federation. However, his continued involvement in the Grand Chess Tour and other non-FIDE competitions remains a major draw for fans.
Although Carlsen begins as the favourite, Praggnanandhaa, riding a wave of form and confidence, is seen as one of the few capable of challenging the former world champion’s supremacy on the board.
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