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Magnus Carlsen Wins Croatia Rapid & Blitz Despite Final-Day Struggles
GM Magnus Carlsen won the 2025 SuperUnited Croatia Rapid & Blitz with a round to spare. Despite a tough final day, he still finished 2.5 points ahead of the field. GM Wesley So took second place with a thrilling final-round win over GM Fabiano Caruana. World Champion Gukesh Dommaraju came in third, after a steady finish.
There was no more drama between Carlsen and Gukesh. Their final clash ended in a quick 14-move draw.
Carlsen’s Era Lives On
Carlsen’s dominance continues. This was his 10th win in 12 Grand Chess Tour rapid and blitz events. In 2025 alone, he has now won six major tournaments. These include the Chessable Masters, Paris Freestyle, Grenke Open, Chess.com Classic, Norway Chess, and now Croatia Rapid & Blitz.
Though GM Garry Kasparov had questioned Carlsen’s dominance after his earlier loss to Gukesh, the world number-one proved he’s still on top.
“I Just Survived,” Says Champion
Carlsen admitted he had only one good day, but that was enough. He said the tournament was balanced, and no one truly broke away from the pack. Carlsen joked that he simply “played alright,” and still ended up winning.
His 7.5/9 score on the first blitz day was brilliant. However, on the final day, he only managed 5/9—the fifth-best score.
He struggled against GM Anish Giri in an 89-move draw to start the day. But he bounced back with a win over GM Alireza Firouzja, who was also in great form.
Blunders, Battles & Bare Kings
Despite leading by three points, Carlsen’s path to victory wasn’t smooth. After a draw against Caruana and a quiet draw with Gukesh, he seemed in control. But losses to GM Nodirbek Abdusattorov and sloppy draws made the final stretch tense.
Abdusattorov, who had finished last in the rapid, dominated the final blitz day with 7/9, including a big win over Carlsen.
Even so, Carlsen stayed ahead. GM Jan-Krzysztof Duda, the only remaining threat, lost to GM Ivan Saric. Carlsen needed only a draw in his final games to clinch the win—and he got it.
He ended the event with a victory over Saric, despite missing an easy win and having to outplay his opponent in a drawn endgame.
What Makes Carlsen So Tough to Beat?
Carlsen praised the rapid and blitz format, saying 27 games allow time to recover from bad moments. This format rewards consistency, and that’s where he shines.
He also noted the unpredictability of shorter games and the need for endurance: “On some days, you just try to survive.”
So & Gukesh Complete the Podium
Magnus won the event, but as a wildcard, he doesn’t earn Grand Chess Tour points. Wesley So finished second and earned valuable points toward Tour Finals qualification. Gukesh took third after a strong rapid performance, though his blitz wasn’t as solid.
So started the event poorly and was ready to give up chess after the rapid portion. But he turned it around dramatically, finishing strong with aggressive wins in blitz.
His final game against Caruana was a rollercoaster.
So said:
“I was losing first, then winning, then losing again… I wasn’t sure until two moves from the end!”
What’s Next for the Grand Chess Tour?
The next stops on the 2025 Grand Chess Tour are in the United States:
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Saint Louis Rapid & Blitz
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Sinquefield Cup
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Followed by the Tour Finals in Brazil this September.
You can rewatch the games on the Saint Louis Chess Club YouTube channel or on the official event page.
The 2025 SuperUnited Croatia Rapid & Blitz took place from July 2–6 at the Westin Hotel in Zagreb, Croatia. The event featured 10 elite players competing in rapid and blitz formats across five exciting days.
Photos: Lennart Ootes/Grand Chess Tour
Source: CHESS.com
