Croatia, July 20: Fabiano Caruana demonstrated exceptional speed chess skills by clinching the SuperUnited Zagreb Rapid and Blitz, part of the Grand Chess Tour. With an impressive 27/36 points, Caruana equaled Magnus Carlsen’s record for the event, securing first place with five rounds to spare.
The tournament, featuring nine rounds of rapid and blitz chess, offered a total prize fund of $175,000. Caruana’s victory included a notable performance in the final rapid round, where his innovative opening strategy, dubbed the “Delayed Zagreb,” led to a surprising win against Anish Giri.
This win marks a significant achievement for Caruana, who has been honing his speed chess skills since his challenging 2018 World Chess Championship match against Carlsen. Currently ranked No 2 in rapid and No 6 in blitz, Caruana’s recent success boosts his standing in the chess world.
However, Garry Kasparov, a Grand Chess Tour organizer and former world champion, criticized the upcoming World Chess Championship match between Ding Liren and Dommaraju Gukesh, questioning its credibility given the absence of the world’s top-rated player. Despite this, the match remains legitimate, though its quality will be closely scrutinized.
In related news, the Crunchlabs Masters, featuring Magnus Carlsen, and the Mindsports International Open are ongoing, showcasing further high-level chess action.