Reigning world chess champion D Gukesh finished sixth overall at the SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz tournament in Zagreb, Croatia, as Chilean Grandmaster Hans Niemann produced a commanding performance to win the title.
Gukesh, who had shown promise during the rapid section, found it difficult to maintain momentum in the blitz rounds against an elite field featuring some of the world’s top-ranked players. The Indian teenager ended the event with 17.5 points after mixed results on the final day.
Hans Niemann emerged as the standout performer of the tournament, finishing with an impressive 24 points to comfortably secure the title ahead of former world champion Magnus Carlsen. The American-born player delivered consistent performances across both rapid and blitz formats to dominate the standings.
Magnus Carlsen finished second after a strong late comeback in the blitz section, while Wesley So secured third place overall.
For Gukesh, the event served as another valuable experience against elite opposition following his historic rise in world chess. The young Indian Grandmaster had started strongly in the rapid games but struggled with consistency during the faster blitz format, where several games slipped away in time pressure situations.
India’s chess fans were particularly eager to see Gukesh compete against Carlsen and Niemann after his breakthrough world championship triumph earlier this year. Despite finishing outside the podium places, the 19-year-old displayed flashes of brilliance against some of the strongest players on the circuit.
The SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz tournament is part of the prestigious Grand Chess Tour and attracts elite grandmasters from around the world every year.
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