GCT Superbet Poland: The Indians catch Fire on Day 3
The third day of the 2025 Superbet Rapid & Blitz Poland, held on April 28 in Warsaw, wrapped up the rapid section of the Grand Chess Tour’s opening event with a thrilling three-way tie at the top. Grandmasters Alireza Firouzja (France), Aravindh Chithambaram (India), and Vladimir Fedoseev (Slovenia) each scored 11/18 points after nine rounds, setting the stage for an intense blitz section to follow. The day turned out to be exceptional for the Indians as Praggnanandhaa announced his comeback by scoring 5/6, joining the title chase on 4th position.
Firouzja surged into the lead early on day three by defeating Veselin Topalov, but a dramatic final-round loss on time to Chithambaram allowed the Indian GM to catch up. Despite being known for his speed, Alireza Firouzja succumbed to the time pressure in a theoretically drawn rook endgame;
Chithambaram’s victory, marked by a nerve-wracking finish, showcased his resilience and tactical prowess. Fedoseev, the day-one leader, maintained consistency with steady draws to secure his share of first. Behind them, Levon Aronian and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave climbed to mid table while the local favourite, Duda, had a nightmarish outing as he lost 2 out of his last three games. Going into 18 rounds of Blitz chess, this is how the points table appears:
The rapid section, with a time control of 25 minutes plus a 10-second increment, delivered high-stakes chess, with only six points separating the leaders from the bottom. As the tournament transitions to the blitz double round-robin on April 29-30, the $175,000 prize fund and tour points remain up for grabs. Fans eagerly await whether Firouzja, Chithambaram, or Fedoseev can seize control in the faster format or if we would see a heroic comeback from one of the mid-table finishers.
Photo courtesy: Lennart Ootes / Grand Chess Tour
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