Anish Giri Drops to Seventh in Grand Chess Tour Croatia

**Anish Giri fell to seventh place with 17 points on 6 July 2026 at the Croatian leg of the Grand Chess Tour, a result that keeps him in the middle of a fiercely contested leaderboard.**

The Croatian event featured ten of the world’s top grandmasters. French prodigy Alireza Firouzja claimed the title after a tie‑break with Uzbek Nodirbek Abdusattorov, both scoring 23.5 points. Indian Grandmaster R Praggnanandhaa and France’s Maxime Vachier‑Lagrave shared third place with 21.5 points each. German Vincent Keymer finished fifth on 20 points, while fellow Indian D Gukesh took sixth with 18.5.

Giri, representing the Netherlands, earned 17 points, placing him seventh overall. The Dutch grandmaster’s performance kept him within striking distance of the leaders but left a gap of three points to the top‑two. In the broader Grand Chess Tour standings, Fabiano Caruana remains on top with 20 points, followed by Keymer on 19 and Firouzja on 18. Giri’s seventh‑place finish adds modestly to his season total, but the margin to the podium is widening.

Finishing seventh in a ten‑player field shows Giri can still compete against the elite, yet the result also highlights the depth of the current field. His 17‑point haul came after a mixed set of games, including a loss to Gukesh and a draw against several opponents. The points gap means Giri must improve his rapid‑blitz form in the upcoming St. Louis stops if he hopes to challenge for the overall title.

The Grand Chess Tour moves to St. Louis later this month, beginning with a rapid‑blitz tournament followed by a classical event. Giri will need to convert more of his games into wins to close the deficit to Caruana and Keymer. A strong showing could lift him back into the top five and keep his chances alive for the season finale.

Alireza Firouzja took home $47,000, while Abdusattorov earned $42,000. Praggnanandhaa and Vachier‑Lagrave split $25,000 each. Giri’s seventh‑place finish did not earn a cash prize, underscoring the financial stakes tied to each position in the tour.

Vincent Keymer’s 20‑point effort placed him just ahead of Giri, and local favorite Ivan Saric finished last with seven points. The event also saw a dramatic final‑day comeback from Praggnanandhaa, who scored six points from his last eight games after an early loss.

With the Croatian leg concluded, the leaderboard remains tight at the top. Caruana’s lead is slim, and the next two events in St. Louis will likely reshuffle the order. Giri’s performance will be a key factor in whether he can stay in contention for the Grand Chess Tour crown.