Home Business Sports Magnus Carlsen Wins Combined R...

Magnus Carlsen Wins Combined Rapid and Blitz Event in Croatia

Sports

Business Honor - Magnus Carlsen Wins Croatia Rapid & Blitz Event

Business Honor
08 July, 2025

Carlsen wins Super United title in Croatia after strong Blitz, despite losing Rapid section.

On Sunday, July 6, Magnus Carlsen, ranked first in the world, arose victorious from the SuperUnited Rapid and Blitz event held in Zagreb, Croatia. Carlsen won the overall title after a strong comeback in the Blitz games, despite not playing at his best in the Rapid segment.

Carlsen topped the tournament's Blitz phase but lost the Rapid crown to D. Gukesh, an Indian youngster By scoring 7.5 points from 9 games on the opening day of Blitz, he overcame Gukesh’s lead and moved ahead in the rankings. He won the combined rankings due to his steady play in the closing rounds. After the tournament, Carlsen shared on social media that his "B-game" was sufficient when others did not perform exceptionally. He also expressed a continuous desire to improve.

Carlsen said he didn't feel like he had truly won in a subsequent interview. Although he performed fairly well, he clarified that no other players stood out for their performances. He added that it was difficult to stand out from the competition because there were no clear weaker opponents. Despite his strong performance in the Rapid section, Gukesh had a difficult time in the Blitz games.

On Day 1, he dropped five of his first six games and was unable to bounce back. His expectations were dashed when he lost to fellow Indian R. Praggnanandhaa in the last round. Even though Carlsen didn't think it was his best performance, his powerful finish and experience helped him stand out from the others. His triumph shows that Carlsen is still a formidable opponent even on his bad days and adds another major leadership to his impressive resume.