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Magnus Carlsen took the lead in the overall standings of the SuperUnited Rapid & Blitz Croatia tournament after a dominant performance on the first day of blitz. The former world champion scored 7½ points out of 9 games, displaying the tactical sharpness and positional clarity that have long characterised his play.
With this result, Carlsen moved from third to first place in the overall table, overtaking both Gukesh Dommaraju and Jan-Krzysztof Duda. He now leads with 17½ points, ahead of Duda on 16 and Gukesh on 15½.
Carlsen's day included six wins and three draws. Particularly satisfying for the Norwegian was his win over Gukesh, who had beaten him in the rapid section. He also made the most of minor inaccuracies by his opponents, including clean victories over Alireza Firouzja and Ivan Saric. Throughout the day, Carlsen combined swift tactical calculations with impeccable positional play, as his performance was the most consistent of the field.
For Gukesh, who had gone into the blitz phase with a comfortable lead of three points after excelling in rapid (14/18), the day was nothing short of a disaster. The 18-year-old world champion managed just 1½ points out of 9 in the blitz portion, beginning with five consecutive defeats. This dramatic collapse saw his lead evaporate, and by the end of the day, he had dropped to third place in the combined standings.
Most concerning for Gukesh was the nature of his losses. In many games, he emerged from the opening with a promising position, only to fall apart in the middlegame. He repeatedly missed tactical threats and looked out of form throughout the session. Losses to Carlsen, Nodirbek Abdusattorov, and Wesley So were particularly one-sided. Carlsen later commented, "The good thing for him is it couldn't really have gone any worse", reflecting both the scale of the setback and the opportunity to bounce back.
It was a day to forget for Gukesh Dommaraju | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Jan-Krzysztof Duda, who had started the day in second place with 11 points, put in a stable and effective performance. He scored 5/9 in the blitz rounds, enough to capitalise on Gukesh's poor day and climb to second place overall on 16 points. Duda's approach was marked by solid opening preparation, good time management, and precise defensive technique in complex positions. He remains just 1½ points behind Carlsen and firmly in contention with nine rounds of blitz still to play.
Wesley So also had a productive day, finishing with 6½ points out of 9, the second-best blitz performance behind Carlsen. He came close to defeating the new leader and will enter the final day with renewed momentum.
Jan-Krzysztof Duda | Photo: Lennart Ootes
Wesley So | Photo: Lennart Ootes
As the tournament heads into its final day, all eyes will be on whether Carlsen can maintain his lead and whether Gukesh can recover from Saturday's subpar performance.
Play resumes one hour earlier than usual on Sunday, with rounds 10–18 of blitz set to decide the overall winner.
Analysis by GM Karsten Müller
Local representative Ivan Saric | Photo: Lennart Ootes
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