Firouzja opened the Zagreb Super Rapid with sharp, decisive chess. He beat Ivan Saric and Bogdan-Daniel Deac in scrappy encounters that could have gone either way, then drew with Anish Giri in round three. That 5/6 score gives him a one-point lead heading into day two.
Giri sits alone in second despite the draw with Firouzja. Vincent Keymer, Praggnanandhaa Rameshbabu, and Maxime Vachier-Lagrave all trail by a point at 4/6, setting up a crowded pack behind the leader.
The results tell you this is real chess, not a tournament where someone ran away early. Firouzja's wins were messy. His draw with Giri was solid but unresolved. That leaves plenty of room for the chasing pack to strike back.
Keymer has looked sharp this season and won't go away. Pragga has the rating and the confidence. Vachier-Lagrave remains one of the most dangerous rapid players alive when he clicks. Even Giri, despite trailing, showed he can rattle Firouzja.
The first day proved entertaining because no one dominated. Firouzja earned his lead through scrappy victories and good fortune, not blitzing through the field. In a strong field like this, that advantage feels temporary. The rapid rounds ahead will separate who converted their luck and who let it slip away.