Zagreb Turns Into the Chess Capital of the World: Carlsen, Gukesh, and Top Players Are Coming!
From June 30 to July 6, Zagreb is set to become the epicenter of the global chess scene! The best chess players of today, including Norwegian genius Magnus Carlsen, the five-time world champion and current top-ranked player, as well as 19-year-old Indian prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju, are arriving in Croatia’s capital for the sixth edition of the Super United Croatia Grand Chess Tour.
This spectacular event is backed by the Croatian government, with Zvonimir Frkapetešić, the chief of the Prime Minister’s office and a big chess enthusiast himself, revealing that chess is part of his daily mental hygiene. He plays three to four blitz games of 60 seconds each day, as he doesn’t have time for longer matches, but finds it a great way to keep alert and sharp.
The tournament will feature six of the world’s top ten players, including American Fabiano Caruana, Uzbek Nodirbek Abdusattorov, Indian Praggnanandhaa, Iranian Alireza Firouzja, and a French contender. This is a true battle of ideas on the chessboard, and Zagreb is becoming an unmissable spot on the world chess map, thanks also to the legendary Garry Kasparov.
Frkapetešić emphasizes that chess develops the brain, especially in youth, as the brain remains plastic until around age 20. Young chess champions, some as young as ten years old, prove that early chess education is a solid investment in cerebral development. Learning chess at 20 and expecting great results is nearly impossible.
Interestingly, top athletes like tennis star Carlos Alcaraz and football legends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are known chess fans. Chess is more than a game — it’s mental training, a battle of ideas, and part of Croatia’s cultural identity, with its coat of arms resembling a chessboard.
Zagreb will host this elite tournament, drawing the international chess community’s full attention. Whether you love chess or just want to see the mental battles of top players, this is an event you can’t miss!
So, are you up for a blitz game? Or do you think chess is only for geniuses? Drop a comment and show if you’re a king or a pawn in this game!
