In the last list of the top Chess players we published, we went over the best Uzbek Chess players. Now in this article, we’re ranking the best Croatian Chess players from Croatia according to FIDE. Most of these players are Grandmasters with an Elo rating over 2500. For more information on ratings, see the guide on how to get a FIDE rating.
10. Bojan Kurajica
Full Name: Bojan Kurajica
Title: Grandmaster
Born: November 15, 1947
Federation: Croatia
Ratings
World ranking: 496
Rapid: 2327
Blitz: 2465
Classical: 2529
Profiles
Kurajica was granted the title of Grandmaster in 1974 and the International Master title in 1965. He became a FIDE trainer in 2005 with a FIDE rating of 2529 and a Peak rating of 2595. He clinched the Strong Lugano Open in 1981. In 1991, Kurajica set a new record surpassing the already set Guinness World record for the player with the highest number of boards in a simultaneous tournament. He was victorious in the 13th Salona GM Invitation Championship.
9. Marin Bosiocic
Full Name: Marin Bosiosic
Title: Grandmaster
Born: January 1, 1988
Federation: Croatia
Ratings
World ranking: 420
Rapid: 2535
Blitz: 2571
Classical: 2542
Profiles
In 2008, Baltag was accorded the title of Grandmaster, International Master in 2007, and FIDE Master in 2004. As of 2016, his FIDE rating was 2591, while his Peak rating was 2648. He is a two-time Croatian Chess Champion (2017, 2019). Bosiocic clinched a gold medal during the European Team Tournament in 2017. Most notable tournaments he also emerged victorious in include; Trieste Open, Split Open, and St. Viet Open – won on four occasions.
8. Sasa Martinovic
Full name: Sasa Martinovic
Title: Grandmaster
Born: July 15, 1991
Federation: Croatia
Ratings
World ranking: 405
Rapid: 2572
Blitz: 2469
Classical: 2546
Profiles
Sasa Martinovic was presented with the grandmaster title in 1997, the International Master title in 2008, and the FIDE Master title in 2006. FIDE recognized him as a FIDE trainer in 2015. He is the 2020 Croatian Chess Champion. In 2014, he became victorious in the Zagreb Open and the Split Chess Open in 2016. He made a breakthrough in the 2021 Chess World Cup during the first attempt but was defeated in the second attempt by Carlsen Magnus with a score of 0-2.
7. Alojzije Jankovic
Full name: Alojzije Jankovic
Title: Grandmaster
Born: April 2, 1983
Federation: Croatia
Ratings
World ranking: 398
Rapid: 2501
Blitz: 2484
Classical: 2548
Profiles
In 2006, Alojzije Jankovic was granted the title of Grandmaster. Before that, he had been awarded the FIDE Master title in 2000, and in 2013, FIDE recognized him as an International Trainer. He has a FIDE rating of 2543. He became Croatian Chess Champion in 2015. He was among the players in the Croatia national team who represented the country in winning twice the Mitropa Cup.
6. Davorin Kuljasevic
Full name: Davorin Kuljasevic
Title: Grandmaster
Born: January 1, 1986
Federation: Croatia
Ratings
World ranking: 353
Rapid: 2549
Blitz: 2481
Classical: 2560
Profiles
Davorin Kuljasevic was presented with the title of Grandmaster in 2010 and the FIDE Master title in 2002. In 2016, he was recognized as a FIDE trainer. In 2002, during the Under 16 World Youth, Davorin was ranked fourth. He managed to win solo trophies in tournaments like; the 2011 Spice Spring, Zupanja, Mediteran, 2013 Split, and 2014 Castelfranco. He also helped the Croatia National team win the Mitropa Cup in 2017, 2013, and 2011, and the US Chess League in 2007/2008, among others.
5. Hrvoje Stevic
Full name: Hrvoje Stevic
Title: Grandmaster
Born: January 1, 1980
Federation: Croatia
Ratings
World ranking: 338
Rapid: 2577
Blitz: 2568
Classical: 2563
Profiles
Hrvoje Stevic was conferred with the title of Grandmaster in addition to earning the FIDE Master title in 1995. He became a chess trainer in 2015. From 1991 to 2022, he has played a total of 1513 games. In those games, he won 503, drew 791, and lost 219, which accounts for a 59.39 percentage winning score. Recent tournaments he’s played include the Croatian Cup-2022, TCh-HUN-2021, 23rd European Teams-2021, and 22nd ch-EUR Indiv 2022.
4. Leon Livaic
Full name: Leon Livaic
Title: International Master
Born: January 1, 2000
Federation: Croatia
Ratings
World ranking: 320
Rapid: 2383
Blitz: 2540
Classical: 2569
Profiles
Leon Livaic was granted the title of International Master in 2017 and the FIDE Master in 2015. He became the Under-18 World Youth chess champion and Under-16 European Youth Rapid Champion. Leon also won a Bronze Medal at the European Blitz Youth championship.
3. Zdenko Kozul
Full name: Zdenko Kozul
Title: Grandmaster
Born: May 21, 1966
Federation: Croatia
Ratings
World ranking: 210
Rapid: 2526
Blitz: 2600
Classical: 2602
Profiles
Zdenko Kozul was accorded the title of Grandmaster in 1989 and the International Master title in 1986. He earned FIDE trainer recognition in 2005. Kozul has a FIDE rating of 2602 and a Peak rating of 2640. He became the European Chess Champion in 2006, a victory that gave him a direct qualification to the 2007 FIDE World Cup. In 2006 and 2015, Kozul became the champion of the Croatian Chess tournament. Kozul ranked first at the Zagreb Open in 2012 and the Grenke Chess Open.
2. Ante Brkic
Full name: Ante Brkic
Title: Grandmaster
Born: March 31, 1988
Federation: Croatia
Ratings
World ranking: 160
Rapid: 2597
Blitz: 2602
Classical: 2618
Profiles
In 2007, Brkic was accorded the title of Grandmaster by FIDE and FIDE master in 2001. He was authorized in 2015 by FIDE as a FIDE trainer. He is the 2010 champion of the Croatian chess tournament. He has played for his nation in multiple chess Olympiads, most notably- in 2006, 2012, 2016, and 2018. Brkic clinched the 26th Zadar Open in 2019.
1. Ivan Saric
Full names: Ivan Saric
Title: Grandmaster
Birth: August 17, 1990
Federation: Croatia
Ratings
World ranking: 47
Rapid: 2645
Blitz: 2550
Classical: 2687
Profiles
Ivan earned the title of Grandmaster in 2008 and an International Master title in 2007. In 2020, he was recognized as a FIDE trainer. He has a peak rating of 2703 and a FIDE rating of 2687. In 2007, Saric was victorious in the U18 European Youth Chess Tournament, a repeated victory in 2008. 2018 was another successful year for him after winning the European Individual Chess tournament.
On top of that, in 2009 and 2013, Saric clinched the Croatian Chess Tournament with a remarkable victory above Carlsen Magnus’s 2014 Chess Olympiad achievement. Beginning in 2009, Ivan has been part of the Croatian National team in chess competitions.
That concludes the list of the top Croatian Chess players. If you like list posts like this, you may also be interested in seeing the ten best Norwegian Chess players or the best Spanish Chess players.
Sources
- Bačka 1901–1991, page 29 (in Serbian)
- OlimpBase :: 43rd Chess Olympiad, Batumi 2018, Croatia”. www.olimpbase.org. Retrieved 2021-07-18.
- Bartelski, Wojciech. “29th Chess Olympiad: Novi Sad 1990”. OlimpBase. Retrieved 2009-07-08.
- HAŠK Mladost – Monograph Version of the original page archived on October 9, 2019 HR top 100 chess players – Leon Livaić (2451) (accessed on Google on October 9, 2019
- Croatian Chess Federation Version of the original page archived on April 11, 2012 National rating list from March 1, 2012
- Croatian Chess Federation Version of the original page archived on April 11, 2012 National rating list from March 1, 2012
- GM Alojzije Jankovic is 2015 [sic] Croatian champion”. Chessdom. 2015-01-22. Retrieved 2019-09-22.
- Marin Bosiočić’s profile at World Chess Federation FIDE Retrieved 4 January 2017
- Bartelski, Wojciech. “Men’s Chess Olympiads: Bojan Kurajica”. OlimpBase. Retrieved 2009-07-23.
- Arbiters – Trainers: Bojan Kurajica”. World Chess Federation. Archived from the original on 2011-06-06. Retrieved 2009-07-23