Alpine SG Pipers continued their upward surge in the Global Chess League (GCL) with a composed 10–4 victory over Fyers American Gambits, while leaders upGrad Mumba Masters and defending champions Triveni Continental Kings also registered comfortable wins on Matchday 4 of the league, a joint initiative of Tech Mahindra and FIDE.
At the Royal Opera House on Wednesday, the Pipers overcame the Gambits 10–4, upGrad Mumba Masters delivered a dominant 18–2 win over PBG Alaskan Knights, and Triveni Continental Kings defeated Ganges Grandmasters 11–6, ensuring a tightly contested battle at the top of the standings.
After four matchdays, upGrad Mumba Masters and Triveni Continental Kings are tied on nine match points, with the Masters holding onto the top spot thanks to a superior game points tally of 51 compared to the Kings’ 43.
The day began with Alpine SG Pipers once again opting to play with the white pieces after winning the toss, mirroring their approach from the previous round against overnight leaders upGrad Mumba Masters. The decision paid dividends as the Pipers produced another assured team performance built on key contributions across boards.
The early stages of the tie against Fyers American Gambits were evenly balanced, with little to separate the sides on the top four boards. The decisive breakthrough, however, came on the prodigy board, where GM Leon Luke Mendonca continued his impressive run of form. Facing reigning World Rapid Champion Volodar Murzin, the Goan grandmaster opted for a Closed Catalan and steadily built pressure through superior piece coordination.
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Mendonca seized the initiative with a well-timed bishop sacrifice on the 18th move, shifting the momentum firmly in his favour. From there, he maintained control, forcing Murzin into an increasingly difficult defensive task. The Russian eventually ran out of time on move 46, handing Mendonca another high-profile victory and giving the Pipers a crucial edge in the tie.
The women’s board produced a dramatic contest, with Nino Batsiashvili locked in a long and testing battle against Teodora Injac. Batsiashvili was under pressure for much of the 61-move encounter but showed remarkable resilience in the endgame. By advancing her pawns at precisely the right moment, she turned the tables and forced Injac to resign, briefly propelling the Pipers to the top of the live standings.
Batsiashvili, who claimed her third win in four matches, summed up her approach succinctly: “I played all in and pushed my pawn, and at some point I realised I had a chance to win.” Her timely victory sealed the Pipers’ second consecutive win and firmly placed them in the title conversation.
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Later in the day, upGrad Mumba Masters produced one of the most dominant performances of the season, thrashing PBG Alaskan Knights 18–2 despite playing with the black pieces. The result further cemented the Masters’ position at the top of the leaderboard and highlighted the depth and experience of their lineup.
Koneru Humpy played a pivotal role, navigating a complex position against Kateryna Lagno. Although Humpy had to defend carefully early on, she capitalised decisively when Lagno failed to follow up accurately after sacrificing her queen. The Russian’s miscalculation proved fatal, and she resigned after 33 moves.
On the adjacent board, D Harika delivered another composed performance, earning Player of the Match honours with a 43-move victory over Sara Khadem. Harika’s ability to steadily convert her advantage once again proved crucial in building Mumba Masters’ overwhelming lead.
The Alaskan Knights’ woes were compounded when Arjun Erigaisi ran out of time in his game against Wesley So, conceding additional points. On the icon board, world champion D Gukesh was held to a 31-move draw by Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, extending his wait for a first win this season. Bardiya Daneshvar completed the rout with a victory over Daniel Dardha, rounding off an emphatic display from the league leaders.
In the final match of the day, defending champions Triveni Continental Kings asserted their authority with an 11–6 win over Ganges Grandmasters. The highlight of the tie came on the icon board, where Alireza Firouzja defeated Viswanathan Anand, delivering a statement win for the Kings. On the second board, GM Wei Yi added to the advantage by getting the better of Vincent Keymer.
Ganges Grandmasters found some resistance through 2024 World Cup winner Javokhir Sindarov, who defeated Vidit Gujarathi with the black pieces to earn four valuable game points. However, his effort proved insufficient to turn the tide, as the Kings closed out the match comfortably.
Action continues on Matchday 5 with a marquee clash between upGrad Mumba Masters and Triveni Continental Kings.
Alpine SG Pipers will face PBG Alaskan Knights, while Ganges Grandmasters take on Fyers American Gambits, setting the stage for another decisive day in the race for playoff positions.
