Pipers defeated Continental Kings 12-8, Alaskan Knights got the better of Fyers American Gambits 9-7, upGrad Mumba Masters beat Ganges Grandmasters 11-6 at GCL
Fabiano Caruana produced a moment of elite composure under extreme pressure to halt Alireza Firouzja’s unbeaten run on the icon board, anchoring Alpine SG Pipers to a statement 12-8 win over table-toppers Triveni Continental Kings on Matchday 6 of the Global Chess League (GCL), a joint initiative of Tech Mahindra and FIDE.
The day also saw PBG Alaskan Knights continue their upward curve with a 9-7 victory over Fyers American Gambits, while upGrad Mumba Masters delivered a commanding 11-6 win against Ganges Grandmasters to climb to the top of the standings on game score.
The headline clash between Pipers and Continental Kings lived up to its billing, unfolding as a tactical tug-of-war before being decided by Caruana’s ice-cold finish in a dramatic icon-board battle. Firouzja, who had been flawless so far in the league, pushed the American to the brink in a marathon contest that went deep into time trouble. Caruana eventually prevailed in a 77-move struggle, converting an advanced a-pawn into a queen under immense pressure, with the clocks nearly exhausted on both sides.
The Pipers had set the tone early. Anish Giri, playing White in the reverse fixture, dismantled Wei Yi with clinical precision to hand his team an early edge. On the women’s board, Nino Batsiashvili continued her excellent run, registering her fifth win in six matches by outplaying Alexandra Kosteniuk. At that stage, the Pipers appeared firmly in control.
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But the defending champions, Triveni Continental Kings, once again showed why they are so difficult to put away. Zhu Jiner struck back by defeating Hou Yifan in a high-quality encounter, while Marc’Andria Maurizzi ended Leon Luke Mendonca’s three-match winning streak to swing momentum back in the Kings’ favour. The tie hung in the balance when a slip from Vidit Gujarathi allowed R Praggnanandhaa to press for victory on Board 3, setting the stage for the decisive icon-board duel.
Caruana’s win over Firouzja ultimately proved decisive. Named Player of the Match, the American later acknowledged just how fine the margins were. “Alireza is in very good form. I think I could have lost or it could have been a draw. In the end, it came down to a time scramble and I had one second on the clock,” he said. “I’m happy I managed to pull it off.” The result not only ended Firouzja’s perfect run but also handed the Pipers one of their most significant wins of the season.
Earlier in the day, PBG Alaskan Knights continued their resurgence with a gritty 9-7 win over Fyers American Gambits. Arjun Erigaisi led the charge with his second consecutive victory, producing a dominant performance against Vladislav Artemiev and closing the game in 45 moves. Sara Khadem, meanwhile, delivered a timely boost by securing her first win of the competition, turning the tables on Teodora Injac and forcing resignation after 40 moves.
The Knights were denied a larger margin, however, after world champion D Gukesh went down to Hikaru Nakamura on the icon board. Gukesh had enjoyed a slight edge for much of the 44-move encounter, but Nakamura’s experience in complex positions told in the end, ensuring the Gambits stayed close on the scoreboard.
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In the final match of the day, upGrad Mumba Masters underlined their title credentials with an emphatic 11-6 victory over Ganges Grandmasters. Wesley So was his customary solid self, while Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, named Player of the Match, delivered a decisive win to tilt the tie firmly in Mumba’s favour. Koneru Humpy added another crucial point with a composed performance on the women’s board.
On the icon board, Viswanathan Anand applied sustained pressure against Maxime Vachier-Lagrave despite having the black pieces, but the Frenchman defended accurately to hold the draw. The result was enough to see Mumba Masters leapfrog Continental Kings to the top of the table on better game score, adding another layer of intrigue to an already tightly contested league.
With the Kings still scheduled to face the Alaskan Knights later in the day, the standings remained fluid. Matchday 6 once again reinforced the defining trait of this GCL season: no lead is safe, no streak guaranteed, and every board especially the icon board can reshape the title race in a matter of moves.
