Mumbai, Dec 19 (NationPress) World Champion D Gukesh successfully avenged his earlier defeat against Alireza Firouzja in the reverse encounter. However, the defending champions Triveni Continental Kings managed to secure a close victory over PBG Alaskan Knights with a score of 10-9, ensuring they remain at the top of the leaderboard after match day 6. Meanwhile, Mumba Masters kept the pressure on the leaders by defeating Ganges Grandmasters 11-6 in the Global Chess League (GCL) on Friday.

As the third edition of the GCL progresses into the second phase of the group stage, Triveni Continental Kings had a chance to extend their lead over Mumba Masters, as they were scheduled to play two matches in one day.

Initially, the champions faced a setback against Alpine SG Pipers, where their star player Alireza Firouzja lost to Fabiano Caruana, necessitating a win against the Alaskan Knights to maintain their position ahead of Mumba Masters, who had briefly taken the lead after their victory over Ganges Grandmasters.

The Continental Kings gained a six-point cushion with victories from Alexandra Kosteniuk over Sara Khadem and Wei Yi against Arjun Erigaisi. However, Kateryna Lagno rallied for the Knights, scoring four points with a win against Zhu Jiner to bring her team back into contention.

Gukesh, having previously lost to Alireza earlier in the tournament, played a strategic game with the black pieces. He capitalized on his time advantage to deliver a second defeat to the 22-year-old in a rook-pawn endgame.

Nevertheless, Gukesh’s triumph was not sufficient for the Knights to secure their third consecutive win, as Vidit Gujarathi finally found his winning form, defeating Leinier Dominguez in 39 moves, thereby ensuring his team remained in the lead with 15 match points.

Vidit, who was awarded the Player of the Match, expressed, “It’s a relief. It feels like you are climbing a mountain and you get an oxygen cylinder. Today, I was very upset after the first game and I am really happy that my win counted for the team.”

Earlier, GM Wesley So, Player of the Match Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, and Koneru Humpy all secured victories, aiding Mumba Masters in triumphing over Ganges Grandmasters. On the icon board, Viswanathan Anand applied pressure on Maxime Vachier-Lagrave but was unable to convert with the black pieces.

In another match of the day, PBG Alaskan Knights triumphed over Fyers American Gambits with a scoreline of 9-7, thanks to Arjun Erigaisi's victory over Vladislav Artemiev and Sara Khadem turning the tables on Teodora Injac.