Mumbai, Dec 15 (NationPress) With a perfect start in their opening two matches, the upGrad Mumba Masters, captained by Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, have claimed the top spot in the third season of the Global Chess League (GCL) held in Mumbai on Monday. The Masters triumphed over Fyers American Gambits with a score of 9-7, while the Ganges Grandmasters executed an impressive comeback to defeat the Alpine SG Pipers with a score of 13-7, marking their first victory of the season.

Matchday 2 commenced at the Royal Opera House on Monday, where the upGrad Mumba Masters narrowly overcame the Fyers American Gambits in a fiercely contested match, showcasing significant resilience across all boards.

Facing early challenges, the Masters regained their composure as Wesley So held Vladislav Artemiev to a draw, followed by Koneru Humpy who also secured a draw, maintaining the score at 2–2. The tide shifted dramatically when Shakhriyar Mamedyarov outmaneuvered Richard Rapport on board three, establishing a commanding position that propelled the Masters to a 5–2 advantage during a crucial moment.

The match turned decisively when Bardiya Daneshvar shocked reigning World Rapid Champion Volodar Murzin, sealing the victory for the Masters. Although Teodora Injac drew with Harika Dronavalli and Hikaru Nakamura responded with a solid Black win over Maxime Vachier-Lagrave using the Petrov Defence, the damage was already inflicted as the Mumba Masters secured a 9–7 win.

Mamedyarov, awarded Player of the Match, expressed, “It was an amazing game, with sacrifices. A very good win for the team, and I hope to continue playing like this. Winning even one match feels great, so to win two in a row makes it very special.”

In the subsequent match, the Alpine SG Pipers faced the Ganges Grandmasters, both teams aiming for their first victory, highlighted by the marquee clash between Fabiano Caruana and Viswanathan Anand. Caruana delivered under pressure, relentlessly pushing to secure a pivotal win that put the Pipers ahead 3–0.

Throughout the venue, marquee confrontations played out with Anish Giri struggling to draw against Vincent Keymer, despite sustained pressure. Meanwhile, the fan zone was alive with excitement as GM Daniil Dubov engaged spectators with a simultaneous exhibition.

The match took a dramatic turn in mere minutes. While Nino Batsiashvili contributed to the Pipers' score by defeating Stavroula Tsolakidou—her second victory of the season—the Grandmasters retaliated decisively with Raunak Sadhwani, Javokhir Sindarov, and Polina Shuvalova securing vital wins. Shuvalova capped the impressive comeback by utilizing her rooks to checkmate Hou Yifan, leading the Ganges to a remarkable 13–7 victory.

Raunak, who rebounded from an earlier mistake on Matchday 1 to earn Player of the Match, stated, “I was confident today. I played faster, put pressure on the board and the clock. I’m very happy the team won, that’s what matters in the end.”

The day concluded with the PBG Alaskan Knights challenging the defending champions, Triveni Continental Kings.

Matchday 3 action continues with the Ganges Grandmasters facing the PBG Alaskan Knights, Triveni Continental Kings squaring off against Fyers American Gambits, and the upGrad Mumba Masters taking on the Alpine SG Pipers.