Mumbai, Dec 18 (NationPress) World Champion Dommaraju Gukesh and his teammate Arjun Erigaisi stepped up in critical moments, guiding the PBG Alaskan Knights to their inaugural victory of the tournament. Meanwhile, GM Alireza Firouzja clinched his fifth straight win on the icon board, bolstering the defending champions, Triveni Continental Kings, to the top of the leaderboard at the midpoint of the Global Chess League (GCL) held at the Royal Opera House in Mumbai on Thursday.

The Continental Kings triumphed over the upGrad Mumba Masters with a score of 9-5 in a critical clash that positioned them as the sole leaders with 12 match points. In contrast, the Alaskan Knights overcame the Alpine SG Pipers with a score of 12-8, marking a match where all six boards concluded with decisive results. The final encounter of the day saw the Ganges Grandmasters narrowly defeat the Fyers American Gambits 8-7, securing third place with nine match points.

The standout performance came from Gukesh and Arjun, who orchestrated a remarkable turnaround for last year’s runners-up, the Alaskan Knights.

After suffering losses in their first four matches, the Alaskan Knights faced a crucial must-win scenario against the Pipers. Another defeat at the Royal Opera House would have severely jeopardized their chances of finishing in the top two. They chose to play with white pieces after winning the toss, and Arjun quickly gained an advantage by defeating Anish Giri on the second board.

However, the Pipers’ top players, Nino Batsiashvilli and Leon Luke Mendonca, won their matches with black, putting the pressure back on the Knights.

Gukesh, who had faced challenges earlier in the tournament, made a strong comeback by defeating Fabiano Caruana in a mere 39 moves. Leinier Dominguez also succeeded against R. Praggnanandhaa, while Kateryna Lagno bested Hou Yifan, rounding off the score.

Reflecting on his match, Gukesh stated, “It’s a very special feeling to secure my first win. From the outset, we felt in control, though the endgame posed some challenges. I noticed Dominguez’s game was about even, possibly slightly in his favor, so I knew I had to strive for a win. By then, I had good opportunities, and my opponent was running low on time.”

Arjun, honored as the Player of the Match, remarked, “This win is particularly meaningful since none of us had secured a victory until now, and we achieved four today.”

Earlier, Alireza, who had previously defeated the reigning world champion and other top-ranked players, capitalized on a blunder by Maxime Vachier-Lagrave, maintaining his perfect record.

After the Continental Kings opted to play with black pieces post-toss victory, players Maurizzi, Marcandria, and Alexandra Kosteniuk failed to convert their early leads, leading to draws on other boards.

Alireza needed to win against his compatriot to position his team ahead. He opted for a Najdorf Variation of the Sicilian Defense and maintained pressure despite time constraints. When MVL blundered by moving his knight to d5, the 22-year-old Iranian GM seized the moment, forcing the Mumba Masters’ icon to resign after 52 moves.

Alireza, also the Player of the Match, shared, “This win was essential for us to take the lead halfway through. Our past matches have been intriguing. He has defeated me several times, and I have beaten him too, but today was my day. I took risks, anticipating a close match, but playing with black yielded four points, and it paid off.”

In the day’s concluding match, 2025 World Cup winner Javokhir Sindarov defeated Richard Rapport with black pieces for four game points, while Viswanathan Anand drew against Hikaru Nakamura on the icon board.

Matchday 6 action continues with the PBG Alaskan Knights battling the Fyers American Gambits first, followed by a clash against the Triveni Continental Kings, who will open their day against the Alpine SG Pipers. The upGrad Mumba Masters will take on the Ganges Grandmasters.